Carla Sykes

Carla often works with clients who hold themselves to incredibly high standards.

That internal pressure to meet expectations, care for everyone else, or keep up with the daily grind can eventually leave people feeling burned out, unfulfilled, or disconnected from what gives their life meaning.

Carla helps clients slow down and look at the rules, expectations, and self-limiting beliefs that may have been shaped by childhood, past relationships, or earlier experiences. Together, they work toward choices that feel more aligned with who the client is now and what they genuinely value.

• Anxiety & social anxiety

• Perfectionism

• People pleasing & fawning

• Self-esteem concerns

• Relationship stress

• Interpersonal conflict

• Family conflict & estrangement

• Couples concerns

• Communication challenges

• Personal, career & life goals

Carla draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Strengths-Based Therapy, and Compassion-Focused Therapy.

Her work often combines greater self-understanding with practical skills clients can use in everyday life.

For individuals, that may mean learning to manage challenging relationship dynamics, clarify personal goals, or step away from expectations that no longer fit.

With couples & families, Carla helps clients communicate more effectively, resolve problems more peacefully, improve understanding, and begin breaking patterns that lead to ongoing conflict.

Carla has a particular interest in relationship dynamics and conflict resolution.

She enjoys working with families with adult children who are navigating estrangement or ongoing family conflict, as well as helping couples and individuals strengthen communication and build healthier ways of relating to one another.

Carla is also a certified SYMBIS — Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts — facilitator and can incorporate that framework into premarital counseling.

Carla is a Resident in Counseling and continues to deepen her clinical knowledge around relationship dynamics and conflict resolution.

She is especially interested in helping clients identify personal, career, and life goals that give them a greater sense of purpose and something meaningful to move toward.

Carla grew up in Miami, Florida, so hot summer days will always win over cold winters, although she has grown to appreciate fall.

When it comes to exercise, Zumba and walking are her activities of choice, but quiet time by a pool is pretty hard to beat.

Her music taste is also all over the map, ranging from pop to classical and just about everything in between.