Terri Chester, LCMHC

Terri Chester is a licensed counselor with more than three decades of experience helping people navigate anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. She holds a master’s degree in counseling from Appalachian State University (1989) and an advanced certificate in expressive arts therapy from the European Graduate School of Expressive Arts Therapy (1999). As an LCMHC - a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor - she has practiced across public schools, community college and university settings, mental health programs, private practice, and wilderness therapy, bringing a breadth of educational and community-based experience to her work.

Her approach is strength-based and client-centered, emphasizing collaboration and individualized care. She sees therapy as a cooperative process in which she acts as a resource, sounding board, and guide. Terri helps clients identify and build on existing strengths while learning practical skills for emotional expression, self-care, decision-making, problem-solving, and planning toward new life directions. She commonly integrates cognitive and cognitive-behavioral techniques for goal-setting and problem-solving, combined when helpful with mindfulness, expressive arts, body-centered methods, or Gestalt-influenced exercises to deepen insight.

Terri’s clinical expertise includes anxiety and anger management, grief and loss, processing past and recent trauma, and navigating developmental transitions such as blended families, divorce, relocation, and career change. Her background in outdoor and experiential education and expressive arts therapy informs a flexible practice that values self-reflection, increased self-awareness, and collaborative support to foster positive growth and practical change.