I am a licensed Clinical Social Worker in North Carolina, Ohio, and Alabama, with a Master's degree from the Joint Program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and North Carolina A&T State University. As a biracial and bicultural individual of White and Native American heritage (an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina), I bring a unique perspective to my work. I have 15 years of experience in mental health, having served in various community roles, and I also volunteer with my local Native American organization. I specialize in supporting adults dealing with anxiety, depression, family conflict, stress, motivation, and self-esteem. With my background, I also focus on providing care for Indigenous individuals, as well as those who are bicultural or biracial. I am experienced in working with people navigating grief, loss, and caregiver stress. My approach centers on creating a safe, non-judgmental space where clients can openly share their thoughts and feelings. I am committed to supporting individuals who identify as bicultural, BIPOC, QTBIPOC, LGBTQIA+, ability-diverse, and all those who have been historically marginalized or minoritized.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session, together, we'll start with brief introductions, then dive into the specific challenges you're facing. This will help me create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
One of my greatest strengths is my ability to build rapport and establish a strong therapeutic relationship with my clients. I am often described as laid-back, empathetic, and understanding, creating a comfortable environment for open communication. With my background in hospice care, I specialize in supporting individuals through grief, loss, and caregiver stress, offering a compassionate approach to these challenging experiences.
About Polly Cox
Identifies as
Serves ages
Licensed in
Accepts
Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) focuses on helping patients to behave more consistently with their own values and apply mindfulness and acceptance skills to their responses to uncontrollable experiences. Example: Client: “I want to change, BUT I am too anxious.” Therapist: “You want to change, AND you are anxious about it.” This subtle verbal and cognitive shift is the essence of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). It suggests that a person can take action without first changing or eliminating feelings. Rather than fighting the feeling attached to a behavior, a person can observe oneself as having the feeling but still act. Acceptance-based approaches postulate that instead of opting for change alone, the most effective approach may be to accept and change. The importance of acceptance has long been recognized in the Serenity Prayer.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a psycho-social intervention that aims to reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions, primarily depression and anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective means of treatment for substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
Person-centered therapy operates on the humanistic belief that the client is inherently driven toward and has the capacity for growth and self-actualization; it relies on this force for therapeutic change. Three key concepts in person-centered counselling are: 1.) Empathic understanding: the counselor trying to understand the client's point of view. 2.) Congruence: the counselor being a genuine person. 3.)Unconditional positive regard: the counselor being non-judgmental.