Austin Counseling and Trauma SpecialistsWelcome to Austin Counseling and Trauma Specialists PLLC and thank you for taking the time to visit us online! Making the decision to seek out therapy can be difficult, and searching for the right Austin area counseling service can be a daunting task. It is important to find a locally based, licensed Austin area therapist who can customize your sessions to meet your individual needs. I always appreciate the opportunity to be that therapist for you!
Rest assured that you have discovered a top rated center in the Austin area that is truly dedicated to helping you achieve your developmental goals. You deserve to live the best life possible, and we want to make sure that the time you spend with us helps you to achieve that goal. Our specially trained counselors are here to help you with many of the issues that can keep you from enjoying life as well as you could. We help with trauma, grief, LGBTQ+ issues, sexual abuse and/or assault, first responders, military and police, anxiety, stress, depression, marriage counseling and couples therapy. We have a wide range of services that provide you with the strength and skills to live a successful and happy life. Some of the approaches we use include talk therapy, EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), play therapy, narrative therapy integrative therapy, and trauma informed treatments. Our office is located in a convenient location, with easy access for Cedar Park, Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Hutto, Lago Vista, Jones Town and other local area residents. We are proud to provide you with the best counseling services in the Cedar Park and Austin area. 
Individual TherapySometimes all you need is an unbiased ear to hear your thoughts, validate you, challenge stuck points and and help you to sort through all the challenges life can bring. Individual counseling can be helpful in this way and can be useful in most any situation.
Some studies have indicated that people actively listen to other people somewhere between 20%-50% of the time during conversation. Life is getting busier by the day and finding time to have one on one conversations with your loved ones becomes more and more difficult. Having another person who cares about your thoughts and allows you to discover more about who you are can help you strengthen your own decision making skills and help you focus on the positive choices in your life. This in turn can help you become a better listener to others, as your own thoughts are no longer distracting you from the conversation. Our Austin therapy specialists take many approaches to help you identify road blocks to your own happiness and well being. We take many standardized and creative approaches to your sessions. It is important that we communicate in a way that adapts to your way of thinking and being. This is sometimes referred to as integrative psychotherapy. It focuses on you, the unique and individual person that you are. Think of it as having a guide who is always there to support your growth and development. Sometimes the approach can be talk therapy, and sometimes it could include more scripted therapies like Cognitive Behavioral and Cognitive Processing Therapies. Other times we use trauma treatments such as EMDR to effectively treat mild to severe trauma. Individual therapy can benefit many situations such as trauma, grief and loss, stress and anxiety, depression, teen anxiety and peer relationships, abuse, gender transitions, career stress and other life transitions and experiences. Reach out to us today with any questions you have! 
Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse/Assault CounselingMen are nearly as often impacted by sexual trauma as women and often even less likely to talk about it. There are many reasons men don't often speak out, but stigma is a significant part of that. Men are often taught to stuff feelings and take care of their own problems. With this, the secret if often kept to protect themselves, their families and sometimes even the perpetrator. Breaking the silence and speaking your truth can free you from the secret of childhood sexual abuse.
The group at Austin Counseling and Trauma Specialists PLLC is designed to support men in talking though what happened to help make senses of somethings so senseless. It assists in making healthy connections to others who have similar experiences while also learning healthy and appropriate boundaries in relationships, both platonic and romantic. It helps the client begin to free themselves from the burdens imposed on them from their perpetrator. Most importantly, it helps bring healing to the client. Please visit the Specialties and Information page for much more detailed information! 
Trauma and Crisis CounselingTrauma can make you feel as if you have shattered and can never be put together again. As a trauma therapist, I believe we can heal and feel put together again. Some argue you can never be the same again after significant trauma. That might be true, in some regard, but you can often return to the pre-trauma level of functioning with the right support, including professional counseling.
I wish I could say you can forgot everything that happened, but we never forget. Some may repress or suppress memories, but trauma, untreated, actively impacts us today. However, those things that happened do not have to be part of our daily memories and they certainly do not have to control us today. We have choices to cope in healthy ways, like self-care, therapy of all kinds, and support in many forms. You do have some control to heal and recover from trauma and crisis events. Perfection is not our goal, but peace, calm, love of self, compassion for self, quieting critical voices, stopping flashbacks and nightmares, happiness and feeling good about yourself are all possibilities to possess! No matter your trauma, find support and help in a counselor who specializes in trauma. Tools like EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, DBT, CPT and others are very effective tools to treat trauma. There are lots of options, let's talk about them! Reach out today for more information or read in the EMDR - Trauma tab for much more detailed information! 
Work, School, Stress and AnxietyIn today's world we are often asked to do more with less. It's no different in Austin, Texas. Just mentioning the traffic in Austin, you may feel your pulse jump. Even something most hold very dear, our smart phones, are a source of constant information and demand on our attention which adds new levels of stress to us as well. Let's not forget social pressures, financial woes, relocating, what's for dinner...did I mention traffic?
Whether the stress and anxiety come from not having enough time in the day, or feeling overwhelmed with hearing about all of the stories of crisis around the globe, we can help you to properly process the feelings and emotions that come with all of this. Let's get you back to a life in which you feel you are more in control, calmer and more relaxed. This can mean exercises in time management prioritization, or how to effectively unplug and begin to embrace mindfulness. Focusing on the importance of you and the differences you bring to life, is an important part of managing your day. Learning how to stay in control of your needs and how to say no when it impacts your health and well-being are critical to managing the stress and anxiety in today's everyday life. There are lots of approaches to help. EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy are all helpful approaches. Positive affirmations, meditation, and other modalities can also help you conquer those negative thoughts and help you focus on what you can do to make a positive impact every day. 
Grief and Loss CounselingA friend who worked for a hospice agency once told me that she held the hands of many as they died. She said she shared wonderful conversations with many of them through their dying process about what was on their minds. She said they often talked about memories of fun times, family, friends, trips and events, but they also talked about regrets and woes. This made me realize that grief is not just about the loss of a loved one, but loss of potential, respect, connections with loved ones, mental health, loss of safety for victims, and so much more.
Grief is a process that people generally do not like to feel and want to avoid, which only makes it worse. If bottled, grief can become toxic and can accumulate over time making it even harder to bottle and carry. At whatever point someone begins to deal with grief, it can be scary and daunting, but so freeing and lighter on the other side of the work. There are many ways to move through grief and someone to listen and validate can be very helpful. Identifying healthy coping mechanisms to move through grief will help. But also just knowing you are doing it right can help. There is not necessarily a specific way to move through grief. Even Kubler Ross noted that the stages people move through are not set and may be repeated even after you think it is complete. Please visit the Grief and Loss tab for much more detailed information! |
We are growing!
Planning our growth has meant the need for more space and we have finally found it! We are building a brand new space for our counselors to continue the healing work we love. Our new place should be ready for move in later this year in October or November and we will be located at 3000 Polar Lane in Cedar Park. We will be just over a mile outside of Austin, off Parmer lane just north of Brushy Creek. Below is a map of the new location and pictures of our current office. I'll update the pictures with construction progress of the new office! Social Media
Our blog will give you insights into our special approach in helping you live your life to the fullest. Feel free to request any topics you would like discussed. At Austin Counseling and Trauma Specialists PLLC, we look forward to having the opportunity to work with you and your loved ones in the near future.
How Our Austin Counseling Services Help
LGBTQ+ CounselingThe LGBTQ+ population still faces many challenges and frequently a more trauma than many. While much has improved and equality increases through time, even with setbacks, there is still anxiety, pressure, fear and even trauma in the community. Pride is central to feeling well and good about ourselves. People generally like to fit in and feel like they belong and sometimes that is hard to do in a heteronormative society. Being told you are different or treated differently can be very hurtful. Micro-aggressions tear at the fabric of belonging, inclusivity and acceptance.
No matter the letter that represents your population, everyone deserves happiness and love. Counseling can help relieve the stress and worry of coming out or help cope with any negative impact of unsupportive family or friends. Counseling with a professional psychotherapist can bolster self-esteem, reduce negative self talk, feed pride, help adjust to any issues that arise. Even the deepest hurt of hate crimes or thoughts, feeling or actions of suicide can be addressed in counseling to help heal the trauma and return to a happy and fulfilling life. Don't let others tell you how to live. You are unique and special and the world needs to see what you have to offer. Don't forget, It Gets Better! 
Military, Police and First Responders Sometimes our jobs require more than an office cubicle and board meetings. Handling the unimaginable stress that comes with a military, police, fire, EMS or other first responder job takes a special set of skills. Our counselors in Austin are specially trained in this area. Learning the proper ways to process and handle the tragedies that you encounter in this line of work will help you to live a healthy functioning life. So many times we read tragic stories of our national heroes battling PTSD alone. There are people who understand and want to help you build effective coping skills. There is no shame in seeking counseling. We recognize the truly strong men and women who play such an important role in securing our safety, health and freedom.
Repeated and prolonged contact with traumatic situations can result in complex PTSD. This can put a cloud over your view of life and change the way you view your relationships with others. It is a serious implication of these high pressure jobs. Counseling with EMDR is a highly effective way to eliminate that vicarious and direct trauma experienced by first responders every day! Please visit the First Responders - Military tab for much more detailed information! 
Relationship, Marriage and Couples CounselingIf you have searched online for marriage counseling Austin, you may recognize there are some issues in your relationship that need to be worked through. Austin Counseling and Trauma Specialists PLLC can help with marriage and relationship issues. Issues can rise as a result of change, growth, trauma, or simply just communication. Our therapists in Austin take the time to hear each person and facilitate conversation that will enable the couple to work with each other to resolve any communication or relationship issues.
Over time our lives change and sometimes relationships don't change with the time. Having an unbiased mediating counselor to help everyone reconnect, even with their busy lives, can sometimes be the one factor that brings back the magic in your relationship. No one, of course, can guarantee resolution in all situations, but a better understanding of everyone's feelings and needs can certainly add clarity to any decisions that need to be made and issues to be resolved. Our Austin, TX counselors believe everyone should have a voice and work with respect to make sure all parties are heard. Sometimes perceptions of other people can impact our relationships. These can arise from insecurities, jealousy, anger, communication, detachment, misunderstanding, the ego, or simply from prioritizing time away from the relationship. it is important to clear the issues to genuinely build support within the family/relationship. 
The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step!
There are lots of cliche sayings about inspiration, how you can make it through tough times, finding your inner strength will make you successful and so on and so on. You may have even seen some of those sayings on this very page. Some might find value in those sayings and others may discount them. So, all cliches and inspirational sayings aside. I believe in people and their ability to heal. If you are struggling with something, anything really, I hope you will reach out to begin that journey of healing. I believe in my profession and the skill of a well trained therapist to help others reach their personal counseling goals. So, step out on the limb, grab the bull by the horns, take control of your future, tame your past, do something that scares you, transform, move out of your comfort zone, don't accept your limits, find out if hope really is stronger than fear and above all, Breathe! Because on that journey of many thousands of steps, breathing is a must to keep going! Now, take a deep breath. Consider that you are worth it. And begin with a single step... |
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