Why online counseling? As counselors, Melissa and I are constantly asking each other the tough questions of how to help more people. During one of those conversations we began to look into the research of online counseling and its effectiveness versus face to face counseling. We knew if we were going to expand our reach we would need to head in the online direction. To our surprise, we found evidence that online therapy is just as effective as face to face counseling in numerous studies. The research shows that online counseling is just as effective with individuals, couples and even groups. The more we dug into the research the more we knew this was our future. Since moving our practice entirely online in May 2019, clients report” loving being able to do a session from their office or even while the kids are in the other room”.

With online counseling you can meet for a session on your day off or during a lunch hour. You don’t have to drive across town and worry about getting back on time. Couples can be across town from each other or even across the globe and we can still meet. What you can expect when you meet with Melissa or myself is a compassionate and authentic opportunity to address real issues and learn clinical tools to achieve your goals. We bring a unique approach to counseling and our clients share that we offer a genuineness that allows for the hard conversations to flow easy which helps them grow. As we continue to serve the great people of North Carolina and now Florida it would be an honor for our paths to cross and for you to let us help you in your journey.

      - Christopher Ostrander, Ph.D., LCMHC, LMHC, LPC, NCC

co-owner of Orchard Knob Counseling

Melissa Ostrander, PH.d., LCMHC, LMHC, NCC

I consider it an honor to walk with my clients through their struggles and help them overcome whatever is keeping them from living a full life. I am passionate about helping my clients gain freedom from unhealthy patterns and thought processes, heal from the past, and grow to become holistically healthy. My theoretical approach to counseling is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, which helps us change dysfunctional thought patterns and identify and heal the core from which those thoughts come. I am passionate about this approach as I have not only received specialized training in CBT, but have also experienced much personal healing through this mode of therapy. I have experience counseling those struggling with anxiety, depression, marital issues, stress, identity issues, self-esteem, spiritual direction, grief and loss, postpartum issues, fertility issues, and life transitions. I also provide pre-martial and marriage enrichment counseling to couples committed to marriage success. 
I am a Christian and my faith is the most important part of who I am. My education has equipped me to integrate biblical truth with clinical counseling for those who desire their faith to be incorporated in the counseling process.
I have an Associate’s degree in Bible, Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Counseling, and Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. 

When I’m not in the counseling office I enjoy spending as much time as possible with my family.   I also love shark tooth hunting with my husband and crafting when I get the chance. 

Christopher ostrander, Ph.d., lCMHC, LMHC, LPC, NCC

In my practice I counsel from a systems approach and more specifically from Attachment theory. My clinical areas of focus are currently couples and families in conflict in addition to working with individuals who have suffered a form of trauma. I love working with active duty and retired military personnel from all branches. One of my passions as a counselor is working with individuals in discovering their identity and helping them clear away some of the clutter to help reveal who they are and how they come to understand themselves. I tell clients regularly that my goal is for them to become their own “therapist” in their presenting issue and be equipped with the necessary tools to navigate their lives and relationships without my help at some point. I understand you're coming to get help and that's what you need, you're not wanting to get stuck in therapy and that's something I work very hard with my clients to accomplish. I have specialized training in Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Brief Solution-Focused Therapy, Family Systems, and Group Therapy. I have extensive training and education in the integration of faith/spirituality and philosophical thought within counseling. Over the years I have had clients of all faith and beliefs enter my office and it is a pure joy to walk with anyone of any faith.

I hold a bachelor's degree in Psychology, Master's in Marriage and Family Counseling, and Ph.D. in Counseling Education and Supervision. 

When I'm not in the office or chasing little feet you might find me in the boat with the family, fishing, collecting shark teeth or reading a good book.

"Life is not primarily a quest for pleasure, as Freud believed, or a quest for power, as Alfred Adler taught, but a quest for meaning. The greatest task for any person is to find meaning in his or her life" - Victor Frankl - Man's Search For Meaning.