- Blended family issues
- Cognitive behavioral tools
- Emotionally focused skills
About Courtney
Courtney Surigao is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in North Carolina with 18 years of clinical experience. She works with adults facing relationship strain, grief, parenting stress, anxiety, depression, mood concerns, and life transitions. Her practice includes attention to blended family issues, adoption and foster care concerns, and caregiver stress.
Courtney keeps sessions straightforward and practical. She listens to what feels most urgent, then helps people set small, achievable goals. She often uses exercises or short tasks to try between meetings so changes can show up in day-to-day life.
Her approach draws on client-centered principles and cognitive behavioral ideas. That means she helps people notice thoughts and habits that keep problems going, and then tests different ways of responding. She also brings emotionally focused and narrative techniques to help people sort out relationship patterns and personal meaning.
Courtney has spent many years working with people dealing with trauma, loss, chronic illness, and complicated family backgrounds. She references strengths, personal values, and life experience when planning next steps. Sessions are practical; expect concrete suggestions and occasional worksheets to practice new skills.
People who come for blended household issues often want help merging routines, handling loyalty conflicts, or managing co-parenting tension. Courtney aims to help each person clarify priorities, set realistic boundaries, and make plans that fit their everyday life.
Approaches used for online counseling and how they help
Client-centered work focuses on listening and prioritizing what matters most to the individual. It helps people clarify values and decide on steps they actually want to take. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the thoughts and behaviors that keep stress and anxiety going and offers practical tools to change them. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) helps identify interaction patterns that create distance or tension in relationships and offers ways to communicate needs more clearly.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to pick methods that match the person’s goals and situation. That may mean mixing techniques, trying short practical tasks between meetings, and adjusting the plan as progress is made.
Confirm current session options before booking so you know which meeting formats are available. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow quicker check-ins after a difficult conversation. It also supports doing practical assignments and skill practice between meetings so new patterns can be tested in everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
18+ years
Listed in
North Carolina
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address related to blended households?
Courtney works with adults facing relationship strain, co-parenting tension, grief, anxiety, and family-of-origin issues, including blended family challenges.
What is her general therapeutic style?
She uses a practical, goal-focused style that blends client-centered listening with cognitive behavioral and emotionally focused techniques.
How many years has she practiced?
She has 18 years of experience working with adults on relationship, family, and life-change concerns.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is an LCMHC licensed in North Carolina.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
She accepts international clients; confirm any cross-border details before booking.
How do session formats work?
Please confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered for meetings.
How are fees handled and how do I begin?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. To begin, select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.