A trained therapist offers new perspectives, support, and provides insight to support you moving toward your personal goals. Other benefits may include increased mindfulness and self-awareness, improved management of specific problem areas such as depression or anxiety, improved problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies. Often it is healing simply to be truly heard and understood by someone who is fully present and able to be with you.

This is a difficult question to answer as so much is unknown at the beginning - what you are seeking support around, how long this issue has been a factor in your life, what work you have already done, and the world you are coming from. But generally, clients work with us between 4 months and a year.

It’s not umcommon for a client to complete a piece of work and then return a time later to work on other issues.

Our primary goal is to provide you support so that you can live a full and rich life. What that looks like is your definition. We really do work our way out of a job.

You’re discovering new things about yourself that help you navigate life with less fear and more curiosity.

You are holding healthy boundaries.

Your relationships are becoming less chaotic and damaging.

You start envisioning a future for yourself.

You’re able to offer yourself compassion.

You are able to respond rather than react.

You’re building capacity to hold your emotions. You don’t get swept away by them OR you are able to allow yourself to feel them.

You’re not bypassing your humanness.

You’re less caught up in crisis and coping and are beginning to ask yourself what you want.

You’re more comfortable with your wonderfully unique, quirky, and complex self.

You not only share your pain and trials with your therapist but also celebrate wins together.

Even the most experienced and strongest person can reach their limit. No one should HAVE to do this on their own.

Something is different this time. We find that even those who typically handle high levels of stress can sometimes find themselves overwhelmed, angry, afraid, discombobulated, unsure, sad, frustrated, confused, and just STUCK. Seeking help in these situations reflects a high level of self-awareness, emotional maturity, and personal responsibility.

We are constantly humbled and inspired at the courage and fortitude of those who come to sit with us. It’s truly a remarkably strong person who faces their stuckness and seeks guidance.

Maybe. We don’t prescribe and we have nothing against medication supporting you in difficult times. And for some disorders, medication is essential to lessen the impact of a chemical imbalance.

Please know this - research shows that long-term and effective treatment of mental and emotional problems does not rely solely medication. Medication alone tends to give temporary relief or mask the symptoms. Meaning, the underlying root causes of distress are not addressed. For long term relief and management, therapy is often paired with medication (long term or short term) and generally leads to more powerful and long lasting healing.

Possibly. Therapy is a powerful, dynamic process. When you give time and focus on healing, sometimes the symptoms temporarily worsen, at least at the beginning. You may recall unpleasant memories or experience difficult feelings. You’re ability to be with your experience changes as you gain confidence and skills.

Relationships also can go through a change. As you effect change in yourself, those around you may have difficulty adjusting to your new way of being. Even when we are moving towards healthier interactions there is resistance to change. It’s natural and expected.

Therapy requires that we change because where we are is too painful to stay.

Maybe… but chances are that there will also be relief and possibly laughter.

We welcome all parts of you. It is not our goal to make you cry or feel a specific emotion. How you experience or express your emotions is unique to you and your world. We’ll support your process as you learn to access and use this energy.

So often people come to therapy to control or extinguish a part of themselves. We believe that emotions are information packets and helpful to navigate life. They are also what gives life richness - they are the reason a sunset is “beautiful”.

First appointments differ based on a number of factors: your therapist, your personality, the modality, and more. In our first appointment we’ll gather some background information, get comfortable with each other, and to start building a therapeutic relationship. We’ll cover confidentiality, ask about what brings you to therapy, what struggles you’re encountering, and quite probably some life history – such as any traumatic experiences or family dynamics that might help us understand you more. We work collaboratively to determine what you want to get out of our time together, and create a plan that moves you towards your goals and promotes healing.

At the start of therapy, you’ll want to build a strong foundation where healing and change can begin to take hold. Most clients benefit by starting with weekly sessions for at least the first 2 to 3 months. Depending on your circumstances and goals, you and your counselor can determine the best course from there - to continue with weekly sessions for while, move to biweekly, or come in for monthly check-ins. We know that our best work means that the majority of our clients will leave our care - and we’re happy to see this happen as it means you have the tools and movement you came in for.

Confidentiality is a cornerstone to the therapeutic process. Knowing that what you say in session is confidential and will not be shared without your consent, ensures that you can be completely honest and fully engaged in our work together. Therapists take confidentiality very seriously. Our default position is to maintain and protect your work. Confidentiality is essential as it allows you to explore and grow without fear of reprisals or punishment.

That said, there are specific times that we are legally bound to break confidentiality.

• A therapist is legally mandated to report if they suspect child, elder, or dependent adult abuse.

• A therapist is legally mandated to report if a client poses an imminent danger to others.

• A therapist is required to respond to a court order issued by a judge.

• A therapist must comply to a national security investigation.

Other circumstances where we may share information include:

• If we have reason to believe you are in imminent danger of harming yourself.

• Case consultation with another licensed medical professional in order to provide you with better care.

• We will provide records or consult when a client has provided written authorization to do so.

• We may also be requested to provide records to an insurance company if you submit for reimbursement. They will ask for diagnosis, treatment information, and possibly a case review.

Excellent question. Therapists are notorious for the use of acronyms. Here’s a breakdown of the different licenses.

LPC-S: Licensed Professional Counselor & Board Approved Supervisor. They have a Masters in counseling, have passed the national counselors exam, have at least 5 years of fully licensed practice as a therapist, and are approved by the State of Texas to supervise new associate counselors. They often have pursued in-depth training or additional certifications according to their area of practice.

LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor. They have a Masters in counseling, have passed the national counselors exam, and have fulfilled the requirements to practice independently as a counselor by the State of Texas.

LPC-Associate. They hold a Masters in counseling, have passed the national counselors exam, and are working under supervision to obtain 3000 hours of clinical work required by the state to obtain full license, anywhere from 18 months to 5 years. During this period of time, they work with a licensed Supervisor who supports their development and offers consultation. Associates are highly qualified and offer clients skill, a wealth of knowledge, and their supervisor's clinical expertise.

It’s all about relationships. Relational therapists look at the way our early interactions and connections taught us to navigate relationships between people. It’s not “I’m like this because of my parent” it’s “I’m like this because of how I learned to navigate what my parent could or could not offer”. We formed strategies and beliefs that we’re still acting out even when it’s harming or blocking us from the relationships we really want. So when a therapist asks about your early relationships, they are trying to pull forward context for the strategies that are guiding you now. Those strategies made sense then, but do they still serve you? Maybe, maybe not.