About
Tara Escalante, LCSW
Imagine a life without overwhelming anxiety, depression or self doubt. Imagine feeling empowered, self assured and even just relaxed despite all of life’s stressors. Therapy can help you to achieve that self assurance, sense of peace and increased coping ability. I believe that everyone is unique and has their own unique journey; therefore, therapy should be person-centered and non-judgmental.
With over 20 years of experience in mental health in various settings, I have worked with individuals with issues ranging from depression and anxiety to those with SPMI dx. I work from a biopsychosocial perspective and utilize multiple modalities of treatment, including CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing and Mindfulness to engage in a therapeutic approach tailored specifically for each client and their unique needs.
It is my passion to help others and assist them to be the best version of themselves. I believe everyone deserves to live their best life. I look forward taking this journey with you and assisting you in reaching whatever goals you set for yourself!
I also provide Clinical Supervision and for Licensed Clinical Social Workers Associates (LCSW-A).
Chiodera Drayton-Smith, LCSWA, JD
Life is hard. Full stop. Sometimes we just need a little support to help us make our way through it. Maybe it’s struggling to find yourself, understand yourself, your child, or your loved one, or maybe it’s just hard to do life. I want you to find peace, resilience, and a way forward. My passion is seeing you succeed.
I work with preteens, teens, and adults experiencing an array of life’s challenges, primarily trauma, anxiety, depression, life transitions, and (my specialty) navigating ADHD and autism. My most utilized modalities are always person-centered and trauma-informed, tailored to suit the needs of the individual. I typically integrate CBT, DBT, psychodynamic, psychoanalysis, narrative-focused, motivational interviewing, and strengths-based approaches into my practice.
My job is to support you or your loved one. When we work together, we work together. More than anything, I aim to provide a place of safety and comfort for all of my clients. All sexual and gender orientations and relationship types are welcome and safe in my care.
At this time, I am only providing telehealth sessions.
Emma Weichmann, MSW, LCSW-A
Emma’s goal as a therapist is to help you identify and strengthen the keys to healing you already possess, so that you may live a flourishing and beautiful life. Emma has a collaborative approach, and works to make every session an empowering, safe, and holistic space. She is deeply committed to anti-oppression and liberation both professionally and personally, through continual learning and practice.Emma holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a provisionally licensed clinical social worker. She brings a wealth of experience in social justice and mental health, having worked at a Batterer’s Intervention Program to interrupt abusive behavior, with incarcerated youth, and with survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault.Since moving to the Triangle, Emma has enjoyed volunteering as a facilitator of Restorative Justice circles through RJ Durham. Emma’s therapeutic work is informed by internal family systems theory, motivational interviewing, and acceptance and commitment therapy, among other tools. Outside of work, Emma is active in the recovery community, enjoys training in Muay Thai and Brazilian Jujitsu, reading graphic novels, looking at the sky, and walking her dog, Boss.