Meet Alison

Alison York, MS, MA, LCMHC

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, North Carolina #13298

National Certified Counselor (NCC)
Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC)

Certified EMDR therapist

EFT Couples Therapist

Certified Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapist

Certified Provider of Immigration Psychological Evaluations

803-318-0118

Meet Alison York

If you’re here, chances are something in your relationship isn’t working the way it used to.

Maybe you’re having the same argument over and over again. Maybe you’ve grown emotionally distant. Maybe intimacy has faded, trust has been damaged, or one of you is wondering whether the relationship can be saved.

Whatever brought you here, I want you to know something:

You are not alone, and your relationship is not necessarily broken.

For more than 16 years, I’ve helped individuals and couples move through life’s most painful relationship challenges. Again and again, I’ve seen loving people become trapped in patterns that leave them feeling lonely, misunderstood, and disconnected—not because they don’t care about each other, but because they no longer know how to reach one another.

The good news is that those patterns can change.

My role isn’t to decide who’s right or wrong. It’s to help you understand the cycle that’s keeping you stuck, create emotional safety, and learn new ways of communicating that allow you to reconnect rather than continue hurting each other.

My Approach

I believe that beneath almost every recurring conflict is something much deeper.

Beneath criticism is often a longing to feel important.

Beneath defensiveness is often shame.

Beneath withdrawal is often fear.

When couples begin to understand what’s happening underneath the argument, they stop seeing each other as the enemy and start working together against the pattern.

My work is grounded in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), one of the most well-researched and effective approaches to couples therapy. I also draw from attachment theory, trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and years of experience helping people heal old wounds that continue to shape present-day relationships.

Whether you’re struggling with communication, emotional distance, infidelity, desire differences, parenting stress, or simply feeling like roommates instead of partners, my goal is to help you rediscover the connection that brought you together in the first place.

A Little About Me

Before becoming a therapist, I spent more than a decade in the software industry. While I enjoyed solving complex problems, I found myself increasingly drawn to understanding people instead of technology.

That curiosity eventually became a calling.

Today, I feel incredibly grateful to do work that is both deeply meaningful and endlessly fascinating. Every couple has a unique story, and I consider it a privilege to walk alongside people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

Clients often tell me they appreciate that I bring warmth, honesty, and curiosity into the therapy room. I’m compassionate, but I’m also active and engaged. I’ll ask thoughtful questions, gently challenge unhelpful patterns, and help you slow conversations down so that both partners feel truly seen and heard.

Beyond the Therapy Office

When I’m not working with clients, you’ll usually find me tending my garden, spending time in nature, working out at the gym, writing about relationships and intimacy, or continuing to learn through books and professional training.

I believe we’re all capable of growth throughout our lives, and I strive to bring that same openness and curiosity into both my personal life and my work.

If You’re Ready

Whether you’re hoping to repair your relationship, deepen your connection, or simply understand each other in a new way, I’d be honored to help.

Relationships don’t become stronger because two people stop hurting each other.

They become stronger because two people learn how to find each other again.

I look forward to meeting you.