Frequently Asked Questions | Therapy in Hickory, NC & Online Across North Carolina

Getting started is simple. Simply pick a day/time for your first appointment here.

A $100 deposit reserves your appointment and is applied toward your $250 initial session fee. After scheduling, I’ll send you a secure link to set up your online chart, complete your new-client paperwork, and place a card on file.

Get Started

Have a question before scheduling? You’re always welcome to reach out by phone or email.

I’m a private-pay provider, which means I don’t bill insurance or collect copays. If you have out-of-network (OON) benefits, I can provide a monthly superbill for you to submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.

Want help figuring out your benefits? I’ve partnered with Thrizer, which allows you to check your OON benefits right here on my website at no cost or obligation.

Verify Your Out-of-Network Benefits

You can also contact your insurance company directly to ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits.

What are out-of-network (OON) benefits and how do I use them?

Some insurance plans include out-of-network (OON) benefits, which may reimburse you for a portion of your therapy costs when you see a provider outside your insurance network.

Here’s how it works:

• You pay your session fee at the time of your appointment.

• If your plan includes OON benefits, you may be eligible for reimbursement.

• You can check your benefits and estimated reimbursement using the free Out-of-Network Benefits Check on my website.

• You can submit your monthly superbill yourself or use my optional partner, Thrizer, for help managing the reimbursement process.

Every plan is different, so reimbursement is never guaranteed and will depend on your deductible, coinsurance, and individual benefits.

Check Your Out-of-Network Benefits

Do you offer therapy for women across North Carolina?

Yes. I provide online therapy for adult women throughout North Carolina, along with in-person therapy in Hickory.

With decades of experience and specialized training in women’s mental health, I tailor therapy to the unique needs, stressors, and life transitions women often navigate.

Telehealth sessions are available by secure video or phone, depending on your needs and preference.

What are your fees?

Your initial session is a 60-minute Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (CCA) at $250. I review your history and intake materials in advance so we can begin with context, clarity, and direction rather than spending the entire first session gathering basic information.

Ongoing 55-minute therapy sessions are $195. We typically begin with weekly sessions to build consistency and momentum, then transition to less frequent sessions when clinically appropriate.

Payment is due at the time of service. Credit cards, debit cards, HSA, and FSA cards are accepted.

Learn more about fees and payment policies.

What makes your approach different than other therapists?

Traditional talk therapy primarily focuses on intellectual insight and logical conversation. While understanding your patterns is an important first step, it rarely changes the deep-seated survival habits—like over-functioning, chronic people-pleasing, or automated guilt—that are physically hardwired into your body and nervous system.

My approach is deeply experiential and action-oriented. We move past conversational venting to target the root cause of your patterns, helping your body feel genuinely safe enough to set boundaries, handle relationship backlash, and anchor yourself in your own life without constantly feeling hooked by guilt.

What therapeutic approaches do you use?

I utilize a highly integrated, specialized neuro-somatic and relational toolkit that addresses stress and trauma where it lives—in your nervous system. I draw from Internal Family Systems (IFS) for deep parts-work, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for value-based behavioral shifts, and Brainspotting for subcortical processing. Additionally, my practice is shaped by advanced, post-graduate frameworks including Relational Life Therapy (RLT) for direct relationship boundary coaching, and Neural Desensitization and Integration Training (NDIT) for targeted somatic nervous system regulation.

What issues do you specialize in?

I specialize in working with women navigating anxiety and perfectionism, people-pleasing and relationship stress, burnout, chronic illness, and midlife or life transitions. I also have specialized experience supporting therapists and helping professionals, as well as women navigating sexual wellness concerns such as low libido, painful sex, perimenopause, and menopause.

My approach is integrative and individualized, so we’ll use your initial Comprehensive Clinical Assessment to understand what’s happening beneath the surface and determine what kind of support makes sense for you.

What type of therapy do you offer?

I offer individual therapy for adult women, with in-person sessions in Hickory and online therapy throughout North Carolina.

My work is especially suited for women who may look capable and high-functioning on the outside but feel anxious, exhausted, disconnected, or stuck in patterns that no longer work for them.

Therapy is integrative and may include Brainspotting, IFS and parts work, attachment-based therapy, somatic and nervous system approaches, and ACT. Rather than simply adding more coping strategies, we work to understand and address the patterns underneath what you’re experiencing so change can take root at a deeper level.

I’ve tried therapy before and it wasn’t helpful. How might this be different?

If insight alone were enough to heal us, you would already be fine. Many high-functioning, analytical women find that traditional talk therapy or standard CBT gives them plenty of awareness, but fails to stop their body from panicking when they try to slow down or say 'no.'

You didn't fail at therapy; the tools simply weren't built to reach your subcortical nervous system where your automated survival blueprints are stored. By moving beyond conversational venting and targeting the physical, somatic loops beneath your anxiety or over-functioning, we finally bridge the gap between what you know logically and what you can actually follow through on in real life.

What is Brainspotting, and why do you use it in your practice?

Brainspotting is a focused, body-based approach that can help us work with experiences, emotions, and patterns that may be difficult to reach through talking and insight alone. It often requires less verbal processing, which can be helpful when you understand what happened but still feel like your body hasn’t gotten the message.

Brainspotting grew out of David Grand’s work with EMDR and other trauma-processing approaches. While there are similarities, Brainspotting is less structured and allows us to follow what emerges at your pace rather than requiring you to tell or repeatedly revisit the details of a painful experience.

I trained with Dr. David Grand and Melanie Young and am a Certified Brainspotting Practitioner. I’m particularly drawn to its flexibility when working with women whose nervous systems may become overwhelmed by more structured approaches, including some neurodivergent women.

When appropriate, I may also incorporate bilateral music during Brainspotting to support the processing experience.

How long will I need to be in therapy?

The honest answer: it depends on your history, your goals, and what we’re working through together.

Some women notice meaningful shifts within a few months—the 3 AM anxiety quiets, the reactivity softens, or they stop rehearsing conversations before they’ve even happened. Others choose to do deeper work over a year or more, especially when we’re working with patterns that have been there since childhood.

Many of the women who come to me aren’t looking for another band-aid. They want change that reaches beyond simply knowing what to do differently. We’ll regularly check in on your progress and adjust the pace and frequency of therapy based on what you actually need.

Do you offer a sliding scale?

Yes. I believe strongly in making quality, trauma-competent care more accessible to women. As part of that commitment, I partner with Open Path Collective to offer a limited number of reduced-fee therapy spaces for eligible clients in North Carolina.

Availability is limited and may vary. You can learn more about eligibility, current availability, and how to get started through my Open Path profile.

View My Open Path Profile here:

https://openpathcollective.org/therapist/cindy-lineberger/

Do you offer couples or relationship therapy?

I specialize in individual therapy for women and do not provide ongoing couples therapy.

At times, I may invite a partner or family member into a session when it supports your individual treatment—for example, to help them better understand what you’re working through or how they can support you. These sessions remain focused on your individual treatment goals and are not a substitute for couples therapy.

If you’re looking for ongoing couples therapy, I’m happy to recommend local marriage and family therapists who specialize in this work.

I'm a cisgender man. Do you work with men?

My practice is focused exclusively on individual therapy for adult women, so I do not currently accept men as clients.

This focus allows me to center my training and clinical work around the experiences and concerns that commonly bring women to my practice.

If you’re looking for a therapist who works with men, I’m happy to recommend other providers or resources that may be a better fit.

Do you offer in-person therapy sessions?

Yes. I offer in-person therapy for adult women at my office in Hickory, North Carolina, as well as online therapy throughout North Carolina.

In-person appointments are available Tuesday through Friday, with select Saturday appointments available between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM.

New clients can request their first appointment through the Get Started page. Current clients can manage appointments through their secure client portal.

How does online therapy work?

Online therapy sessions are held through a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform. You can join from your phone, tablet, or computer from a private location anywhere in North Carolina.

I also offer phone sessions on a limited basis when they’re a better fit for a client’s needs.

Telehealth makes it possible to receive consistent, specialized therapy without the added time and travel of coming into the office.

What credentials and training do you have?

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in North Carolina (C006722) with a Master’s in Clinical Social Work from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Appalachian State University.

My advanced training includes Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), complex trauma (CCTP/CCTP-II), women’s and reproductive mental health, sexual wellness, and integrative approaches to mental health, including nutrition and mental health.

I also hold certifications as a Board Certified Sexologist (ABS), Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional (CSTIP), Certified Mindfulness Informed Professional (CMIP), and Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional (CIMHP).

What can I expect during my first session?

Your first appointment is a 60-minute Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (CCA). Before your appointment is confirmed, you’ll complete your client portal, including your intake forms, measures, and required practice policies.

I review this information before we meet so we don’t have to spend your first session starting from scratch. Instead, we can begin with some context already in place and spend our time talking about what’s bringing you to therapy, your history, what you’re experiencing now, and what you hope will be different.

This first session also gives us an opportunity to determine whether working together feels like the right fit and establish a clear starting point for our work.

What is a Good Faith Estimate?

Under federal law, clients who are not using insurance have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of the expected cost of their care.

The estimate helps you understand what therapy may cost based on the anticipated frequency and length of services. It is not a contract or a requirement to continue therapy for a specific number of sessions, and it can be updated as your needs or treatment plan change.