Carley Rothstein, LCSW

Carley Rothstein began her professional path as an Exceptional Children’s teacher in a North Carolina school district before launching a small business offering academic tutoring and behavioral intervention services. She then provided Community Based Rehabilitative Services as an educational and developmental therapist for the NC infant-toddler program, collaborating closely with the Children’s Developmental Services Agency. These early roles shaped a practical, strengths-based approach to supporting children and families.

Carley earned a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from Penn State World Campus and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW - which denotes advanced training in clinical social work. Over eight years as a clinician, she has delivered outpatient therapy to children, teens, young adults, and families facing depression, anxiety, bullying, LGBTQIA+ concerns, foster care and adoption issues, ADHD, autism spectrum differences, self-harm and suicidality, and complex trauma. Her experience also includes school-based psychotherapy and integrated behavioral health work with adults in medical and clinic settings, group homes, and assisted-living communities to address aging-related changes and end-of-life transitions.

An advocate for the special needs community and an avid animal lover, Carley spends much of her free time supporting her son, who has Fragile X Syndrome, and enjoying life with two dogs and two bunnies. She values a client-centered approach to treatment and aims to help clients move toward a more balanced, peaceful life by building practical skills and collaborative goals.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Carley draws on Client-Centered Therapy to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space where clients are heard and goals are developed together - this approach helps people build self-awareness and find their own solutions for relationship, parenting, or life-change concerns. She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify and reshape unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors, which can be effective for anxiety, depression, and stress-related issues. When emotion regulation and interpersonal skills are central needs, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers practical tools for managing intense feelings and improving communication.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and Carley works collaboratively with each client to determine which methods align with their needs, goals, and preferences. This collaborative process can involve trying different techniques and adjusting the plan as therapy progresses.

Online therapy with Carley is available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility to fit therapy into busy schedules. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care across life transitions, attend sessions from home or work, and choose the communication style that best supports progress with licensed professionals and therapists.