It can be very anxiety-provoking to take the first steps to identify and locate a therapist. Maybe you have been searching for a Houston therapist for a few days or even weeks. Maybe you have called and hung up several times. Maybe you were taught that strong people don't need help. Maybe you think a therapist won't understand. There is no shame in seeking help. It shows strength to ask for help. It also puts you in control of your well-being. Every individual struggles with issues, which can span the spectrum from long-standing psychological disturbances to short-lived situational problems. I value you as a unique individual based on your identity and experience in life. You are the expert of your life, and I am an assistant on your journey of self-exploration, growth, and healing. Whether you are working on everyday struggles or major life dilemmas I offer an understanding ear and warm, nonjudgmental setting. We will work together to make sense of your story.

My approach to psychotherapy is humanistic, psycho-dynamic and relational. I view healing of the whole person as part of an individual’s natural development and growth. This therapeutic process provides an introspective, empathetic focus, aimed at understanding, removing emotional blocks and moving toward ongoing growth. After assessing the individual's concerns, needs and goals, I make psychiatric referrals when necessary for prescriptive treatment and work closely with the psychiatrist, so that collaborative treatment planning and treatment options can be considered. I believe the relationship between the client and therapist is where the most significant healing occurs. Psychotherapy becomes a creative process, incorporating mindful attentiveness to one's self as well as the self of the other. The healing of mind, body and spirit merges into a solid foundation of the integrated self. Through the use of a variety of approaches such as psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral and attachment theory, I offer a warm, accepting environment for the disclosure of emotions, experiences and secrets that may be difficult to discuss or have been held inside. Throughout our work together, we will bring awareness and light to the areas of your life where you feel stuck. Therapy can be a place to unravel your life story in order to “make sense” of it. The weaving of past stories, events, feelings and traumas, with current emotions, patterns, stressors and events will enable you to integrate the past with the present.

Some clients need only a few sessions to make changes, and others need longer. As your therapist, I will work with you to establish goals that are specific to your needs, not a "cookie cutter" approach. I will provide an atmosphere of support and nurture as we address your needs. I have a deep appreciation and respect for my clients' stories. My style as a therapist is characterized as respectfully curious, collaborating with clients to help transform problem-dominated stories into hopeful ones. I value my clients' experience and encourage them to pursue creative approaches to working through their situations. I have a collaborative approach to therapy, and value feminist perspectives. This approach helps clients find their voice, giving them a sense of their own power. Both men and women benefit from this perspective because it helps clients see life from a new perspective that voices creative, life-affirming stories. The most important aspect to my work is that my clients feel they have my respect and my sincere interest in their lives. I believe these two components create an environment for healing and wholeness.

Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed or out of control with food? Does food make you feel anxious? Are you tired of food and guilt controlling your thoughts, actions, and behaviors? You CAN break free from unhealthy thinking and eating patterns. I’d like to help. I specialize in helping people overcome food and body image related obsessions that prevent them from being fully present, content and satisfied in their lives. Whether you’ve been suffering from an eating disorder or simply feel uncomfortable in your body, therapy can help you. I care about people and their problems. I want to work with you to help you overcome your doubts and fears and attain freedom from the behaviors that control and limit you from being your most joyful self. Email or call me and let's get started! About Rachel: Rachel’s passion is to help people discover their personal gifts and strengths to achieve self-acceptance, create a healthy relationship with food, mind and body, and find meaning and fulfillment in work and life roles. She works in a broad range of areas including depression, anxiety, relationship, mindfulness, career counseling, wellness and work life balance coaching. Her areas of specialty and expertise are emotional and compulsive overeating, binge eating, yo-yo dieting, and helping people create the life they’re meant to live. Experience: Rachel has helped clients of all ages with food and body image issues, relationship, career, and personal concerns from students through adults nearing retirement. Rachel’s professional path includes therapy and career counseling in university, government, and healthcare settings as well as employee assistance programs with prior experience in human resources, training and workshop facilitation. Having spent several years living and working overseas, Rachel has practical insight into cross-cultural issues, and dealing with culture shock and relocation. Keys to Rachel’s success as a counselor are her skills in perceiving situations intuitively, quickly assessing and focusing on strengths, compassionate style, empathetic concern for others while understanding their needs and aspirations, and integrating multiple facets of people to maximize their potential. Philosophy: Therapy and career counseling is a collaborative partnership using a holistic (incorporating all aspects of your self), self-compassionate, mindful, strengths-based perspective. Cooperatively, goals are set and worked on through a process of learning and growing, while developing new tools and strategies for managing change. Discovering and utilizing our own personal gifts and strengths is the key to health, happiness and meaningful change.

Michael Soderstrom, M.A., LPC-S provides a caring and compassionate, confidential environment that begins by nurturing the client, building on strengths, and increasing life satisfaction from the first minute of the initial consultation. Michael is a current member of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF). Michael is a certified graduate of the IOCDF Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Institute taught by the top researchers and professionals in the world. This treatment is proven by research to be the most effective treatment for OCD. Research shows that CBT/ERP, on average, can reduce symptoms of OCD by 60-70%. Michael treats Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and other anxiety disorders such as Social Phobia, Hypochondriasis, Panic Attacks, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Trichotillomania, and phobias. He specializes in implementing Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and other evidenced-based treatment protocols. Michael is a certified graduate of the International OCD Foundation's (IOCDF) training program teaching the most effective treatments for OCD. I am now presenting a seminar for parents of children with OCD titled "Surviving Your Child's Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): The Seminar No Parent Should Miss!" Houston OCD Counseling is also starting two OCD support groups that will meet once per month. There will be a support group for Adolescents with OCD and a support group for Adults with OCD.

Have you recently lost a loved one and are battling overwhelming grief? Are you having family conflict and/or relationship issues? Have you recently come out or are struggling with the gender transition process? I believe counseling is a collaborative process between the counselor and the individual(s) involved. My goal is to help you discover the tools you need to be successful in all of your interpersonal relationships throughout your life. My experience ranges from career counseling, working with grieving children and families to counseling and advocating for the LGBT community. I am also trained to administer the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. While I work with a variety of clients, my passion and experience is working with grieving adults and families. I've found that healing is best accomplished by telling your story to someone who cares, using art for personal expression, and through group counseling.

Have you been struggling with your relationship with food and your body? Does food or your appearance make you feel anxious or guilty? Do you find food, the need to exercise or body size to be occupying all of your thoughts? You CAN change your relationship with food and your body and I would like to help. I specialize in helping people work through their anxiety and fears related to food. Creating a safe, non- judgmental environment, we can help you recover your true self. Therapy does and can work to decrease the intense feelings of guilt, shame, fear and depression. I truly believe that no one needs or deserves to suffer. I want to work with you to liberate yourself from self defeating thought and introduce you to your true power and happiness.

Career Counseling: Joan has many years of experience in career counseling, career change coaching, and academic advising—supporting experienced professionals, undergraduate and graduate students in choosing or changing careers that express who they are and in selecting appropriate educational and training programs that will move them toward their career goal. As a manager in the computer industry, she hired and trained multiple employees. As a result, she has a clear picture of the employment process from an employer’s perspective. She has also been through a lay-off and understands the financial and emotional impact a lay-off can have, as well as the opportunity it provides for a person to find a career in which one can thrive. Joan is a “poster child” for positive career change. Personal Counseling: Joan works with clients facing a variety of challenges, from anxiety and depression to self-esteem and assertiveness skills. As a life-long caregiver, Joan has a unique ability to empathize with and support caregivers in carving out a life for themselves in the face of challenging demands. Having lost her husband, a life-long friend and a sister to cancer in barely two years, she has a special gift for developing resilience in the face of family illness and loss.

From the outside, it seems like you have it all together. Perhaps the people around you would say you’re kind, humble, and even confident. But on the inside you feel lost and can’t stop focusing on your flaws or failures. Maybe you wish you could be content with who you are just for one minute, versus having feelings of self-doubt creep into your mind at such annoying rates of frequency. My clients feel like you. Despite trying their best and being supportive of those they love most, they feel like they’re not enough. They often describe themselves as people who can see the best in others, but for some reason, they struggle to show themselves that same level of kindness. When they meet with me for the first time, they’re hesitant and unsure, but they fight through the discomfort because they know that what’s going on within them can’t be solved by another self-help article or trendy habit. They’re tired of being driven by fear, the possibility of rejection, or the constantly-looming expectations of others. They’re done with hiding from themselves and those around them, pretending everything is fine. Like my clients, you deserve the chance for someone to get to know you—the real you. During our time together we’ll sort through the stories you’ve told yourself about who you are and who you can’t be. You will come out on the other side understanding that you are not your failures but a multifaceted human being with your own set of unique experiences and strengths. I will help you understand that you are enough, and together we’ll find tools that remind you of that fact every day.

I am here to guide you through your journey of self-discovery and personal growth. My approach is to help you gain a deeper awareness of your experiences, uncover hidden aspects, and find ways to be true to yourself. I firmly believe that you hold all the answers deep within your being, and that's where true healing begins. My goal is to assist you in living a life that is in harmony with your inner self and the world around you. I am honored to offer you a safe, compassionate, and non-judgmental environment where you can explore new paths and overcome obstacles. I am committed to supporting and challenging you to make positive and sustainable changes in your life.

As the parent of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), you've been around the block. You know what works and what doesn't. You have dreams for your child's future, but you need a roadmap. With real tools. Real goals. Real progress. We are leading providers of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy services for children with ASD who know what success looks like. Our team is committed to seeing each child make steady strides forward. At Steady Strides, we offer Center-Based and Home-based ABA therapy services in Houston to address a wide range of behavioral challenges. Our dedicated clinicians provide care to our clients and support their families to ensure successful mastery of important skills.

Virtue Recovery Houston is a leading rehabilitation center located at 9714 S. Gessner Rd., Houston, TX 77071. The facility specializes in providing personalized, evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions. With a team of licensed therapists, certified addiction counselors, and experienced medical professionals, Virtue Recovery Houston offers services including medical detoxification, residential treatment, and various therapeutic approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, trauma therapy, and group therapy. Accredited by The Joint Commission, the center is committed to delivering compassionate care in a comfortable, state-of-the-art environment.

Transitions Counseling and Consulting provides professional and compassionate therapy in Houston for children, teenagers, and adults. Our therapists and counselors maintain high Google ratings and a 97% satisfaction rate. Located in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston, our mental health clinic is in-network with Aetna, Cigna, BCBS, United Healthcare, and many others. We offer online scheduling, in-person and telehealth choices, and first appointments available within 5 days or less. Our team provides in-person and telehealth individual therapy, medication management, IOP, and PHP. We specialize in treating a range of concerns including depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, stress, and relationship issues. Contact us today to schedule today!