Mackenzie Pereira LCMHC-A

About Mackenzie

Mackenzie is passionate about supporting teens, college students and young adults, and especially enjoys working with young adults as they begin to figure out who they are while transitioning into a more independent individual. She strives to bring a bright, empathetic energy to sessions to help clients let go of old thought patterns and find confidence in practicing new ones, specifically focused on anxiety, self-esteem, emotional regulation, and ADHD. Mackenzie encourages clients to give themselves grace and compassion as they begin to discover and value themselves as an always worthy, ever-growing, ever-changing human. 

Mackenzie’s work with clients is rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), combined with a person-centered and strengths-based approach, and includes principles of mindfulness. Mackenzie believes this combination of techniques empower clients to feel in control of their own mind and unlearn negative thought patterns that prevent them from living life to the fullest. She is a firm believer that you can harness the power of your own mind to work with you, not against you, to feel in control of finding your own peace, amidst a world of what can feel like constant chaos. 

Mackenzie earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from UNCW and a Masters degree in School counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling from UNC Pembroke. Mackenzie served as a school counselor at a Montessori school for nearly five years, helping children, teens, and their families in the school setting. Prior to becoming a school counselor, Mackenzie also served as a leadership coach for college women and spent time traveling to different universities across the country. Mackenzie actively practices yoga in her free time and believes in the healing power of movement as well as enjoys spending time in nature with her rescue pups, Sequoia and Ollie.