Linda Blackburn, LCSW

Linda Blackburn is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who brings a deep and varied clinical background to her counseling work. She began her career as a registered nurse, spending eleven years in psychiatric nursing with adolescents and adults before shifting into social work in 1992. She earned a Bachelor of Science from East Carolina University in 1993 and completed an Advanced Standing Master of Social Work at East Carolina University in 1994, and she received her clinical social work license in 1995. In addition to her LCSW credential, she is a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional - a credential that reflects specialized training in treating anxiety.

Over the course of her career she has maintained an active outpatient practice, including owning her own practice for more than ten years, and has worked in other outpatient settings treating a wide range of diagnoses and behavioral concerns. Her primary clinical focus has been the treatment of anxiety and depression, and she has extensive experience addressing grief and loss, having taught day-long seminars on grief, bereavement, and loss therapy across the United States for twelve years. For roughly ten years she also served as an adjunct professor in social work at Shaw University in Raleigh, teaching entry-level social work courses.

Her approach to therapy is intentionally eclectic and centered on each person’s unique needs and circumstances. She emphasizes respect, sensitivity, compassion, and a nonjudgmental stance, tailoring interventions to support personal growth and meaningful outcomes. In recent years she has deepened her practice with strategies informed by neuroscience principles in mental health treatment. She values developing trusting, team-oriented relationships with clients and supports collaborative work toward a better life.

Practical therapeutic approaches for online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters most to them and take steps toward those values while learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and coping with major life changes because it focuses on meaningful action rather than trying to eliminate uncomfortable internal experiences. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a skills-based approach that examines how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact. It offers practical strategies to reduce anxiety, improve mood, address sleep difficulties, and alter patterns that contribute to addictive or avoidant behaviors. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy, respect, and collaboration - the therapist provides a supportive space that helps people build self-awareness, improve self-esteem, and work through relationship or grief-related concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Linda Blackburn works collaboratively with clients to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and personal preferences. She adapts techniques over time so treatment remains relevant and effective for each individual.

Online therapy offers flexible options for connecting through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These formats make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, support access for international clients or those with caregiving or mobility challenges, and allow continuity of care even when in-person meetings are not possible.