I am a Clinical Social Worker licensed in North Carolina, Ohio, and Alabama. I graduated from the Joint Master's Program at the University of NC at Greensboro and North Carolina A&T State University. I am biracial/bicultural: White/Native American( Enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina). I've been working in mental health in various community roles for 15 years and I also volunteer with my local Native American Organization.
I have experience in helping adults with anxiety, depression, family conflict, stress, motivation, and self-esteem. Based on my background, I also have a special focus on individuals who are Indigenous or identifying as bicultural/biracial as well as working with individuals who are dealing with grief, loss, caregiver stress, and bariatric surgery. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment.
Those who identify as bicultural, Black, Native American, African American, BIPOC, QTBIPOC, LGBTQIA+, ability diverse, and all who have been historically marginalized and minoritized are supported.
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.
My biggest strength is my ability to build rapport and establish a therapeutic relationship with my clients. I consider myself to be laid back, empathetic and understanding. Based on my history of working with hospice, I specialize in working with individuals who are dealing with grief, loss, and caregiver stress.
About Polly Cox
Appointments
Free consults, virtual
My 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.
