Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Akron, OH covered by Cigna

Great to meet you! I’m a multistate-licensed Clinical Social Worker with extensive experience in mental health and trauma-informed care. I have worked with adolescents, adults, older adults, veterans, and current and former professional athletes. I know reaching out for support can feel difficult, so I strive to make therapy comfortable from the start. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, the beach, yoga, traveling, sporting events, and time with my dogs, family, and friends.

I am a clinical mental health and substance abuse, therapist, with licensures LPCC and LICDC, in the State of Ohio. I obtained my Bachelor's degree from Fisk University and my master's degree in clinical mental health counseling from Walden University. My primary work environments have included private practice/outpatient, school based, as well as residential/crisis inpatient treatment, to provide treatment for mental health [depression, trauma anxiety, anger management, grief and substance use disorders.

I am a Licensed Independent Social Worker and have been working with adolescents, adults and families for 15 years. I graduated from Baldwin-Wallace University in 2009 with a B.S. in Psychology. I pursued my Masters of Social Science Administration (MSSA) from Case Western Reserve University, graduating in 2011, and I have worked in various settings including schools, mental health agencies, private practice, telehealth, and online crisis support. My treatment approach is strength-based while other navigate anxious feelings, identify confusion, depression, and stress management.

What was your path to becoming a mental health provider?

I always had a desire to understand people and didn't realize there was a profession centered around my curiosity until college. I was also very intrigued with trying to understand my emotions growing up and because I struggled, I developed a desire to help others through their life challenges. I started providing support services to families and volunteers through a mentoring agency, which later led to interning at a psychiatric outpatient facility, to working with foster children providing therapy and to also growing my private practice here with Alma working with adults and children.

What should someone know about working with you?

I believe I am relatable and open to the sharing of myself with the understanding and expectation that you will be entrusting your vulnerabilities with me in session. I will challenge your thoughts, your patterns and your assumptions, and I give homework routinely as an extension of our time together to keep you active and engaged until we meet again.

How do you continue learning and building new skills?

I am committed to being a life-long learner. I take courses and trainings annually, listen to and learn from seasoned clinicians and try to stay afloat of new groundbreaking research related to treatments and techniques surrounding mental health.

"Success for me, is helping others create the wellness they desire."

If you’re looking for a space where you feel genuinely heard and never judged, you’ve found it. I work with adolescents and adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, stress, and life’s big transitions. Whatever brought you here, my goal is to help you build resilience, develop practical coping skills, and create meaningful change that actually lasts well beyond our sessions.

Hello and thank you for looking at my profile. My approach to providing therapy is to Keep. It. Simple.

I focus on the mind-body connection to help you understand why things feel the way they do, how our brain and body interpret certain feelings and experiences, and then what you can do to try to manage those feelings and make situations feel more comfortable and under control.

I specialize working with adolescents, but welcome all ages and genders. My main areas of clinical focus are in mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Hello, I am Darlene Neal, a Licensed Independent Social Worker with 35 years of experience. My clinical work has been devoted to Depression, Anxiety, Grief and Life Transitions.