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Counseling Services in Austin

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Counseling Services Offered in Austin at Gate Healing, PLLC

“What is counseling” video:

Counseling is a process that people seek out in order to deal with life’s challenges. Learn more at the American Counseling Association website.

Learn more about Counseling

Individual Counseling Services in Austin

Counseling services at Gate Healing, PLLC offer people a safe, comfortable place in Austin to talk about their concerns and to look for effective solutions. We are careful to consider your unique personality and circumstances as we collaborate with you to find the relief you need. While we will provide specific suggestions, we also teach you the skills needed to find your way through future issues as they arise. We are always here for you when you need some extra help.

Our counseling center is located in Austin, just minutes from Downtown in the beautiful West Lake Hills neighborhood. For driving directions, please visit our map page.

Short, Medium, and Long-term Therapy and Coaching Services

Counseling services in Austin

Sometimes people only need 3-6 therapy sessions to meet their needs, other times people need more time to work through complex issues. Sometimes people come in on a regular basis for years. They understand they don’t need long-term counseling, they just enjoy having a coach in their corner on a regular basis. Having a coach is different than being dependent on a therapist. I want you to know that you have the ability to handle whatever life throws at you, but that counseling and coaching are available to you whenever you want or need them.

Rest assured that we will work together to provide you with the support you deserve. Because we collaborate on how to know when you are ready to move on without therapy, most people don’t need to specify the duration of counseling. Once you do stop, coming back in is always an option.

Considering Individual Counseling? See how we can help.

Common issues addressed in individual therapy

  • Anxiety

    People suffering from anxiety have very different experiences, triggers and symptoms (for example, social anxiety vs. performance anxiety). Common threads are:

    • A strong physical component, like really big butterflies in your stomach, and
    • A racing mind that feeds on the very anxiety it creates

    We help people in Austin build the most effective skills that decrease anxiety and increase happiness. Because we use scientifically proven methods, like Mindfulness Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (MBCT), you can be sure that you’ll have a full toolbox of skills to help you recognize and tame the anxiety butterflies before they turn into anxiety bats!

  • Depression

    With depression, a lack of energy and excessive sadness seem to dominate a person’s life. Anxiety and irritability are often present as well. It is a draining and frustrating experience to be sure.

    By looking at your unique circumstances and personality we will unpack your depression and use results-oriented methods that are empirically validated to find out the best path for you to follow. A common approach for treating depression is the Solution Focused model where we focus on building solutions by leveraging your natural strengths and abilities.

  • Stress Management in Austin

    When you live in a large city like Austin, stress is a reality that we all have to deal with. Usually, stress is manageable and serves us by motivating us to do whatever we need to get done. But excessive or prolonged stress is toxic and often backfires rather than helping motivate us. When we are chronically stressed out we are not always pleasant to be around, and peoples’ reaction to us seems to fuel our stress-induced irritability. We’ve all experienced both sides of this. By building a healthy set of mindfulness-based skills, stress can be effectively managed, even when it is overwhelming. Your friends, family, and co-workers will thank you for getting that stress monkey off of your back!

  • Relationships

    Sometimes people do not need couples counseling where both people come to sessions, but they do want some help navigating through the ups and downs of their relationships (this includes friendships, etc. not just romantic relationships).  Maybe you feel like there is a conflict that you are having trouble understanding why you are so upset over what seems to be a minor issue…in this case, we talk about your ideas and explore what may be going on under the surface to help you deal with those feelings more directly. Or perhaps there is a major conflict that you just need a neutral perspective to help you gain clarity. Regardless of the nature of what is going on, we are here to help; and if it looks like having both people come in would be helpful, we are there for that as well.

  • Crisis and Trauma (PTS-d)

    Not everybody that experiences a trauma has a disorder. Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) is a normal set of experiences after going through a very stressful situation like a crime, natural disaster, or even job change or relationship loss. The ‘disorder’ part (PTSD) happens with particularly intense trauma, or if the traumatic stress does not resolve within a couple of months. Fortunately, the sooner you come in to manage it, traumatic stress can be dealt with very effectively.

    You will not have to re-live the tragic experience by re-telling it. We want to help you move on from that story, not maintain it.

Do you have questions about our therapy and counseling services?

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Marriage and Couples Counseling Services in Austin

Whether you are considering taking your relationship to the next level, or are experiencing conflict, Gottman Method Couples Therapy has answers you are looking for. While I will provide both of you with a thorough assessment and helpful handouts to take home with you, what sets my couples sessions apart from many other marriage therapists in Austin is that I will redirect you to talk directly to each other rather than having me ‘translate’ for you. Using educational tools based on thousands of couples participating in research studies, I’ll coach you through how to communicate so that you both feel heard and understood. This mutual understanding is the framework that helps you manage conflict effectively.

  • Pre Marital Counseling

    You’ve worked hard, gotten to know one another and are ready to take the next step, but you may ask yourself, “Will things change? Are we really ready? What if we run into major conflict that we haven’t anticipated?” These are just a few questions I hear frequently among couples that are planning a life together. Finding your way in married life is easier when you know how to navigate difficult times and how to enjoy those wonderful times without being bogged down by “What if’s.”

  • Marriage Counseling

    Even if you never did pre-marital counseling, it’s never too late to learn the ropes! Most conflict is manageable, and conflict is perfectly OK in a relationship. The answers most people are looking for lie in how to communicate appreciation and love effectively, how to really connect and build trust, and how to discuss conflict and hear the other person rather than trying to convince them that you are right and they are wrong. It’s about how to build connection and trust, not tear down conflicts.

  • Dating Coaching and Counseling

    An area often overlooked by counseling is dating. Some people just are not ready to move towards engagement, and some are not interested in the institution of marriage.  Like marriage, in dating, it is important to build connections and trust during the good times, and by having an effective method for navigating conflict during the hard times. As you move through early dating there will be certain types of excitement and conflict; over time, the intensity of both can increase, but having effective communication skills helps you manage the difficult times so that you can really enjoy those great times.

    And by the way, did you know that dating in a big city like Austin can be different than dating in a smaller rural town? We’ve seen plenty of people that have moved to Austin from rural towns and found it difficult to adjust to the new way of life. So, welcome to Austin! There’s plenty of fun to be had in the dating world when you know where to go and how to be yourself in the city.

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Re-kindle what brought you and your partner together! Learn more about couples counseling services.

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Counseling Services FAQ’s

Where are you located?

The counseling office is in West/Central Austin, about halfway between Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 360) and Mopac (Loop 1) on Bee Caves Road.  This is about 5 minutes from both Downtown and Barton Creek Mall. Our address is:

Gate Healing, PLLC
3355 Bee Caves Rd.
Building 5, Suite 505
Austin, Tx 78746

Will anybody (job, spouse, friends, etc.) find out we are talking?

No. Our sessions are protected by federal laws regarding privacy. And I would never expect you to trust me if you thought I would tell anybody about our sessions. Federal confidentiality laws mean that I cannot confirm or deny that I know who you are unless you discuss actual or suspected:

  1. Child Abuse
  2. Elder Abuse
  3. Abuse of the disabled
  4. Somebody’s life is in immediate life-threatening danger

In these cases, I am required by law to report to the appropriate authorities to ensure the safety of people that are potentially in danger.

How long are sessions?

Sessions are 45-minutes, but I will not just cut you off at exactly forty-five minutes. I put fifteen minutes between sessions to give me a chance to finish jotting down notes about your session and to prepare for my next session.

If you feel that a 45-minute session isn’t enough time, we can schedule double sessions that last 90-minutes.

What if I run into my counselor in public?

Out of respect for your privacy, I will follow your lead. This means that even if we see each other, I will not just come over and say, “Hello.” If you say hello to me, I’ll gladly say, “Hi!” but if you are with anybody, I will not explain who I am. So, if we see each other in public, you are welcome to say hello, but I will not acknowledge you unless you initiate contact.

How do I know you won’t try to keep me coming in for longer than I really need to?

I do not see clients as revenue streams. My job is to help you get to a place where you don’t need me as soon as possible.  Many people find that they get their needs met within 6-10 sessions. Of course, everybody is different and more serious situations may take longer. Rest assured, I will let you know when it seems like we should scale back sessions, AND I expect that you will let me know how you are feeling as well.

Sometimes, people decide that while they no longer need more intensive therapy, they would like to continue weekly, bi-weekly or monthly sessions so they have a place to process daily life. This is just fine as long as we are clear that you do not “need” me at the therapeutic level where we started.  You are also welcome to get in touch on an ‘as-needed’ basis.

Can I ask you personal questions?

Our sessions are designed to be about you, not me, but it is not uncommon for people to want to know a little more about their therapist. Asking me questions is absolutely fine! It can be helpful to know my background, my experience, and training. You may even want a little information about me as a person. Some questions I will not be able to answer because this would flip the focus of our sessions or would reveal information that is just too personal, but I am happy to talk about this with you.

Your questions are always ok! Rest assured, I’ll be honest about what I can and cannot answer.

Do I have to watch my language?

Not really. I am not easily offended, however, I expect that our time will not be littered with unnecessary, abusive or distracting language just for the heck of it. Cursing that is a part of expressing intensity and emotion is just fine. If I notice that it is keeping you stuck, or is ramping you up, I’ll process this with you.

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Learn how to live a happy life

Jonathan F. Anderson, LPC-s has worked in the helping profession since he started college in 1990. After completing his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Texas, Austin in 1994, he attended the highly-regarded University of Minnesota to earn his Master’s degree in 1997. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and is recognized as a Board Approved Supervisor by the State of Texas Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors. Jonathan has completed Level-2 of the Gottman Method of Couples Counseling, and in 1998 received training by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation in Advanced Critical Incident Stress Management & Debriefing. To learn more about Jonathan’s practice, click here: Jonathan F. Anderson, LPC-s.

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