Sanford is in Lee County, just across the line from Chatham, and within an easy drive of the Shepherd's Heart office in Siler City. For families in Sanford and the rest of Lee County, the more useful question may not be whether to drive at all. It's which parts of the work are worth doing in the room, and which fit better on video. This page explains how to mix the two so the format serves the work.
Whether you meet in Siler City or by telehealth, you're working with John C. Murphy, MA, LCMHC, at the same fees and with the same insurance relationships. Telehealth sessions keep the same length and structure as office visits; the only thing that changes is the room you're in. That flexibility lets you match each part of the work to the format it needs.
Some work lands more fully when everyone shares the same physical space. EMDR, especially the first time, often works better in person, because so much of trauma work is about your body settling with another person in the room. The EMDR therapy page explains how the process works.
High-conflict family sessions, where several people need to read each other's cues, are usually easier in the office too, which is worth knowing if family conflict is what brings you in. And younger teens who barely engage face to face can disengage completely on a screen.
Parent work often translates well to telehealth, whether that's coaching on routines and consequences or counseling focused on your own stress and history. Adult individual therapy can work well on video too. Telehealth also helps when a session has to fit into a lunch break, or when childcare makes the drive impossible that week.
One option is to start in the office for the intake and the first few sessions, then shift weekly parent sessions to video while coming in for specific pieces of work. Another is to keep a teen's sessions in person while a parent meets by video. There's no fixed formula. The plan should follow the work, and it can change as the work changes.
Most of John's availability falls during the school day. The last appointment starts at 5:00pm Monday through Thursday and at 2:00pm on Friday, and the late-afternoon slots go quickly. That's one more reason a mixed plan can help: a video session can fit into a workday in a way a round trip sometimes can't. Ask about availability early, and be specific about which days and times you can actually do.
Telehealth is available anywhere in North Carolina, as long as you're physically in the state at the time of the session. If you travel out of state for a week, sessions pause that week. This is a licensure requirement, not a preference: John is licensed only in North Carolina.
Intake runs 90 minutes and costs $195; regular sessions are 50 minutes and $155. Shepherd's Heart is in-network with Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, though not every plan from those carriers is in network, so your benefits are checked before the first session. Medicaid and Medicare are not accepted. The fees and insurance page has the full details.
Request a free 15-minute consultation and mention that you're in Lee County. John will tell you whether he's the right fit and suggest a starting format: in person, by video, or a mix of both.
If you're ready to look at the format of the help, see parent counseling or EMDR therapy. Not sure where to start? Request a free 15-minute consultation and we'll figure it out together.
No. Shepherd's Heart has one office, at 209 S 2nd Ave in Siler City. Families in Sanford and Lee County can come there, meet by telehealth, or combine the two.
Yes. A plan can start in person and shift to video, or the reverse, as the work changes. You'll decide together what each stage needs.
It doesn't have to be. The 90-minute intake can happen in the Siler City office or by telehealth. If the work is likely to include EMDR, family sessions, or a younger teen, meeting in person early on can help.
No. A phone, tablet, or computer works. You'll need a private space where no one can hear you, headphones if your home is loud, and a reasonably stable internet connection.
A free 15-minute consultation. Send a request and John will get back to you with times that actually work — no pressure, no forms up front.
