Carla Bensie

Compassionate counselor guiding practical change

LPC West Virginia

Experience: 11 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Trauma and abuse
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Languages: English

About Carla

Carla Bensie is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in West Virginia with 11 years of clinical experience. She has worked extensively with people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, depression, and major life transitions.

Background and approach

Her background includes a broad set of focus areas such as intimacy and self-esteem concerns, eating-related issues, bipolar symptoms, and grief or end-of-life matters, which inform a flexible, trauma-aware practice. Carla favors evidence-informed techniques and draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) among other modalities to help clients examine patterns of thinking and behavior.

She aims to create a welcoming, nonjudgmental space where thoughts and feelings can be explored openly. Clients can expect a collaborative approach that emphasizes practical coping skills, reflection, and steady progress toward clearer goals.

Available to English-speaking and international clients, Carla offers multiple session formats to match different lifestyles and needs. She frames therapy as a courageous step and positions herself as a supportive guide through change, recovery, and personal growth.

Combining practical approaches with online connection

Carla uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; this approach often focuses on concrete skills and strategies for managing anxiety, depression, and stress. She also incorporates Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) when trauma-related memories are a central concern, using structured techniques to process distressing experiences and reduce their emotional intensity.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist works with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences and may blend methods to fit the situation rather than relying on a single technique. This flexibility helps tailor care to what is most useful for the individual's challenges and priorities.

Online sessions are offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide greater flexibility. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, maintain continuity through life changes, and access care from different locations. Licensed professionals can use these formats to deliver skill-building, trauma work, and supportive therapy while adapting pace and tools to each client's circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Carla commonly address?

She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, depression, and challenges related to life changes, among many other issues such as intimacy, eating-related problems, and bipolar symptoms.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her style is collaborative and nonjudgmental, focused on building practical skills and exploring thoughts and feelings in a safe environment.

How long has she practiced clinically?

She brings 11 years of professional experience supporting people through a range of mental health and life transition concerns.

What credentials and location information are provided?

She is an LPC licensed in West Virginia with licence number WV LPC 2448 and practices out of West Virginia.

Can sessions be conducted in languages other than English?

Sessions are offered in English; she also accepts international clients who communicate in English.

Which session formats are available?

Clients may work with her via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging according to preference and availability.

How is cost handled for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What are the first steps to begin therapy?

To get started, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Addictions Trauma and abuse Depression Coping with life changes

Also works with

LGBTIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersAnger managementSelf esteemBipolar disorder

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsDissociationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesFamily of origin issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMulticultural concernsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

Therapeutic approaches

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

11+ years

Licensed

West Virginia

Languages

English