01 · Who Dr. works with

Dr. works with family conflicts, trauma and abuse and parenting issues

Dr. lists 15 specialisms and 21 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Dr. chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Dr.'s own words

What Dr. says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

Hello and welcome to my profile. Are you dealing with a situation that looks and feels overwhelming right now? When we are close to things, they look bigger, that is true for objects and for situations. It is my job to help you see your issue from another perspective. Most often that simple shift in how we look at things can make you feel better. I am Dr. Chanda Pilgrim and I have been a psychologist for over 25 years working in schools, private agencies, and a community mental health agency. I have worked with individuals and families who are dealing with everything from relationship issues to schizophrenia. I am a holistic counselor which means that when someone tells me they are depressed, not only am I trying to find out the triggers, but I also want to know about diet, exercise, and sleep. I do not see a separation between mind/body/spirit, so we will explore how they affect one another. Most of my clients say I feel like an old friend or family. That connection is important to me because who wants to talk about those private things with someone who doesn’t “get them?” My theoretical orientation is Cognitively based which means that I believe that our thoughts create our feelings. An event that occurs is just an event until we put meaning on it. It is those meanings that create worry, sadness, and even bring about trauma. In our work together, you can expect that we will do some talking about your history. I will assign homework to help you to look deeper into things while we are apart. We will talk about things you can do to support your growth (diet, exercise, etc.) We may even do guided meditations that are aimed at reprograming those automatic unwanted reactions to events in your life. It is my intention that from working with me your life will feel better.

Thank you for trusting me!

Dr. Chanda Pilgrim, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Dr. works

The 1 approach Dr. lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Dr. lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Dr.'s - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Dr. runs a session.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Dr. practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Dr.'s own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Dr. at this point.

2. Naming Dr. specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Dr. is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Dr..

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

3 questions worth asking Dr.

Built from what Dr. actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Dr.'s - Dr. has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “With 26 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

Psychologist

Licensed in

Georgia

Licence

GA Psychologist PSY003471

Licence number

PSY003471

Licence expires

31 Dec 2026

NPI

1316178049

Years in practice

26

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Dr.'s name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Dr.. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.