she/her
Allisa Dilling
MS, LCMHCA, NCC
Therapy for kids, teens, parents, and educators who want more calm, connection, and confidence.
🟢 Accepting clients
Adolescents/Teens | Adults | Children
Family Therapy | Individual Therapy
Allisa Dilling, MS, LCMHCA, NCC, is a child, teen, adult, and family therapist in Cary and Durham, NC. A former Wake County teacher, she supports families navigating anxiety, depression, self-esteem, ADHD, neurodivergence, parent-child relationships, and the everyday challenges of growing up and raising kids.
Meet with Allisa
Free 15-minute phone consultation · Eastern Time
In-person in Cary NC, Durham NC – Southpark
Statewide telehealth in North Carolina
$200 per sessionLimited sliding scale fees available
Therapy for Kids, Teens, Parents, and Families
Maybe you’ve read the parenting books, searched the groups, tried changing routines, and still feel like you’re missing something. You’re watching your child struggle, noticing changes you don’t fully understand, and wondering whether you’re responding the right way, or how to reach them when they don’t seem ready to talk.
Allisa works with children ages 7+, teens, adults, and families navigating anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, ADHD, neurodivergence, relationship stress, and challenges between parents and children. She provides in-person therapy in Cary and Durham, NC, as well as virtual therapy throughout North Carolina.
As a former sixth-grade teacher, Allisa understands that kids don’t exist in isolation. Their relationships, families, schools, identities, and environments all matter. Her work often involves helping the whole family slow down, understand what’s happening beneath the behavior, and build more useful ways to communicate and connect.
I help people with
Approaches I use
My Approach to Therapy
Allisa believes the relationship between therapist and client is the foundation of meaningful therapy. Her style is collaborative, genuine, practical, and flexible, with enough room for both the hard conversations and the moments that make you laugh.
She uses an integrated approach that can include Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, Strengths-Based Therapy, and trauma-informed care. Rather than forcing every client into the same process, Allisa adapts therapy to the person, family, and situation in front of her.
With children and families, the goal is not simply to “fix” a child’s behavior. Allisa helps families understand what the behavior may be communicating, strengthen the parent-child relationship, respond instead of react, and build skills that support both the child and the adults caring for them.
Her experience as an educator also gives her a firsthand understanding of school systems, classroom expectations, and the pressure placed on teachers and school staff. She works with educators navigating burnout, compassion fatigue, stress, and the challenge of caring for everyone else’s needs while trying to have something left for themselves and their own families.
"I've tried everything I know to help my child, and I'm still worried we're missing each other. I want to stop second-guessing every parenting decision and actually feel connected to them again."
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A Little About Allisa
Before becoming a therapist, Allisa spent years as a sixth-grade teacher in Wake County Public Schools. That experience gave her a firsthand understanding of children, families, educators, and the systems surrounding them, knowledge she now brings directly into her therapy work.
Allisa earned her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest University. She previously earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Special Education from UNC Pembroke and is also a National Certified Counselor.
Outside of work, Allisa enjoys going to the gym, heading to the mountains for hiking, spending time with her large family, and exploring locally owned coffee shops throughout the Triangle.
My Expertise
Education
- Master of Arts in Counseling (Clinical Mental Health Counseling), 2025: Wake Forest University
- Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Special Education: University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Professional Credentials & Training
- Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHCA): North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors
- National Certified Counselor (NCC): National Board for Certified Counselors
- North Carolina K–6 Educator License: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction