Our Team
Chelsea Hughes
LCSW
Chelsea (she/her) is a child and adolescent therapist who specializes in play therapy, individual therapy, and parenting support. As part of her graduate degree, she trained at the UNC Child Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic. Following this, she was a clinical fellow and psychotherapist on the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Team at Kaiser Permanente in South San Francisco. Chelsea is passionate about working with children (and inner children) of all ages and their loved ones to support a loving and secure family system. She has experience across diverse clinical concerns, including family stress, anxiety and mood disorders, trauma history, interpersonal violence, gender identity, parenting, and women’s issues.
Chelsea is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Her Master’s of Social Work Degree is from UNC Chapel Hill, and she also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from SUNY Potsdam and a Master of Arts in Developmental Psychology from UNC Greensboro. She has worked in settings such as supported employment for individuals with disabilities, a developmental research lab, domestic violence crisis work, and children’s psychiatric outpatient clinics.
Serving ages infant and up for individual & play therapy, & parent support
My Style
I believe in the healing nature of relationships. The most important component of therapy is not the therapist’s modality or theoretical background, but the strength of the relationship between therapist and client. As your therapist, my goal above all is to create a safe, nonjudgmental, and nurturing space for you to explore, reflect, and learn. Whether my client is a 6-year-old engaging in play therapy to process family stress, a 17-year-old expanding coping mechanisms for social anxiety, or a parent processing their own trauma history and its impact on parenting, I meet clients with warmth, empathy, and curiosity.
As a therapist, I work collaboratively with clients and their families to assess therapeutic goals, strengths, and areas of development, and draw on a range of theories and techniques to create a holistic, person-centered treatment plan. My training is primarily anchored in psychodynamic theory while incorporating cognitive-behavioral, attachment, intersectional feminist, polyvagal, and mindfulness theories. Play therapy, CBT, DBT, and motivational interviewing are among my preferred modalities.
Certifications & Focus Areas
Licensed in NC (C019293) & CA (108402)
Girls’ Circle Facilitator through One Circle Foundation
Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist, Family Focus
Mindful Self-Compassion Core Skills through the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Certified in DBT for Children and Adolescents
Positive Parenting
My Why
My journey to becoming a therapist has been shaped by my interest in childhood development and the idea of “be the adult you needed as a kid.” Many of my clinical interests – anxiety, depression, trauma, self-harm, intimate partner violence – began as things my loved ones or I experienced. Throughout my education and clinical career, I have found myself drawn to learning about these issues and working with them in a clinical setting.
As a researcher, therapist, and mother, I know that the relationship between children and their caregivers is the most important for enacting long-term, positive change on quality of life. “Parent” or “caregiver” is not just a job – it is a life-long relationship. I love to work with caregivers directly to support their efforts in creating a secure relationship with their children.
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Has lived in Upstate New York, the Bay Area in California, and the Triangle in North Carolina
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Passionate about coffee and baked goods (always looking to try new local bakeries!)
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Knowledgeable about all types of construction vehicles, thanks to my two truck-obsessed boys
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Weekends revolve around exploring local parks and playgrounds with my husband, two toddlers, and puggle, Molly
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My favorite time of the week is Shabbat dinner with my family
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Durham, North Carolina
Our Durham office provides a comfortable space where children, teens, young adults, and parents can feel heard and supported.
Conveniently located near UNC and Duke University, the office offers easy parking and a welcoming environment for in-person therapy.
Raleigh, North Carolina
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Located in the heart of Raleigh, our office is conveniently situated near Fred Fletcher Park, St. Mary's Street, Wade Avenue, and Glenwood Avenue, just minutes from Broughton High School and Raleigh Charter High School.
