It's common for many people to feel guilty afterward when they receive a gift, but why? Why do we feel bad for something that's meant to be good? 

Most people who struggle with overthinking describe it somethign like your mind just won’t give you a break! Can you relate? You replay conversations, anticipate problems that haven’t happened yet, and try to think your way into certainty—but instead of feeling clearer, you end up more tense.

Most relationships don’t fall apart because of one dramatic moment. More often, they shift slowly over time in ways that are easy to miss or explain away. You might still be going through the motions, sharing a life, even functioning well together on the surface—while something underneath feels different.

There’s a kind of grief that often goes unrecognized because it doesn’t come from a single, clear loss. Instead, it builds slowly over time as you begin to realize that life hasn’t unfolded the way you once imagined. Maybe relationships took unexpected turns, your career looks different than you planned, or you simply find yourself thinking, “This isn’t what I thought my life would feel like by now.”

Everyone at some point in their life has tried to justify the behavior of those around them, be it friends, family, or a partner. It's a hard habit to break; we always want to be the most understanding and lenient for those we care about. But when does it become enabling, and when does it become self-destructive? And most importantly, how do we stop doing it? 

Starting therapy is a big step. And, when you start it online, it can feel a little different again. Maybe it feels less formal and more convenient but sometimes harder to imagine how a real connection will form through a screen. Lots of people ask: Can I actually build a real relationship with a virtual therapist?

You don’t have to prove that things are “bad enough” to deserve help. Therapy is often less about crisis and more about clarity—understanding what you’re carrying and figuring out how to move forward in a way that feels more steady.

All of us experience anxiety from time to time. It’s a normal part of life. In fact, I often tell my clients “The right thing to feel when something anxiety provoking happens is anxiety!” But we also know that anxiety can become overwhelming and even interfere with our daily lives. It’s important for us to understand that anxiety doesn’t have to rule us – we can take back control instead of letting our minds get stuck in worrying about things that may or may not happen. 

Life is full of transitions. Some are exciting and long-awaited, while others arrive unexpectedly and leave us feeling overwhelmed. Even positive changes can create stress, uncertainty, and emotional exhaustion. Major life changes often affect more than just our schedules or routines — they can have a significant impact on mental health, relationships, and our sense of stability. At Harris Counseling and Consulting, we work with individuals and couples throughout North Carolina who are navigating life transitions and trying to find their footing during seasons of change.

If you’ve been thinking about starting therapy but feel unsure about meeting virtually, you’re not alone. One of the most common questions people ask is simple: Does online counseling actually work? The short answer is yes. For many people, online counseling can be just as effective as in-person therapy. In some cases, it can even make it easier for people to consistently attend sessions, feel comfortable opening up, and fit support into their everyday lives.

Many students face anxiety around school, and it's understandable. The pressure to get good grades and pass classes can overwhelm many people, leading to burnout. But what can you do to prevent burnout and even make the anxiety around education manageable? There are many different approaches to making anxiety easier to handle, and it all comes down to what works for you. 

There are times when people find themselves saying, “I don’t know what’s wrong—I’m just exhausted.” Not the kind of tired that sleep fixes, but something deeper but the kind of emotional fatigue that makes everything feel heavier than it should. From the outside, life may look relatively stable. Work is manageable. Relationships might be okay. There’s no clear crisis to point to. And yet, internally, things feel off. Motivation is lower than usual and you lose patience more quickly. Even small, everyday tasks can start to feel like a lot.

Grief is something most of us expect to be hard—but few of us are actually prepared for what it feels like. When a loss happens, whether it’s the death of someone important, the end of a relationship, or another major life change, people often find themselves wondering not just why it hurts so much, but also whether they’re doing it “right.”

There’s a moment most of us know well. You see the email come in and decide to deal with it later. You think about bringing something up with your partner and tell yourself now’s not the right time. You feel that knot in your stomach at the end of the day and reach for your phone, the TV, or anything that helps you not think about it. And for a moment, it works. You feel a little lighter, a little calmer, or a little more in control.

When couples begin marriage counseling, a common complaint that comes up goes something like this: “We always seem to have the same arguments!” It’s true. As a couple, you might have three or four arguments that you cycle through but usually it starts with some small issue that might not seem like much. So why does it seem to escalate and build into a full-blown argument?

At some point, many people experience a season where life feels stalled. You may be going through the motions at work, at home, or in your relationships, but internally something feels off. Motivation is low, decisions feel overwhelming, and it’s hard to imagine what the next step forward might look like.

We’re men. We’re told that we’re supposed to tough; that we’re supposed to be able to stand up under just about any pressure. It’s true that we’re strong and resilient but it’s also true that carrying around a message like I Should Be Able to Handle This! can actually rob you of your mental health. But, when men come to therapy, good things happen.

If you think that anxiety is a really common experience that people have, you’d be absolutely right. Many people experience anxiety regularly and, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 1 in 5 people in the United States will meet the criteria for an Anxiety Disorder at some point in their lives. It’s really common and nothing to be ashamed of.

Feeling worry about things is a completely normal human response to worrying situations. It’s no different that feeling sad when something sad happens or happy when there’s something to be happy about. But it’s pretty common to hear people and media using the word anxiety almost interchangeably with worry. It can be really hard to tell the difference between normal worry and anxiety that begins to move into a space where chatting with a counselor might be the right call. But how can I tell the difference between worry and anxiety?

The start of a new year is a natural time for reflection. We think about the year behind us — the challenges, the growth, and the lessons learned — and we set intentions for the year ahead. For many people in North Carolina, this can be a time to focus on mental health, personal growth, and emotional well-being. But making a commitment to yourself can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when your schedule is full, life feels hectic, or you’re unsure where to begin.