A place to heal and grow.

In-person therapy in Asheville, NC and online across North Carolina

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Hi, I’m Wills and I’m glad that you are here.

You’ve taken an important step. I invite you to check out the website and to reach out to schedule a free, low-stakes consultation to answer any questions see if we are a good fit for one another.

How I can help

Attachment-focused relational therapy
Heal the earliest of wounds and reclaim a life where you feel connected to others and good to be fully yourself. Learn more

Survivors of sudden events
including car accidents or other overwhelming experiences that continue to echo in the body and nervous system, even long after the event. Learn more

Therapy for men
Manage stress, find purpose and connection, and live a life of healthy masculinity.

Therapy individuals
struggling to manage anxiety, depression, trauma/PTSD, and relational difficulties.

  • Attachment and Relational Distress

    When early relationships were tense, unpredictable, or emotionally distant, the nervous system learns to protect rather than connect. In adult relationships this can show up as conflict, withdrawal, jealousy, people-pleasing, or feeling easily overwhelmed. Therapy helps clients recognize these patterns without shame and gradually replace them with healthier ways of relating.

    * Attachment work is collaborative. Together, we’ll identify triggers, unmet needs, and protective strategies that once served a purpose. You’ll learn healthier ways to respond, leading to more choice, fewer automatic reactions, and greater freedom in relationships.

  • Attachment and Anxiety

    Meta-analytic and review evidence shows a moderate association between insecure attachment and anxiety across the lifespan. Attachment insecurity in childhood and adulthood is linked with higher levels of generalized anxiety and social anxiety; attachment anxiety (fear of abandonment) is particularly connected to worry and rumination, while avoidance (pushing-away, disconnecting) is linked to emotional suppression and social withdrawal.

    * When attachment insecurity is present, treatment that explicitly addresses relationships, trust, and emotional regulation can be especially helpful.

  • Attachment in Depression

    Research finds a strong association between insecure attachment and depressive symptoms. Large studies and reviews indicate that people with insecure attachment styles are substantially more likely to experience depression.

    * Attachment patterns are not destiny. Therapy can increase relational security and improve emotion regulation, which often reduces symptoms across diagnoses.

  • Attachment and Trauma/PTSD

    Insecure attachment is consistently associated with more severe PTSD symptoms and worse recovery after trauma. Some longitudinal and cross-sectional studies suggest insecure attachment increases risk for developing PTSD symptoms after trauma; other work indicates PTSD can in turn erode attachment security, so the relationship can be bidirectional.

    * Improving relational security strengthens overall mental health. As individuals learn to regulate emotions, ask for support, and manage conflict without shutting down, symptoms in areas such as anxiety, depression, trauma, or addiction often lessen naturally. The attachment system and the nervous system heal together.

  • Attachment and Addiction

    Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies find that insecure attachment is associated with substance-use problems. Attachment insecurity is proposed to increase vulnerability through emotion-dysregulation pathways (using substances to manage distress or to self-soothe), and insecure attachment is also associated with poorer engagement in treatment.

    * Building secure attachment is a long-term investment in mental health. It improves emotional balance, increases capacity for closeness, and creates a more stable sense of self. These gains often protect against relapse and support lasting recovery.

  • Attachment and BPD

    Attachment disturbances are central to contemporary formulations of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Reviews and meta-analyses report strong correlations between attachment anxiety/avoidance and BPD traits; disorganized or unstable attachment patterns are particularly common among people with BPD and help explain problems with emotional regulation, fear of abandonment, and unstable relationships.

    * Many symptoms are understandable responses to earlier relational stress. When therapy addresses these underlying patterns, clients often notice improvements across multiple domains, not just in the diagnosis they came in with, but in confidence, relationships, and overall well-being.

Guiding Principles

True healing begins when we can access our own internal resources: states of inner safety, trust, and presence. In our work together, we’ll start by uncovering this foundation, your center, so that healing can naturally emerge from within.

Sometimes this involves exploring early patterns of connection - how we first learned to feel safe, relate to others, and make sense of our emotional world. When we work at this foundational level, healing can extend outward, touching every part of life - relationships, work, mood, and sense of self.

From this grounded place, we’ll move at a pace that feels right for you. Together, we’ll bring curiosity and care to the parts of your story that have been pushed aside or buried, bringing clarity and integration to what may have once felt overwhelming or stuck. This is about learning to live from a place of connection, strength, and meaning.

My approach is trauma-informed and grounded in attachment-based principles, utilizing evidenced-informed practices such as the Three Pillars Model of Attachment Therapy. I aim to create a respectful, steady space where you can do deep work without pressure or pretense. Depending on your needs, I integrate somatic, mindfulness-based, expressive, and cognitive therapy methods to support your process and your goals.

*if you are seeking therapy for sudden-event trauma, please refer to its dedicated page as the structure of that therapy is somewhat distinct, though many of the guiding principles remain the same.

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About Wills Reed, MS, LCMHCA

I'm a mental health counselor with a deep belief in our natural capacity to grow, heal, and reconnect: to ourselves, to others, and to what matters most.

I work with individuals with a curiosity to explore themselves and an openness to growth. In addition, I work with individuals recovering from sudden traumatic events, such as auto-accidents. Whether you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected, or just know something needs to shift, I offer a steady, supportive space where we can slow down, get clear, and do the work together.

Presence is at the heart of my practice, and I believe real change happens in relationship when we’re seen, respected, and given room to show up as we are. Therapy with me isn’t about fixing you, it’s about helping you reconnect to yourself and to others. It’s about becoming whole.

I hold a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Prescott College and draw from my long-standing practices in meditation and martial arts. My work is shaped by a respect for the body, an appreciation and understanding of developmental psychology, and an integration of practical tools designed to help you reach your goals.

I live in Asheville, North Carolina with my fiancée. I grew up in these mountains, and they continue to ground and inspire me. Outside the therapy room, I spend time hiking, creating art, practicing martial arts, and kiteboarding (if I’m lucky).

Clinical areas of focus: Integrative attachment therapy (Three Pillars Model of Attachment Therapy), body-based therapies, mindfulness-based therapy (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy “ACT”)

Education:

Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Prescott College

Bachelors in Business Management - Boston College

Let's Connect

What Other Professionals Say

  • “Connecting with Wills feels easy. He brings a deep curiosity and a solid sense of groundedness when interacting with others. I appreciate Wills’ reflections and compassion for a wide range of human experiences. I feel more comfortable in myself when I am around Wills!”

    Tori Essex, Psychotherapist

  • “Wills’ presence awakens a compassionate and courageous noticing within me that otherwise would be dormant and lonely.”

    Pamela Yap, Acupuncturist

  • “In my experience, Wills makes you feel heard and understood. He engages thoughtfully in conversation with a wealth of experience and knowledge. Wills' calm and steady presence creates a safe space for self-exploration and growth.”

    Justin Webb, Psychotherapist

  • “Wills is a kind and caring soul who is a pleasure to work with professionally. I can imagine and have observed how this translates into the client experience. Wills invites you in with a a gentle curiosity and helps clients and co-workers alike to feel safe and supported. I would recommend him without any hesitation.”

    Katie Sachs, Psychotherapist

  • “Wills’ extraordinary skill set which includes thoughtful intelligence, compassion, and ability to attune to others creates a safe space for his clients to explore their own healing process. He is someone you would choose as a best friend, kind, caring, responsible, respectful with wisdom and maturity way beyond his years. I would strongly recommend him to anyone who wants to grow, learn and heal.”

    Aurelia Palubeckas, Psychologist