About Dawn Bowes, MSW, LCSW
Build a life you don’t need a vacation from.
I’m a Chapel Hill-based therapist who specializes in ADHD, anxiety, stress, and career transitions.
For the people who have been holding it all together
Maybe you’ve always been the one who figures it out. The one who gets it done, keeps it moving, and finds a way through. But something shifted. What used to work is not working anymore, and now you’re overwhelmed, stretched thin, or wondering why everything feels harder than it should.
My clients are often smart, self-aware, and deeply capable. They are not looking for someone to coddle them or hand them a generic self-care checklist. They want a space where they can think clearly, be fully themselves, and get honest about what is no longer working.
Working with me is collaborative, practical, and grounded in the real life you are actually living. We make sense of the patterns, pressures, and systems shaping your day-to-day life, then build something more sustainable from there. That might mean clearer boundaries, better ways of managing time and energy, support through a big transition, or simply finally having a place where you do not have to mask, perform, or hold it all together.
Why clients work with me
My clients are often smart, self-aware, and used to figuring things out on their own. They have likely already read the books, listened to the podcasts, and tried every system, planner, or productivity trick they could find. They are not looking for more hacks. They are looking for something that actually fits.
That is where our work begins.
I listen deeply. I pay attention to what you say, what you do not say, and the patterns underneath both. Together, we make sense of what is no longer working, reconnect with what matters most, and build systems, boundaries, and ways of living that feel more sustainable.
Clients often describe me as easy to talk to, direct, and grounding. I bring warmth, humor, honesty, and a strong belief in your capacity to figure your own life out with the right support.
How I work
Warm, direct, and built for real life
I believe that real healing happens when you feel seen, heard, and understood—so I create a space where you can bring your whole self, without judgment.
Informed by a deep passion for the world and the people in it, I gently challenge my clients to explore and dismantle the habits and beliefs that keep them stuck, while honoring the important role those patterns played in keeping them safe when they needed them. My approach is direct but compassionate, helping you untangle what's no longer serving you, so you can make room for the life you want to live.
Together, we create a vision and plan for the future you want, while working to bring that life into the present moment. I deeply believe in your ability to grow through what you go through. But healing doesn’t have to be all seriousness! I will encourage you to find joy in the process, celebrate your progress, and enjoy your life even while doing the hard work of transformation. This is about creating a life that feels meaningful and aligned with who you are—not just checking off boxes on a to-do list.
Therapy with me is —
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Therapy with me is a space where you do not have to overexplain, overperform, or hold it all together. My clients are often used to being the capable one, the thoughtful one, the one who figures it out. Here, you get to be honest, unmasked, and fully human.
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This work is not just about naming what is hard. It is about figuring out what is no longer working and building something that fits better. Together, we focus on real-life solutions, sustainable systems, and meaningful shifts you can actually use.
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I am not here to rescue you, manage you, or hand you a one-size-fits-all plan. I am here to think with you, challenge you, and help you find your own way forward. You bring your lived experience. I bring perspective, tools, and support. We build from there.
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My clients are often looking for more than symptom relief. They want more clarity, more capacity, more ease, and a better relationship with work, time, energy, and themselves. This work is about building a life you do not need a vacation from.
Experience & Credentials
Hi! I’m Dawn Bowes, a licensed clinical social worker specializing in ADHD, anxiety, stress, burnout, and career transitions.
I earned my Master of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My background also includes training in peace and conflict studies, psychology, biology, and education, which shapes the way I think about people, systems, and change. Before opening my private practice, I worked across family advocacy, education, leadership development, and nonprofit management, supporting individuals and communities through growth, transition, and real-life problem solving.
Today, in my practice, I work with adults with ADHD and anxiety-related concerns, including busy professionals, entrepreneurs, and people navigating major life transitions. I help clients create practical systems for their calendars, routines, and workflows so life can feel more manageable, sustainable, and like their own.
I’m also bilingual and bring cross-cultural experience from work and study in North Carolina, Spain, Guatemala, and Honduras.
My work is fiercely anti-racist, feminist, pro-labor, body-positive, neurodivergence- and LGBTQIA2+-celebratory, culturally responsive, and respectful of non-traditional faith practices.
Why “Be/come”?
“Maybe the journey isn’t about becoming anything.
“Maybe it’s about unbecoming everything that isn’t really you, so that you can be who you were meant to be in the first place.”
-Paulo Coelho
The Be/come mission: I am dedicated to helping people reconnect with themselves by dismantling the societal pressures that contribute to stress, burnout, and anxiety. My mission is to create a therapeutic space where clients can embrace effortlessness, reject hustle culture, and experience deep, sustainable healing. I strive to honor the lived experiences of each person, centering social justice, decolonization, anti-racist, and feminist principles in my approach. Through intentional, relationship-centered work, I guide clients toward living a life that is both fulfilling and aligned with their true purpose.
My vision: I envision a world where everyone is liberated from the relentless pressures of productivity and grind culture. In this world, success is defined not by how much one achieves but by how authentically one lives in alignment with their values and well-being. Be/come is a catalyst for this transformation, fostering a community where ease, equity, and wholeness are prioritized. I seek to co-create a future where every person feels they are enough exactly as they are—free from the oppressive systems that devalue their humanity, and deeply connected to their sense of purpose and to one another.
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Masters in Social Work | UNC Chapel Hill
Masters in Peace & Conflict Studies | UNC Greensboro
Masters of Arts in Teaching | NC State University
BA in Psychology & Biology | UNC Chapel Hill
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When we work together, we can decide the best approach to help us get you closer to your goals and objectives.
Some of my favorites are:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Motivational Interviewing
Solutions-Focused Brief Treatment
Positive Psychology
Appreciative Inquiry
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SoulAlign Coach
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment Specialist | PESI
Adult ADHD: Targeting Executive Skills to Manage ADHD in Adults | PESI
Treating Trauma Master Series | The National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (NICABM)
How to Work with Shame | NICABM
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction | Palouse Mindfulness
My Background & Training
We are a good fit if you’re looking for —
A warm, direct, and deeply human style
Someone who will think with you, not talk down to you
Therapy that is practical, evidence-based, and grounded in real life
A therapist who can hold space for hard feelings and help you move through them
A space where your values, purpose, spirituality, identity, and lived experience are welcome
Support making meaningful, sustainable shifts in your life and work
We are not a good fit if —
You need crisis-level support or are currently at risk of harming yourself or someone else
You are looking specifically for substance use treatment
You want someone to tell you what to do, rather than collaborate with you in building what fits
If you’re ready to build a life you don’t need a vacation from, I’d love to connect.
Schedule a consultation and we can talk about what’s bringing you in and whether working together feels like the right fit.