Sydney Elder, LCMHCA (she/her/hers)
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Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (#A18920)
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Master of Arts in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health, Wake Forest University (2023)
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Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) Certification
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Intensive Training in Certified Clinical Trauma Treatment
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Advanced Training in Ethical Transgender Mental Health Care
Limited Availability
Session format options:
In-Person
Virtual / Telehealth
(NC)
Sydney is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHCA) and 2023 graduate of the Wake Forest University Graduate Counseling Department. Sydney is passionate about working alongside individuals as they navigate ways to best fulfill their needs. Sydney works with clients age 15+, and most loves working with young & emerging adults.
Sydney has worked in a local high school in the Winston-Salem area and in a university counseling center, and she is familiar with the challenges that young people face as they develop throughout their formative years. Sydney has helped clients navigating life transitions, existential concerns, identity exploration, trauma recovery, family dynamics, relationships, substance use, depression, and anxiety.
Sydney strives to help clients understand their experiences, values, and beliefs in a way that is meaningful to the individual. Sydney works from a person-centered perspective to help clients develop effective coping skills, identify areas for personal exploration and growth, and establish a framework for fulfilling needs in the future; which may look like exploring
boundaries, cultivating communication skills and emotional awareness, and other processes.
Along with clinical work, Sydney has worked with preschool and elementary school-aged children. Sydney has co-led workshops related to mindfulness and is pursuing research related to substance use and harm reduction. Sydney utilizes evidence-based approaches in order to ensure that her clients are receiving quality care that will lead
them toward the path that is best suited for their unique goals.
SPECIALTY AREAS
Life Transitions
Trauma Experience
Substance Use
Anxiety
Relationship Issues
Identity Exploration
Depression
Family Dynamics
Existential Concerns
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From Sydney:
"I decided to be a counselor because I have always known that I wanted to help people.
I have been drawn to pursuing a helping profession for as long as I can remember, and I have explored several different career paths that eventually led me to deciding to become a counselor.
What I appreciate most about the counseling profession is the opportunity to build relationships with clients in a therapeutic and authentic way. I believe in the power of connection, and counseling provides ample opportunity for growth through relationship-building. I have personally been able to discover so much about myself from participating in counseling, and I hope that my clients are also able to learn more about themselves through our time together.
I follow the philosophy that the client is the expert in their own life, and I encourage my clients to examine the ways their life journey has been impacted by their experiences.
I utilize modalities of person-centered, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), narrative therapy, and existential therapy to aid clients in exploring ways to accomplish their goals and learn more about themselves in a therapeutic sense.
When in session, I maintain a conversational atmosphere that is nonjudgmental and safe. Sessions may be more or less structured, dependent on the client, their goals, and their preferences. I help clients work towards goals such as: exploring their communication patterns and ways they can interact with others more effectively, establishing boundaries, examining the ways values and beliefs play into the client's life, and maintaining meaningful relationships.
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I am a person that loves to be creative, so I have always enjoyed activities like painting, drawing, and crochet! I enjoy being outside and going hiking, and I also love going to concerts and listening to music.
Click here to read Sydney's Professional Disclosure Statement (Coming Soon!)
