My name is Leslie Gray and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist, and Nationally Certified Counselor licensed in North Carolina with over 5 years of experience working primarily as a substance abuse counselor, but also working with clients who have co-occurring disorders. I have mainly worked with clients who experience substance abuse issues but also clients who experience anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, and Borderline Personality Disorder. I have worked with clients whose trauma has led them down a path they would never expect, whether they experienced physical, emotional, or verbal abuse, neglect, or have been witness to a violent incident. Within a successful counseling relationship you may experience various competing emotions. It is not uncommon to experience anger, frustration, or sadness throughout the entire process. It is important that you allow yourself to experience these emotions and not give up. My theoretical orientation is existential, which is the view that most of human kind’s experiences are part of a search for meaning. This view also reflects the idea that suffering and pain in life can be redefined into experiences that strengthen us and provide wisdom. I often utilize a person-centered approach and focus on brief solution-focused goals in believing that the best approach to treatment harnesses the client’s specific goals. As such, I traditionally focus on insight-oriented therapy but also utilize some elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing. Taking the first step to sort through difficult emotions or situations is more than most people are able to do; making that step can lead to a sense of fulfillment you may have never experienced before. If you are interested in sorting through something that you feel is holding you back from reaching your true potential, I would enjoy working with you to process everything. I look forward to working with you!