How to Find a Therapist in Austin

Finding a Therapist in Austin

Finding the right Austin therapist can be a little nerve racking in and of itself. At Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S and Associates, we do our best to give you as much information about our therapists before you reach out to schedule a session. We provide extensive biographies of each therapist, pictures, and informative video introductions to help you get to know our Austin therapists and get a sense of what it might be like to be in the same room with them. So what else should you know when trying to find therapy? Here are some additional tips on what to look for and how to find a therapist in Austin.

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Check Out a Video

One of the best ways to really get to know a therapist is by having the opportunity to see them firsthand. Doing so can help you get a sense of their respective styles, ideas, and therapeutic framework. Additionally, watching their videos can give you a sense of what they "feel like" to you and provide some insight into what it may be like to sit across from them, in person or through online therapy. At our practice, we are proud to be able to offer video introductions for each of our Austin therapists, so you can get to know them better before you even meet them. If there is a specific therapist that you are interested in, just mention it when filling out our contact form and they will be in touch!

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Speak on the Phone

You can learn a lot about a person, including our Austin therapists, by speaking on the phone with them. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear their voice and ask any questions that you may have before you decide to work with them. Our therapists are more than happy to set aside some time to speak with you over the phone to help you in the decision making process.

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Listen to Your Body

Although our therapists are experienced and well-trained, you are the expert on you. Check in with yourself and your body when listening to a video, a phone call, or after your first therapy session. Notice if you feel more open or closed, more relaxed or tense, and simply reflect on the experience. Trust yourself and your "gut instinct". It can help you make an informed and "right" choice for you.

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Examine Your Own Ideas and Concepts

Of course everyone is unique and has their own way of processing information, solving problems, and negotiating the world. When trying to find a therapist in Austin, you can start by understanding yourself more deeply. Are you more feelings oriented or more thoughts oriented? Are you more behavior focused, more intuitive, or more concrete and factual based? How would you like to grow? What’s most important for you in a therapist? These are all deeply personal questions that only you can truly answer. Once you have a clearer sense of some of these answers, you may be better informed to find the right match for you.

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Highly Experienced vs Less Experienced

Obviously, therapists around Austin are all at different stages in their professional career. Some have many more years of experience under their belt while others will have fewer years to draw upon. As with any profession, there can be advantages to both. Those with more experience may have more finely tuned clinical skills, quicker assessment skills, and more overall confidence. However, those with less experience may possess wonderful flexibility, person centered emphasis, and excellent abilities for connection. Obviously, our therapists strive for all the above, but experience is a factor that should be taken into consideration when finding a therapist in Austin.

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Model, Specializations, or Therapeutic Orientation

Most therapists have a “leaning” towards a framework, idea, or model of the human condition and how positive change is possible. There are many different types of theories and specializations from which to choose, and therefore most therapists draw from a couple of different modalities or simply practice from an eclectic perspective, drawing from many different ideas. Depending on your personal taste and ideas, you may “fit” better with a certain “clinical style” over another. For example, if you are more thoughts or behavior based, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) may be more interesting. If you are more feelings based or think about dreams and the unconscious to a greater extent, a psychodynamic approach could be a good fit. Additionally, if you are more intuitive or body based, mindfulness or present moment perspectives may feel more helpful. However, irrespective of modality or specialization, it’s important that your Austin therapist be good at assessment skills, empathy, and be able to not only hear but truly listen.

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Book a Session

At the end of the day, nothing beats the experience of having a therapy session. Sometimes, it just takes “getting your feet wet” to see if a particular therapist is the right fit for you. It can be worthwhile to book a session and simply see how you feel, what you think, and what it’s like with a certain therapist. If it works, you'll be able to see the benefit in booking a second session. If it doesn't appear to be a good fit, you can simply look for a better fit. Once again, trust yourself. Developing a therapeutic relationship is deeply personal and can be vulnerable, so take your time to find the right therapist in Austin.

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X-Factor

There may be something that is important to you that only you truly know. You may be looking for a certain experience or style that’s very special. We want you to have that experience. Every therapist brings their own X-factor. We can’t put our finger on exactly what this is or describe it in any particular way. Perhaps it’s an “energy” or an ability to “heal” that just naturally exists. When you’re looking for the right therapist for you, don’t exclude this X-factor. It can make all the difference between a good experience and a transformative experience of therapy.--We wish you all the best in finding therapy in Austin. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Louis Laves-Webb or any of our therapists to answer any questions you may have. If you feel you've found the right therapist and are ready to get started, simply contact us online or give us a call, and we'll handle it from there!