Matt Whitt (he/him), MSW, LCSW, PhD

Outpatient Psychotherapist in South Durham

Works with ages 25+

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker offering client-centered, collaborative, and non-judgmental therapy in South Durham. As a therapist, I enjoy helping clients navigate major life transitions, respond to stress, and deal with loss.

In session, I lead with empathy and validation, ask questions designed to generate insight, and help you balance the desire for change with frank self-acceptance. My fundamental assumption is that whatever you’re dealing with, it’s not all “in your head.” Together, we’ll explore your relationships, environments, and lived experience to alleviate suffering and build resilience.

As a former professor, I love working with college students, academics, and anyone trying to create more meaning in a busy life. I have special interests in situations where clients have been told that their emotions “don’t count” or that they should have already “gotten over” a difficulty. This includes prolonged or disenfranchised grief (grief that others tend to see as insignificant), ambiguous loss (when a loved one is gone-but-still-there, as in cases of dementia or addiction), and whenever social stressors pile up to the point that they begin to feel “normal” (as in over-work, burnout, and complex trauma). During the COVID pandemic and its aftereffects, I am especially honored to do this work with clients.

My therapeutic approach draws on Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), grief counseling, and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for trauma.

I am LGBTQIA+ affirming and welcome adult clients of all cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds. I believe that client-therapist fit is vital, so we will begin with a free, informal phone call to get to know one another and see how I can best help you. Please see our FAQ page for fee and insurance information.

I look forward to working with you!

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email | matt@threeoaksbehavioralhealth.com