about kayla lewis, lcmhca

I'll never forget this. I was in the middle of a biology exam in high school and came across a particularly difficult question. My hands felt numb, my breathing sped up, and my vision got blurry. “What’s happening?” I thought. “I’m losing control.” I legitimately couldn't see the test anymore, let alone finish it.

I turned in my exam half blank, and no one believed what I was experiencing. I didn't have the language to tell anyone I was having a panic attack, and needless to say I failed that test. I left the classroom feeling like a failure, and like something was wrong with me. It wasn't until I started learning about psychology that I realized that was false.

I developed a passion for counseling because I want to empower people to fight their anxiety with self-compassion and confidence. I've made it my mission to make sure as many people as possible develop the skills and self worthiness to live the lives they want, and understand that they are worthy of respect and consideration.

training

I received a comprehensive education at UNC Greensboro, where I studied subjects including cognition, neuropsychology, personality disorders, and anxiety. During graduate school, I completed research on the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on anxiety disorders and self-esteem.

experience

I have over seven years of experience in the mental health industry and have worked with children 11+, adolescents and adults. I’ve managed an assertive community treatment team and served populations experiencing severe diagnoses such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder with delusions.