Licensed to practice in North Carolina and accepts 44 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Child or Adolescent, School Issues and 10 more.
(she/her)
Hi, I'm Dr. Shamanda Burston, a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist with more than 15 years of experience helping people navigate life's challenges. I work with teens (13+), adolescents, and adults experiencing anxiety, stress, burnout, life transitions, career concerns, relationship challenges, and financial stress. Life can feel overwhelming when you're trying to meet expectations at school, work, or home while carrying the weight of anxiety, self-doubt, or constant pressure to "hold it all together." Whether you're a teenager navigating school and identity, a college student adjusting to adulthood, or a professional feeling burned out by work and life's responsibilities, therapy can provide a space to slow down, gain perspective, and develop practical strategies for lasting change. My approach is warm, collaborative, and goal-oriented. I strive to create an environment where clients feel comfortable being honest about what they're experiencing while also leaving sessions with tools they can begin applying in everyday life.
Starting therapy can feel intimidating, so my goal during our first session is to help you feel comfortable, heard, and supported. We'll spend time getting to know one another, discussing what brought you to therapy, identifying your current concerns, and exploring what you hope to accomplish. Together, we'll begin creating a treatment plan that reflects your goals while identifying practical strategies you can start using between sessions. Whether you're seeking support for anxiety, burnout, relationship concerns, career stress, or a major life transition, I want our first meeting to feel collaborative, encouraging, and focused on helping you move forward.
One of my greatest strengths is helping clients make sense of overwhelm. I enjoy helping people recognize patterns related to anxiety, burnout, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and chronic stress, then translating those insights into practical steps for change. Clients often describe my style as warm, validating, direct, and encouraging. I believe therapy should provide both emotional support and practical tools that help clients feel more confident in their everyday lives. My professional experience includes working as a pediatric psychotherapist in a medical setting, a school-based mental health therapist, a university professor, and a clinical supervisor. These experiences have given me the opportunity to support clients across different stages of life while understanding the unique pressures they face at school, at work, and at home. I'm also passionate about the connection between mental health and financial well-being and enjoy helping clients explore how stress, money, values, and life transitions influence their emotional health. Ages Teens (13–17) Young Adults (18–25) Adults Common Concerns Anxiety Stress Management Burnout Career Counseling Life Transitions Financial Stress Depression Self-Esteem Family Conflict School Issues Coping Skills Workplace Stress
I work best with teens (13+), adolescents, young adults, and adults who are feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, stress, burnout, or significant life transitions. Many of my clients are high-functioning individuals who appear to have everything under control on the outside but privately struggle with self-doubt, emotional exhaustion, or the pressure of trying to meet everyone else's expectations. Whether you're navigating school challenges, relationship concerns, workplace stress, career changes, financial stress, or simply feeling stuck, I provide a supportive and collaborative space where we can identify what's keeping you from moving forward and develop practical strategies for lasting change.
Other specialties
I identify as
Cash - $200 per session
Aetna
Aetna - Allied Benefits
Aetna - ASR Health Benefits
Aetna - Luminare
Aetna - Medicare
Aetna - Moda
Aetna - WebTPA
Aetna – HealthEZ
All Savers
Amerihealth Administrators
Amerihealth NJ Medicare Advantage
Anthem
Arlo
AvMed
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Centivo
Cigna
Cigna - HealthEZ
EAP:Cigna
EAP:Evernorth
EAP:UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Evernorth
Golden Rule
GTEB
Harvard Pilgrim/UnitedHealthcare
Humana - Medicare
Humana Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)
Independence Administrators
Independence Blue Cross
NC State Health Plan
Optum
OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions
Oscar
Oxford
Surest (formerly Bind)
Tufts Health/Cigna
United Medical Resources
UnitedHealthcare Complete Care (C-SNP)
UnitedHealthcare Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)
UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance
UnitedHealthcare Shared Services
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
UnitedHealthcare/Optum
UnitedHealthcare/Optum - Medicare
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Using this treatment method, I will address the connection between the patient's thoughts, feelings and behaviors.