Donna Jeane Pappas , LCMHC

Donna Jeane Pappas is a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with more than 32 years of professional experience working with adults facing significant life changes and emotional challenges. She invites exploration of the fundamental question from Mary Oliver - “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” - and helps people move toward answers that feel authentic and purposeful.

Her practice most often supports individuals who feel weighed down by transitions or who are navigating change on their own. Common areas of focus include grief, life transitions, relationship and career changes, empty nest adjustments, and the pursuit of greater clarity, alignment, and fulfillment. She also brings extensive experience helping people cope with major health concerns, life-threatening illness, significant loss, caregiving for aging parents, retirement, and shifts in personal identity across life stages.

While grounded in clinical counseling, her style leans toward coaching—collaborative, forward-focused, and practical. Rather than concentrating solely on symptom management or extended exploration of the past, she prioritizes clarifying goals, building on strengths, and identifying meaningful steps toward the life a client wants to create. Her work draws on positive psychology and evidence-based practices to emphasize meaning, purpose, and life satisfaction, and she partners with clients to develop tools that support resilience and more intentional daily living.

Donna holds the credential LCMHC, which stands for Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and indicates state licensure to provide professional counseling in North Carolina. With decades of experience and a supportive approach, she offers guidance for those seeking thoughtful, goal-oriented help in designing a fuller life.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Support

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters most to them and develop actions that align with those values while learning to live alongside difficult thoughts or feelings. It can be useful for stress, anxiety, and navigating life transitions.

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on providing a respectful, nonjudgmental space where the therapist follows the client's lead, offering empathy and support to foster insight and personal growth. This approach is often helpful for building self-esteem, processing grief, and exploring relationship concerns.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) identifies and adjusts unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors, teaching practical skills for managing symptoms of anxiety and depression and improving day-to-day functioning.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the work itself, and Donna collaborates with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. She tailors strategies based on what a client wants to accomplish and adapts the plan as progress unfolds.

Online sessions offer flexibility and accessibility through video calls, phone appointments, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit counseling into busy lives or across distances. These options allow licensed professionals to meet clients where they are and maintain continuity of care even when schedules or locations change.