About Us

About WellPower

WellPower emerged from the desire to provide quality therapy to children, adolescents, and adults who seek empowered lives through emotional well being.

Our small office provides a comfortable non-clinical setting and allows flexibility of appointments catering to individuals, parent & child, couples or family groups. We maintain a secure electronic scheduling and record system.  We accept most insurances and offer private pay options for the uninsured.

About Alicia

Alicia Blankenship, MSW, LCSW is the primary provider at WellPower Therapeutic Services. Her passion is helping clients overcome whatever life stresses they may be experiencing whether from trauma past or present, or from an unexpected stressor, disruption or change in circumstances.

Alicia is available to help you or your child or your family understand the root causes of your feelings, conflicts and behaviors. Then work collaboratively to improve your outlook and change how you process certain emotions so you can lead a happier more fulfilling life.

Alicia earned degrees in both Psychology and Sociology form the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and received her Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Southern California. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the State of North Carolina. Alicia is also qualified to provide clinical supervision to other licensed social workers. Alicia has co-authored several clinical policies and therapy protocols and has mentored dozens of MSW interns from regional universities including UNC, NC State, USC, Barton College and Liberty University.

Alicia takes a holistic approach towards therapy working with clients to find their natural strengths and talents that can help them overcome anxiety, depression, lack of confidence, post-traumatic stress or other life stressors with the ultimate goal of improving mental well being. Alicia can help clients develop more effective and assertive communication, coping and mood stabilizing skills. This process not only involves exploring the emotional and psychological makeup of the client, but also identifying societal and environmental factors that may be negatively impacting mental state and quality of life. Alicia believes that compassionate, empathetic, client-centered care, and helping a client avoid negative influences and build a strong empowering support network are key to a successful outcome.

Alicia has worked in a variety of mental health settings during her career and has provided in-home, outpatient and tele-therapy to children, adolescents and adults facing a wide range of challenges. She is rostered in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) which are gold star recommended treatments for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  Alicia has received specialized training in numerous other evidence-based psychotherapy models including Child Forensic Interviewing using the highly structured Recognizing Abuse Disclosure types And Responding (RADAR) protocol and Stewards of Children Training in Child Sexual Abuse Recognition, Response, and Prevention by the ECU Brody School of Medicine.

Alicia has become recognized for excellence in forensic diagnostics, crisis prevention, crisis management and empathetic counseling especially focused on child trauma arising from maltreatment, abuse and neglect. She is an advocate for child welfare and has testified at numerous hearings involving child custody.

Alicia also counsels adults coping with stress arising from divorce, loss of loved ones, family members of cancer patients and victims of crime and abuse.  She works with adults to help overcome depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties and the lingering effects of traumatic events such as rape, assault and domestic violence.

About Clinical Social Workers

The Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) is the mental health counseling branch of social work and requires a significant degree of training after graduating with a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. To become an LCSW, there is an extensive period of post-graduate supervised work experience required along with passing of an approved national licensing board test.

The LCSW practices a type of mental health therapy that is strength based, meaning that they work with the client to find out what strong natural skills and talents they possess that can be used as a launching point to tackle issues causing hardship in the individual’s life. The social work framework for mental health therapy is very holistic, it will take into account not only the individual client’s emotional and psychological makeup, but also societal and environmental factors that can impact the well-being of the client.

This process begins with an assessment phase that takes into account not only a client inventory of strengths and perceived weaknesses or challenges, but also the client’s environment in their personal and professional lives. Once this inventory has been taken, the LCSW works with the client to create a series of steps that can yield immediate tangible results in their life by building upon strengths they have and changing relationships or views on perceived weaknesses and challenges.

About Covering Providers

WellPower does not provide emergency services.  The office is open by appointment only.  In the event that the provider will be unavailable for an extended period of time, coverage will be provided by another qualified practitioner.