Terri Chester , LCMHC

Terri Chester is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) with a master’s degree in counseling from Appalachian State University (1989) and an advanced certificate in expressive arts therapy from the European Graduate School of Expressive Arts Therapy (1999). With 31 years of experience, she has practiced across diverse settings including public schools, community colleges, universities, community mental health centers, private practice, and wilderness therapy. Her career blends traditional talk therapy with experiential approaches developed through work in outdoor and experiential education.

Her style is strength-based and client-centered, focusing on building from existing resources while helping clients discover new ones. She frames therapy as a collaborative process in which she acts as a resource, support, and sounding board. Together with clients she identifies and teaches skills for coping with emotions, practicing self-care, problem-solving, decision-making, and planning toward new life directions. Cognitive and cognitive-behavioral techniques are commonly used for problem-solving and goal-setting, while non-talk methods such as mindfulness, expressive arts, body-centered techniques, and Gestalt elements are integrated when sensory experience complements insight.

Terri’s primary clinical expertise includes anxiety, depression, anger management, grief and loss, trauma processing, and developmental life transitions such as blended families, divorce, relocation, and career change. She also brings experience working with issues related to addiction, relationships, caregiver stress, and identity matters. Her practice emphasizes self-reflection, increased self-awareness, practical skills, and collaborative support to promote growth and positive change.

Approaches and Benefits of Online Therapeutic Work

Terri Chester uses client-centered therapy to create a collaborative, individualized relationship in which the client’s experiences and goals guide the work. This approach emphasizes empathy, respect, and building on a person’s existing strengths to address issues like relationship struggles, life transitions, and self-esteem concerns.

She also integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a practical, skills-based approach that helps clients identify unhelpful thinking patterns and develop alternative coping strategies. CBT is useful for anxiety, depression, and problem-solving around daily stressors. Additionally, elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) are applied when emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness are central concerns; DBT offers concrete skills for managing intense feelings and improving relationships.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process. Terri works collaboratively with clients to explore what fits best based on their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting techniques over time as progress and priorities evolve.

Online therapy with Terri supports flexible access through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options allow clients to engage in therapy from different locations and on schedules that fit their lives, making it easier to maintain continuity of care and practice new skills between sessions.