(he/him)
New to Grow
Hello and welcome. I am James Liles, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) dedicated to helping high-functioning professionals and growth-oriented individuals navigate intense stress, burnout, and complex life transitions. Through a private and flexible telehealth format, I provide a collaborative, talk-based space designed for deep reflection, helping you move beyond basic symptom management to build lasting psychological resilience and reclaim your personal agency. In our work together, I integrate evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with a compassionate, person-centered approach that honors you as the expert on your own life. Additionally, for clients seeking a faith-based framework, I offer a specialized Christian counseling perspective—combining rigorous secular training with a personal foundation deeply rooted in the Gospel of Christ to seamlessly bridge professional psychological care with your spiritual walk.
Our first session together is designed to be the foundational stepping stone for our work ahead. Because this initial meeting is largely administrative, we will focus on gathering essential background information, reviewing necessary paperwork, and clarifying the logistical boundaries of our virtual space. It is a structured yet relaxed environment where we lay the ground rules, ensure your tech is running smoothly, and establish a clear roadmap for how we will move forward. More importantly, this first session is the beginning place for us to establish rapport. It is an opportunity for you to experience my therapeutic style firsthand, share what brings you to therapy right now, and begin defining your personal goals. There is no pressure to dive into deep processing immediately; instead, we will use this time to build the trust, safety, and egalitarian partnership that will support your growth in the weeks to come.
What truly sets my practice apart is the unique depth and breadth of perspective I bring to our sessions, backed by 18 years of diverse professional experience. Over nearly two decades, my journey has spanned clinical leadership, operations, and specialized corporate wellness consulting. This rich, diverse background allows me to understand the distinct psychological toll of high-stakes, intense corporate environments, making me uniquely equipped to support high-functioning professionals facing burnout, secondary trauma, and moral injury. When you work with me, you are partnering with a therapist who has a proven history of successful treatment outcomes across a wide variety of settings. I don't rely on a one-size-fits-all approach. Because I have spent 18 years refining my craft, I am able to seamlessly blend top-tier, evidence-based clinical modalities with an authentic, grounded presence. This balance of seasoned expertise, diverse real-world insight, and a track record of real, lasting client transformation allows us to dive straight into meaningful, high-impact work from day one.
My practice is best positioned to serve high-functioning adults and professionals who are motivated to do deep, talk-based work and are looking for the flexibility of telehealth. I work best with individuals who possess a strong degree of self-awareness and are ready to actively engage in the therapeutic process, even if they currently feel stuck, overwhelmed, or misaligned. Specifically, I am ideally equipped to support clients navigating the following areas: Primary Concerns: High-stress professional burnout, secondary trauma, moral injury, and the unique psychological toll of working in high-stakes, high-vigilance, or intense corporate environments. I also work with individuals processing life transitions, identity shifts, and the nuance of integrating faith with everyday life challenges. Client Mindset: Growth-oriented, reflective, and ready for collaborative dialogue. My ideal clients value an egalitarian relationship where they are respected as the experts on their own lives, but welcome a supportive, grounded mirror to help them see their blind spots and untangle complex emotional patterns. Therapy Goals: Moving beyond basic symptom management toward building deep psychological resilience, clarifying core values, and reclaiming personal agency. Whether the goal is cognitive reframing (CBT), personal growth and self-actualization (Rogerian), or aligning life choices with a spiritual foundation (Christian perspective), my clients are looking for sustainable, long-term emotional regulation and structural balance. Because my approach relies on rich, verbal exploration and actionable cognitive strategies, it translates seamlessly to a virtual environment—offering a private, focused space for busy, high-functioning individuals to prioritize their mental wellness without disrupting their workflows.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
In my practice, I deeply root my therapeutic approach in Humanistic Rogerian tenets, firmly believing that every individual possesses an inherent capacity for growth and self-actualization. My experience with this person-centered method centers on creating a safe, egalitarian environment where clients feel truly heard and valued without judgment. To facilitate this, I consistently weave the three core Rogerian conditions into the therapeutic alliance: Unconditional Positive Regard: I provide a warm, non-possessive acceptance of whatever the client brings to the session, ensuring they feel safe enough to explore their most vulnerable thoughts and feelings. Congruence (Genuineness): I show up as an authentic, transparent human being in the room, dropping the rigid "expert" persona to build real, grounded trust. Empathetic Understanding: I strive to accurately sense the client's private world from their perspective, reflecting their experiencing back to them in a way that promotes deeper self-awareness and emotional regulation. Rather than directing the session or offering prescriptive fixes, I utilize this framework to act as a supportive mirror. This approach empowers clients to tap into their own inner wisdom, navigate their unique hardships, and cultivate lasting psychological resilience.
Christian Counseling
In my practice, I blend professional clinical training with a worldview fundamentally anchored in the Gospel of Christ, offering a specialized approach for clients seeking Christian counseling. While my academic and foundational training is entirely secular, my ultimate truth and personal guiding compass are rooted in Scripture. This unique intersection allows me to offer the highest standards of evidence-based psychological care while seamlessly operating under the spiritual authority of God's Word. In practice, this integration means I meet clients exactly where they are, utilizing proven clinical modalities but holding space for the profound, transformative power of faith, grace, and redemption. For clients who desire it, therapy becomes a collaborative space where psychological resilience and spiritual growth walk hand in hand, viewing emotional healing through the lens of a relationship with Christ.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
My experience with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) centers on its practical, collaborative, and goal-oriented nature, serving as a highly effective framework for fostering psychological resilience. In my practice, I utilize CBT to help clients identify, examine, and reframe automatic, unhelpful thought patterns and maladaptive behaviors that contribute to emotional distress. Rather than adopting a rigid or purely intellectual stance, I integrate CBT through a compassionate lens, working alongside clients to break down complex emotional challenges into manageable components. By tracking the direct links between thoughts, feelings, and actions, I empower clients with tangible, evidence-based tools—such as cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, and situational exposure. This structured yet adaptable approach provides clients with actionable strategies to navigate acute stressors, regulate intense emotions, and regain a sense of agency and mastery over their daily lives.