Chelsey McCarthy, LPC- Associate (she/her)

Have you ever found yourself struggling with the idea of never being enough? Constantly feeling unseen, unheard, and in a never-ending war within your own mind?

You're not alone. Wherever you are in your journey, I want to meet you there. It’s okay to be a constant work in progress. It is okay to be authentically you.

I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate and an Inclusive Eating Disorder Specialist working at the intersection of eating disorders, addiction, and the complex inner battles so many of us carry in silence. I am also working toward becoming a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist.

My approach to therapy is collaborative, relational, and rooted in compassion. I believe in creating a space where you can show up as you are — without judgment, without pressure, and without needing to have anything “figured out.”

My own path has been shaped by recovery, resilience, and the belief that healing is not linear — it’s lived, felt, and practiced. As someone who has rebuilt her relationship with food, body, movement, and ambition, I’m passionate about helping others do the same.

Much of my work centers on helping clients rebuild trust: trust in their bodies, their emotions, their relationships, and their own inner wisdom. I honor the slow, courageous process of unlearning shame and reconnecting with the parts of yourself that have long felt unheard.

And above all, I want every client to know this truth: you are worth the effort, and you are worthy of a life worth living.

Hope is often one of the first things people lose — and one of the most powerful things to reclaim. In therapy, we nurture hope gently and intentionally, until it feels steady enough to hold onto again. Not as a distant ideal, but as something real, grounded, and possible.

Healing isn’t linear, but it is within reach. You don’t have to walk through the hard parts alone. I’m here to walk with you — at your pace, with your truth, and with unwavering belief in what’s possible for you.

"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."

– Audrey Hepburn 

I Specialize in…

Athletes and Compulsive Exercise

I work with athletes and high-performing individuals who struggle with compulsive exercise, burnout, or an unhealthy relationship with movement. For many, exercise began as a source of strength, discipline, or stress relief — and over time became rigid, anxiety-driven, or tied to self-worth and control.

In therapy, we explore the deeper emotional and nervous system patterns that drive overtraining, fear of rest, and the pressure to always push harder. Together, we work toward restoring flexibility, safety, and trust in your body so movement can become supportive rather than punishing. This work often includes addressing perfectionism, identity tied to performance, injury recovery, and the fear of “losing progress” when slowing down.

Eating Disorders and Addiction

Eating disorders and addiction come with layers of complexity that are essential for providers to understand in order to support full, sustainable recovery. I am trained and experienced in treating eating disorders and addiction both as standalone diagnoses and as co-occurring conditions.

Rather than focusing solely on behaviors, I take a whole-person, trauma-informed approach that explores what these patterns have come to do for you — often serving as attempts to cope, regulate emotions, or create a sense of control or relief. This work looks beyond symptom management to address the underlying emotional, relational, and nervous system drivers that keep cycles in place.

Women’s Health

I support women through the emotional complexity of life transitions, identity shifts, and relational dynamics — including motherhood, body image, career pressure, body changes, burnout, anxiety, and the mental and emotional load.

Therapy offers a space to slow down, untangle internalized expectations, and reconnect with your needs, boundaries, and sense of self. We work together to move out of survival mode and toward a life that feels more grounded, balanced, and authentic — one where you no longer have to hold everything alone.

Approach to Therapy

I offer a unique and deeply compassionate approach to therapy shaped by both professional training and lived experience. Having navigated and healed my own relationship with food and body image, I understand firsthand how isolating, overwhelming, and consuming these struggles can feel. I don’t approach this work from a place of distance or judgment — I walk alongside you with empathy, clarity, and a deep belief in your capacity for healing. My role is to help anchor you in hope while we work together to build a life that feels more freeing, connected, and aligned with who you truly are.

At the core of my work is a person-centered approach, where your lived experience is honored as essential. You are the expert on your own life. Therapy is not about fixing you or forcing change before you feel ready — it is about creating a safe, collaborative space where you feel seen, heard, and respected. From this foundation, we explore patterns, beliefs, and coping strategies with curiosity rather than criticism, allowing growth to unfold at a pace that feels sustainable and supportive.

As an Inclusive Eating Disorder Specialist, I understand the complexity of eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image concerns — including how they intersect with trauma, anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and nervous system dysregulation. I approach this work through a weight-inclusive, anti-diet, and trauma-informed lens, recognizing that healing goes far beyond food behaviors alone. Together, we focus on restoring trust in your body, reducing shame, increasing emotional resilience, and reconnecting you to a sense of safety within yourself.

Therapy with me is both gentle and intentional. We balance compassion with practical tools, insight with embodiment, and awareness with meaningful action. I believe lasting change happens not through pressure or perfection, but through understanding, safety, and consistent support.

I use the following evidence-based practices to help you meet your therapy goals:

  • Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills (DBT)

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • Person Centered

Formalities

Education

  • Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Liberty University)

  • Master’s in Counseling (West Texas A&M University)

License and Certifications

  • Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (TX) 

  • Inclusive Eating Disorder Specialist

Memberships

  • International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals

Fun Facts About Me

  • Alyssa Booth Therapy in Texas Virtual Therapy Counseling Services Eating Disorders Trauma Recovery Mental Health Anxiety Therapy for Women Body Image Therapy for Teens

    I love to travel and run marathons. My current goal is to complete all the Abbott World Marathon Majors.

  • Alyssa Booth Therapy in Texas Virtual Therapy Counseling Services Eating Disorders Trauma Recovery Mental Health Anxiety Therapy for Women Body Image Therapy for Teens

    I LOVE and grew up watching TCM and TV Land. Favorites include The Andy Griffith Show, I Love Lucy, and Leave it to Beaver

  • Alyssa Booth Therapy in Texas Virtual Therapy Counseling Services Eating Disorders Trauma Recovery Mental Health Anxiety Therapy for Women Body Image Therapy for Teens

    I had the opportunity to run the Marathon Pour Tous in Paris, France during the 2024 Olympic Games. I am an AVID summer Olympic fanatic, so to get to run the marathon route the actual Olympians ran was a dream come true

  • Alyssa Booth Therapy in Texas Virtual Therapy Counseling Services Eating Disorders Trauma Recovery Mental Health Anxiety Therapy for Women Body Image Therapy for Teens

    Pumpkin spice coffee is my jam. I always stock up when it is available in the fall.

  • Alyssa Booth Therapy in Texas Virtual Therapy Counseling Services Eating Disorders Trauma Recovery Mental Health Anxiety Therapy for Women Body Image Therapy for Teens

    I completed my masters in counseling at the age of 35, proving it is never too late to start pursuing your passion!