Caroline Payne MSW

Our brains and bodies are constantly taking in information, and sometimes they learn to protect us in ways we don’t fully understand. Maybe you’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Maybe you shut down, overthink everything, need to feel in control, or know exactly why you do something but still can’t seem to stop.

Many of the patterns we struggle with began as ways to protect ourselves. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” we can get curious about where these patterns came from, how they’ve served you, and whether you still need them in the same way.

Sometimes we know the story, but our body hasn’t gotten the memo.

This is where my love for somatic work comes in. Through Somatic Experiencing®, we pay attention to what’s happening in your nervous system alongside what we’re talking about. We might explore how emotions show up in your body, what happens when you feel overwhelmed, and what helps you feel more present and connected.

I also incorporate DBT and RO-DBT into my work. DBT offers practical skills for navigating difficult emotions, relationships, and life’s challenges. RO-DBT helps us explore patterns like perfectionism, overthinking, emotional inhibition, or feeling like you always have to be the capable one.

The goal isn’t to become perfectly regulated. It’s to have more room to choose what happens next.

My approach is warm, collaborative, compassionate, and pretty straightforward. I value humor when it fits, and I believe therapy should feel like a place where you can show up as you are. You don’t need to know exactly what you want to work on or have the perfect words for what you’re feeling. We can figure that out together.

More than anything, I want therapy to help you feel more at home in yourself, with greater compassion for how you got here and more choice about where you go from here.

 
Schedule a free 15 minute consultation with Caroline
 

Credentials

Selected Clinical TRAININGS 

  • Somatic Experiencing® intensive training program through Somatic Experiencing International (SEI) ; Beginning & Intermediate Level (2025 - present)

  • The Ethics of TeleMental Health with Dr. Becky Beaton-York (2025)

  • DBT & RODBT Skills Group Facilitation (2024 - 2025)

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid Training (2024)

Education

  • Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Georgia (2026)

    • Certificate in Substance Use Counseling

  • Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Mercer University (2015)

    • Minor in Music

    • Minor in Women’s & Gender Studies

Professional Experience

  • Clinical Fellow at Active Resilience Counseling & Coaching (2026 - present)

  • Graduate Clinical Intern at Deepen Wellness & Psychotherapy (2025 – 2026)

  • Graduate Clinical Intern at Atlanta Public Schools – Sutton Middle School (2024 – 2025)

  • Flight Attendant at Delta Air Lines (2017 - present)

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

  • Research Assistant to Dr. Kate Morrissey Stahl, University of Georgia: Morrissey-Stahl, K., Elkins, J., &; Payne, C. (2026). Embodied learning: Integrating yoga into social work education. Journal of Social Work Education.