Read what our patients are saying about Cary Counseling Center

A.S.

Initially I had A TMJ issue. Where they had asked me to go for EMDR therapy.
I happened to find Bryce Kaye. Right away he told me I had depression and if I was open to hypnotherapy, in order to address the unconscious mind, where most of our problem lies.
I have been to a few therapist but I found him to be one of the best therapist. He truly addressed the issues and now I am so much at peace and living freely.
He’s a very compassionate man who is a good listener. And is very straight forward. I highly recommend him.

I.

Unlike 98% of couples counselors who emphasize “communication,” Dr. Bryce Kaye emphasizes the principles that lead to a healthy marriage. I am very impressed with his knowledge and academic background, and I find our sessions to always be insightful. I would say if you feel like you’re hitting a brick wall as to the reasons for why your marriage or relationships are struggling, Dr. Kaye will very likely be able to identify the issues and help you out.

R.T.

Bryce helped me find the answers I needed during a very difficult time. When I struggle and lose confidence in myself I remember the tools and foundation he helped me build and I’m able to move forward. I’ve worked with several therapist in the past, Bryce is the best by far.

M.K.

Worked with Dr. Kaye for a couple months and he definitely taught my husband and I some tools we will be using for life. Thank you again!

S.C. Dr Bryce Kaye is an extraordinary therapist. He is the first therapist who has focused on developing positive attributes of my personality (rather than focussing solely on decreasing negative ones such as anxiety.) Frankly, I was taken aback at my first meeting with him—within 40 minutes of meeting me, Bryce made some almost casual observations that accurately identified some of the deep seated intra-psychic conflicts that I hadn’t even realized had come into play during our meeting. His combination of intuitiveness, experience and deep erudition has been invaluable in helping me become a more positive, confident and generally happier person than I ever have been able to be before. If you are looking for someone who really knows what they are doing and will help you get closer to becoming who you want to be, (and won’t waste your time doing it) call Dr Kaye. You won’t regret it. No kidding.

P.W. I can not say enough on how pleased I am with my treatment with Debbie Riley. My anxiety is at a minimum, I mentally and physically feel at ease and my relationship with myself and others are much healthier. I am so fortunate to be her client! Don’t be afraid to uncover your truth.

C.C. I can’t recommend Cary Counseling Center more. Debra Riley is the best person I have ever worked with. In the past, I have been given generalized advice that could apply to anyone. Debra has gotten down to the root core of things and helped address. I recommend her to everyone. You won’t be disappointed.

J.M. Excellent and knowledgeable counselor. I highly recommend Debra Riley. She has helped me thru some rough spots.

F.M.

Bryce Kaye is an excellent therapist. I went to see him after going through a separation. I told him my goal was to fix my marriage. He instead fixed me and helped me through grief and through gaining my own autonomy and rebuilding an internal value system. He explained the science behind every activity we did in session. He rebuilt me to where I can stand on my own and now am fully able to rebuild my relationship or move on without the strings of codependency.

L.T.

If I could give more than 5 stars I would. I think Brandy might be an angel, and she was there during the darkest moment of my life. This was 2.5 years ago, so this review is a long time coming. She is caring, understanding and SHE LISTENS! It’s so hard to find a therapist that seems like they are truly listening. I wish I could have seen her longer, and highly recommend her.

S.L.

It doesn’t take long to realize that Dr. Kaye knows what he is talking about and uses his vast amount of knowledge in a way that most therapist do not. His treatments take work on the clients end, but are practical and effective. If you have a mental issue that you want to work through, Dr. Kaye’s methods are certainly worth a try!

F.M.

Bryce Kaye is an excellent therapist. I went to see him after going through a separation. I told him my goal was to fix my marriage. He instead fixed me and helped me through grief and through gaining my own autonomy and rebuilding an internal value system. He explained the science behind every activity we did in session. He rebuilt me to where I can stand on my own and now am fully able to rebuild my relationship or move on without the strings of codependency.

M.H.

Dr. Bryce Kaye is unlike any doctor you’ll ever meet. He heals the “UN-healable”. I’m starting my review this way because he has helped ME shape my life into a life WORTH living. After 23 doctors and 9 therapists over the past 13 years, I am proud to say that in 7 months Dr. Kaye gave me the tools and strength to be a trauma graduate. No more anxiety, constant depression and NO MORE therapists!! I am now free of the torture of rape and abuse. He’s the jackpot of therapists. He’s a life changer.

C.D.

Dr. Riley provided pre-marital counseling for my wife and I. I would highly recommend her. During our sessions, she helped us walk through common issues, like finances, and weekly issues, like an argument about cleaning dishes. A major boon for having these sessions were the tool sets that she has armed us with to make our marriage work.

J.R. Dr. Templeton was beyond amazing helping get through a tough time in my life. The best out there!

M.W. I was so fortunate to have found Mariane Portes at the Cary Counseling Center in Cary. I was seeking out EMDR therapy specifically to help me overcome a PTSD. I had dealt with all of the emotional issues and didn’t understand why I was unable to move past this time in my life. Mariane was AMAZING and so patient, understanding, and insightful. I was made to feel comfortable with her right away and trusted her to take me through the process. For the first time since 1991 I am able to live free from that experience. I never left her office without feeling better than when I entered. Mariane has given me perspective and tools to move forward positively and happier. I also know at any time I can call her and she will make room for me, if needed. She is AMAZING at what she does as well as so enjoyable to be around. THANK YOU 🙂

L.L. I have recently begun to see Deborah R. at Cary Counseling Center and she has been extremely helpful, thorough, honest and supportive. I could not have been placed in better hands. Her care and compassion is insurmountable; she truly loves what she does and the people she cares for. She is a class act!

J.S. I have been seeing Miriane for quite some time and she has been really great at helping me manage the problem that have been presented in my life. Miriane is very easy to talk to and shows a great deal of compassion and professionalism. I would highly recommend her to any of my friends. As for the office in general, I recently had questions about the billing process and charges. The office manager was prompt at returning my call and took the time to go through my account with me to better understand what portion I was responsible for and what my insurance was covering. Kudos to the office staff as well. Thanks for a great experience.

H.G. My fiancé and I had booked a marriage retreat (love odyssey) with Dr./Captain Bryce Kaye and his wife Helen to work through some major relationship issues that we thought only a retreat could fix. Having never done so, we were somewhat apprehensive about what the experience would be like. We were intrigued by the prospect of doing the counseling on a boat versus the standard “in-the-office counseling” so many other retreats were offering. All the while, we both felt that sharing our most intimate issues with a counselor we had never met would be a daunting task, especially in such a confined environment. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Bryce was amazing in analyzing and identifying our problems in no time while being extremely tactful and likable. The presence of his wife made the atmosphere very relaxed and an air of humor was added to all counseling sessions. This made it very easy for us to share our most intimate and at times embarrassing secrets. The overall experience itself was well beyond what we could have imagined. As we were working through our problems, the beautiful North Carolina backdrop made for a romantic getaway that in addition to all the valuable advice given by Bryce and Helen made for a memorable experience we will cherish for years to come. I can confidently say that our relationship has never been better. Bryce and Helen have truly brought our relationship to a level few people will experience. In addition to Bryce’s book, the Marriage First Aid Kit, the retreat is something every couple would greatly benefit from, whether they are in crisis or not.

G.U. Cary Counseling Center has helped me more than I ever expected. I am much happier with myself and that in turn has improved my marriage and relationships with family and friends. I cannot give enough praises to CCC and would highly recommend this center.

R.W. Highly recommend Dr. Kaye and Love Odyssey Tours. Practical, proactive, and professional, we left with the tools we needed to help reinvigorate our marriage of 19 years and helped us better understand each other. After returning and beginning our follow-up work, my wife and I both agree that we could not have made a better investment in ourselves and our family. A heartfelt thank you, Dr. and Mrs. Kaye.

L.G. Bryce Kaye and Cary Counseling Center is the best in the Triangle area. Dr. Kaye provides the right mix of compassion, direction and accountability for being the best you possible. Forget just talking about your life, Bryce is the one to see if you want to change it.

S.K.

My wife and I had some relationship questions due to a number of recent stress inducing changes (job induced separation, etc).

We love each other very much, and value our marriage, and thought it would make sense to find an expert, though I confess I put going to a “marriage” counselor, somewhere between dental surgery and the opera. But Dr Bryce Kaye was excellent — we came out of there armed with a number of helpful items, and I have no doubt he’s a subject matter expert.

A.Y. I was recently divorced, heart-broken, and apathetic towards most things. Meeting with Brandy helped me process the divorce and start a new chapter in my life. She does a fantastic job listening and guiding me through my thoughts, giving me the opportunity to process and figure things out on my own. It was nice to have someone to talk to, who wasn’t trying to push their agenda on you.

D.J. I’m so thankful that I found Miriane Portes at Cary Counseling. She helped me to deal with many traumatic events that I went through as a child. She used EMDR and taught me many coping skills to deal with stress and anxiety. I have been to many therapists over the last 30 years and none of them ever addressed the issues I had like she did. She has a wonderful way of making you feel comfortable and relaxed. I saw her for about eight months. She recently told me that I didn’t need to have anymore visits as we had reached our goal. I never thought I would hear a therapist say that. She said her door is always open if I need her. I can’t thank her enough for all she did for me. I would highly recommend her!

N.O.

I’m so grateful that I found Miriane Portes at Cary Counseling. She helped me to deal with anxiety I was not able to drive just after few session I was able to drive. She used EMDR and taught me many coping skills to deal with stress and anxiety. I have been to many therapists over the last 20 years and none of them ever addressed the issues I had like she did. She has awesome the way of making you feel comfortable and relaxed. I saw her for about one month’s twice a week. She recently told me that I didn’t need to have any more visits as we had reached our goal. I never thought I would hear a therapist say that. She said her door is always open if I need her. I can’t thank her enough for all she did for me, she is amazing
I would highly recommend her!

R.F. Dr. Kaye is an extremely effective and powerful therapist. He is truly a therapist, because what he does is actually therapeutic — he is intent and intense on his goal of treating and healing, which can be a stark and shocking contrast to other therapists. When you go into a session with Dr. Kaye, prepare to be genuinely challenged, to be engaged actively, and to be challenged to grow and heal.

R.W. EMDR Therapy with Miriane Portes, was a life-changing, performance enhancing experience. Military, police (and other first responders), as well as anyone who has experienced traumatic incidents in their life can benefit greatly from this treatment. I was looking for an efficient, effective, no-nonsense method of tackling some weaknesses and issues I carried around. This was exactly what I had hoped it would be, and then some. Highly recommended.

C.P. I have had many therapists over the years, and they were all fine, but I needed a therapist that was more than fine. I needed someone smarter than me, someone that could see through my bs, and that could offer practical solutions for moving forward. I had grown weary of other therapists simply wanting to rehash the past, but never quite helping me to get on with life in a healthy way. Before Bryce, I always seemed to be left with the feeling of, “well I know how I got here, but what do I do about it?”. In a relatively short amount of time of working with Bryce, I was able to effectively manage issues that had plagued me my entire life. His methods have proven to be invaluable for becoming a healthy, autonomous adult. I recommend Bryce to anyone willing to put in the work it requires to strengthen your inner core. He is not for lazy people that just want a magic pill to fix it all.

C.G. Brandi is a gifted therapist and facilitator. She was able to create space for me and my husband to have honest, hard conversations, and equipped us with resources that will be helpful in the future. I highly recommend her as a couples therapist.

A.N. Miriane Portes is an efficient, patient, and successful therapist. I approached her initially for EMDR treatment of various traumas, and she helped through insightful guidance, sympathetic and forthright coaching, and with productive resources to tackle my traumas. Naturally, I was unsure of the EMDR treatment; however, my unsure expectations were optimistically replaced due to the effective treatment, as well as the confidence and ability of Miriane as a therapist. I highly recommend her to any patient.

J.C. I contacted Dr. Kaye to help my fiance and me navigate some tough roads with respect to family transition, step-children, and relationship development. We read his book and attended approximately 6-8 sessions. Dr. Kaye gave my fiance and I the tools to significantly improve our relationship along with our relationships with our children. I later met with Dr. Kaye in a 1:1 setting for another 10-12 sessions. I have to say that Dr. Kaye has helped more than words can express. I happen to have a degree in Psychology, and therefore I had a pretty good idea of what to expect as it pertains to talk therapy. I was wrong. We did not dwell on specific issues, but rather we worked intensely on developing the tools, identifying important qualities, and internal mental structures to allow me to constructively deal with any situation. Dr. Kaye did not help me fix a specific problem, or help me come to terms with something specific from my past, but rather he helped me build a framework to reconcile any issues I identified (or may identify in the future) from the past. Moreover, the tools, or strategies, have helped me develop a much more confident, open, caring, understanding, empathetic, compassionate, and overall happier ‘me.’ I can not speak highly enough of Dr. Kaye and his methodology.

G.A. I have struggled with addiction for many years. During my difficult journey I attempted to quit multiple times. I saw a handful of therapists and unfortunately for me I was able to deceive them and act as if I was getting better. Then I met Dr. Kaye. He saw right through my deception and provided me very direct feedback and held me accountable for my own recovery. So if you’re serious about getting well there is no one better to help you than Dr. Bryce Kaye. I owe my life to him.

L.H. I HIGHLY recommend Brandy Templeton. I have seen many different therapists in the past and she is the only one that was able to get to the root of my problems and actually help me get through difficult situations. She is a wonderful therapist that creates such a warm environment and is easy to open up to. By her action plans and goals that she set, my mental health greatly improved. She is extremely compassionate and it is very obvious that she cares for her clients. I couldn’t recommend her enough. Her help has been invaluable and I am so thankful for her.

G.U. Cary Counseling Center has helped us stay married for 24 years. When things got rough and relationships were tough Dr. Kaye has helped us reconnect and work to make things better and moving forward! I have and still recommend counseling with Dr. Kaye when friends are struggling to stay married. Counseling is smarter than tearing apart families and lives through divorce!

J.C. After close to 20 years of being with my husband and less than a few weeks away from signing divorce papers, we agreed to try therapy one last time. I did not expect it to save our marriage, let alone transform it. We each learned things about ourselves and each other that have made a huge difference. We approach and handle our issues using the techniques we learned from Dr. Kaye which has resulted in open and honest (all be it sometimes uncomfortable) conversations that result in solutions instead of arguments. Needless to say, we did not get divorced and we both agree we are closer now than we ever have been. We are very grateful for Dr. Kaye and his services.

C.O.  Miriane Portes is simply awesome: warm, wise, knowledgeable and caring. If you are looking for someone to help you deal with past trauma or to just get out of your own way so you can live life to the fullest, Miri is the therapist for you!!!

L.B.

M. Portes – Just the best!

P.S.

I was diagnosed with PTSD after a traumatic car wreck, in searching for someone to help alleviate and deal with the symptoms I discovered Miriane Portes. She was incredibly instrumental in helping me recover over a several month long period. I would recommend her to anyone who needs help dealing with a troubling memory creating anxiety in their life. She truly is a kind and caring person and in working with her I felt that she was genuine in all aspects of her approach to my problems and emotions.

L.H.

My visit with Dr. Kaye was phenomenal. He listens to the patient and relies on his vast amount of experience and neuro-psychology training to help the patient comes to a deeper conclusion about themselves than other therapists out there. If you are seeking logic and rationality about your psychological well-being, he is the right person to visit.

J.M. After being a victim of sexual assault and ptsd someone reccommened emdr therapy to me and referred me to Miriane Portes. She did a wonderful job explaining the process and working with me and after less than two months, I’m doing so much better. For those suffering with ptsd, I highly reccommend talking to someone at Cary Counseling Center about how emdr can help you.

G.R. I initially thought Dr. Kaye was a divine intervention, and I still do! Your mechanic, hairdresser/barber, doctor and psychotherapist are all people that when you find a good one, you hold onto them. My wife and I were separated and moving apart, and it all seemed so senseless, sort of like being in another country and not knowing the language, but the miscommunication was with the most important person in my life. We had tried another counseling service in the area prior to our separation that I believe had good intentions, offering us help and purporting “Solutions,” but only proved to smear around the hurt and anguish with buzz phrases and happy thoughts. It was like putting a clean bandage on a festering wound, and we both knew it, hence the subsequent separation, but we still had no tools to create healing or even understand what was causing the wound. I needed support to deal with our impending divorce and purely by accident, or so I thought, found Dr. Kaye for individual counseling. I immediately found him to be very different and refreshing from previous counselors; very knowledgeable, personable and extremely astute. Dr. Kaye eventually accepted us for couples counseling sessions and “yada, yada yada” we are now not just happy, but more happily married than we had ever understood. It’s too much to express, but it is not an intuitive process building a relationship, the language has to be taught, and there are few that have the skill and the tools to allow you to understand and help yourself. Dr. Kaye is one of those few, and, though I may not want him creating my hairstyle, working on my car or performing surgery on me, he’s a good one and has made all the difference in my life,… in our lives! P.S. We are expecting our first born in January. : )

S.R. My experience, as a client of Miriane Portes, was life changing and wonderful. I am still reaping the benefits of her counseling and especially her use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, EMDR. I came to her about 6 years ago with some general anxiety issues that were interfering with my personal and work relationships. Through her professional guidance and insight, I was able to recall and experience relief from several childhood and teen traumas that had debilitated and colored my thinking, emotions and behaviors. Her ability to facilitate my healing and recovery were at an expert level. I have been able to maintain the beneficial results of her treatments ever since with new insights on how to cope with and eliminate the effects of the “buttons” that occasionally trigger those old cognitive-emotional events. Miriane is a consummate professional and a wonderful counselor. I highly recommend that anyone who suffers from PTSD, anxiety disorders, or the stresses of everyday life contact her immediately. She is wonderful. P.S. We are expecting our first born in January. : )

O.T. I had an eye-opening, wonderful experience with Miri Portes when dealing with some past unresolved traumas. Not only was she very caring and understanding, she used a technique called EMDR. I had amazing results within just a few sessions. Additionally, I’ve gone to her to discuss and work through many family and other issues and always felt better afterwards. She always has good counsel or helps me find my own solutions by listening, supporting and encouraging me. I encourage others to seek her out whenever you need counseling. You will be happy that you did!

G.U. Cary Counseling Center is an excellent choice for any couple in need of marriage counseling. Dr. Kaye helped us to strengthen our marriage as well as improve other aspects of our lives, both as a couple and individuals. As a result, we are much happier now and feel a sense of impowerment over our marriage and lives. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Cary Counseling Center to friends, family or strangers alike. Thank you Dr. Kaye!

J.W. I first met Bryce by attending a lecture he gave. His model of attending to the unconscious directly, where many problems lurk and originate, immediately struck me as superior to mere “talk” therapy that tries to get at deep-seated issues from a superficial layer. Indeed, in working with Bryce, I found it so (as did many of the friends I sent to him). Sometimes Bryce will just talk with you, which can be beneficial, but he’s far more than just a talk-therapist should the need for a different approach arise — so much so, that I think of him less as a therapist and more as a wizard of the mind.

A.Y. For more than 30 years I was treated by psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers for “severe depression.” Though progress was made, I endured two psychiatric hospitalizations and received a variety of medications including some that were very harmful to me. Throughout all that my symptoms persisted and family life and work remained difficult. My last MSW suspected EMDR therapy would help me and she referred me to Dr. Kaye. Dr. Kaye was the first therapist to accurately diagnose my condition. Depression was an evident symptom that was masking my real illness, dissociated identity disorder. Over several years of EMDR and talk therapy with Dr. Kaye my symptoms are dramatically reduced and I am happier than I have been since I was a child. I can heartily recommend Dr. Kaye without any reservations.

C.F. For many years I’ve been debating on whether or not to see a counselor on some of my personal issues of mine. So to say I was extremely apprehensive in scheduling an appointment is an understatement. My first appointment went very smoothly and Brandy made me feel very comfortable. I’ve been visiting her normally and I’m grateful for her helping me through some issues in my life.

S.S.Without the help of Deborah Riley, I do not know where I would be today! She has been instrumental in my life and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for help. She is a great listener and gives thoughtful advice and assignments.

B.S.   Deborah Riley has been a game changer for me. I’ve seen a few counselors in the past, and none have even compared to her. What sets Deborah apart from others is that she challenges you and holds you responsible. I’ve never felt judged by her, and I’ve always left her office feeling better than I did when I walked in. If you’re feeling stuck, or need direction, I would highly recommend Deborah!

D.D.  Miri is a trusted, reliable, professional that has helped our family tremendously.

E.F.  Dr. Kaye did a great job making me feel comfortable on my first visit. He was able to breakdown my issues and how to go about correcting them. I love that he was very direct and honest and told me like it is. He educated me on things I did not know about being in a relationship, and gave me a different outlook, and approach to being in a relationship. I wanted the best and I got the best!!!!! If you want the best Dr. Kaye all day!!!

C.H. I am a former couple’s counselor, myself, and I feel incredibly blessed and grateful to have found Bryce Kaye. Without him, I doubt my relationship with my boyfriend would have lasted. But now, because of his intervention, we are getting along better than ever, we trust each other again, and the bedrock of our friendship has been restored. Bryce’s method of helping couples goes far beyond what almost all other therapists and counselors offer: in addition to helping couples improve their communication, he teaches us how to get along with one another and establish a balanced relationship based on just the right blend of satisfying our personal needs, the needs of our partner, and the needs of the relationship itself. He knows just when to share (unbelievably valuable) information (i.e., educate us) and when to pull back and let us talk to each other during the sessions. He introduces concepts that I’ve never heard of before, concepts that truly made all the difference to my boyfriend and me. He’s knowledgeable, has decades of experience, and his understanding of psychophysiology informs the advice he gives–and it works! He is a kind and fair person; easy to talk to; non-judgmental, always considerate of both parties. If you have read negative comments about Bryce, I recommend that you ignore them, because I assure you that he is the best chance that you have to saving your relationship – here in the Triangle area, and probably in the entire southern region. I consider myself very lucky that we live so close to his office – I’d drive hours to get help like this; help that I have been unable to find elsewhere. We had to pay full price for Bryce, because our insurance doesn’t cover couple’s counseling. But he is worth every penny (and more). After all, my relationship with my significant other is among the most important investments in my life. If you do go see Bryce, I recommend that you approach the experience as if you were taking a course in school; because Bryce takes an active approach: he teaches, he educates. I had my own ideas of how to “fix” my broken relationship, but I set them aside, listened to what he had to say, and I tried the things that he suggested. So did my boyfriend. And they worked. His book “The Marriage First Aid Kit” was a very helpful adjunct to our therapy, and reading it shortened the amount of visits we needed. It so happened that we were able to cut through a boatload of confusion, fear, anger and pain in only 4 sessions. You might require more or fewer; the important thing is, Bryce is not after your money. He lets you lead the way with whatever your agendas are, and when you think you are finished, he doesn’t recommend that you keep seeing him, although he certainly leaves the door open to go see him again, if needed. There are few health care providers that have impressed me as much as Bryce Kaye. If you go see him, you are making a wise choice; I can’t imagine any couple with any problem that he can’t help you solve. He cares, he wants to help, and he does.