Alaina Kidwell, LCMHC

Therapist | alaina@3rdwavetherapy.com | 919-886-4052

As a counselor, my priority is to provide a safe and non-judgmental space where clients can build self-awareness and move toward growth and healing. I believe your story is important, both what has already been written and what is yet to come. My goal is to create an environment where you feel safe to use your voice, develop confidence, and find hope for the future.

My approach to counseling is holistic and tailored to the unique needs of each client. I draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and existential theories. I also integrate somatic techniques such as breathwork, meditation, and mindful movement to align body and mind. As a registered yoga teacher with additional training in trauma-informed and addiction-focused yoga, I incorporate trauma-informed yoga practices into therapy sessions when appropriate, both individually and in group settings. This integration allows clients to connect more deeply with their bodies and access healing beyond traditional talk therapy.

I work with clients struggling with both interpersonal challenges (relationships with others) and intrapersonal difficulties (relationship with self). My areas of focus include trauma, depression, anxiety, intimate partner violence (supporting both survivors and those who have caused harm), and issues of self-worth and personal growth. In all of my work, I aim to empower clients to recognize their freedom of choice and create lives that feel meaningful, authentic, and aligned with their values.

• Treatment Specialties

  • Anxiety

  • Depression & Mood Disorders

  • PTSD, Trauma, & Abuse Recovery

  • Social Anxiety

  • Stress Management, Self-Growth, & Coping Tools

  • Maternal Mental Health

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Services Provided

  • Individual Therapy

  • Yoga

  • EMDR

• Education

  M.A. ed. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, University of North Carolina at Pembroke
  B.A. in Psychology, University of Maryland University College

• Experience

  I completed my Masters degree at UNCP in clinical mental health counseling and completed additional training in domestic violence, addictions, and trauma. I am a registered Yoga teacher, as well, and have completed yoga trainings to integrate yoga into the therapuetic space for trauma, addiction, anxiety, and depression both in individual and group formats.  I have worked for the department of adult corrections providing services to staff experiencing high stress and job related demands,  at UNCP providing services to college students experiencing life changes, high stress, and relational difficulties, as well as in private practice serving clients with a variety of needs.

• Insurances

  Blue Cross Blue Shield

  Aetna