Oliver Papa-Garcia, LPC-Associate
He, Him, His
LGBTQIA+ and PTSD Help For Texas
Hi! I’m Oliver
I realized early on that strong relationships require connection and unreserved listening, and that’s what I do. My greatest strength as a therapist is to really take in in what you are saying and show you that you are heard.
You deserve to be heard.Â
I help teens and adults to feel understood. From that place of safety and security, we work to heal old hurts so that you can connect with your truest self.Â
Why My Clients Choose Me For Queer Support and Religious Trauma Recovery
When you’ve felt rejected by the very people who are supposed to love you most–your family and/or your church–it’s easy to feel like you have to hide or change parts of yourself. But you deserve to be accepted for who you are.
Benefits of working with me at Hope For The Journey include:Â
- Lower cost services
- Afternoon & evening online and in-person options in Round Rock, Texas
- Having a therapist with lived Queer experience
- Lived experience in an ultra-conservative, purity culture
- Bilingual Spanish-English Services
I believe it’s your right to feel whole and strong. I’m here to give you the support you need to get the most out of your life. You only get one shot at this life. Are you ready to start making the most of it?Â
Anxiety and Depression Help for Texas
I get it.Â
You’ve been living your life according to everyone else’s rules. It’s exhausting, and you’re starting to wonder how you will create the life you want for yourself & future generations if you are keeping yourself small & constantly worried about the way you are supposed to feel, think, or behave.Â
It’s hard to show up authentically in a relationship or parent effectively when you’re so concerned about what you should be doing. It creates problems with…
- Motivation
- Identity Confusion
- Loneliness
- Existential Crisis
- Misunderstanding
- Self-hate
- Unresolved anger
Why I Love Working with Teens & Young Adults
Even though you can always make profound changes in your life, when you’re young, you tend to be more open to exploring the person you want to be.Â
I love helping teens and young adults to become super intentional about creating a life that’s based on authenticity and strength. This feels especially meaningful when you haven’t felt supported or understood in your life to this point.Â
I help clients step into a life that lets go of old narratives about them that no longer fit so they can embrace a life that they love.
Are you ready to get started?Â
Couples Counseling with a Trauma-Focused Lens
Being in a committed relationship is not always easy. Often, we bring the baggage of our own childhoods and previous relationships into today. This can lead to misunderstandings, trouble with intimacy, and arguments.Â
Couples counseling with a trauma therapist is different because when you know where the reaction is coming from, it’s easier not to take it personally. This can lead to increased:
- Understanding
- Listening
- Empathy
- Compassion
- Intimacy/love
I would love to help you move in this direction. Let’s get started today!
Hours in Round Rock, TX or Online
- Monday  10:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Tuesday  10:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Wednesday  10:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Thursday  10:00 am – 2:00 pm
- Friday  9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Saturday  10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Qualifications
- Master’s degree, Professional Counseling, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas (2022)
- Bachelor of Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 2015
- Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate Texas #89048, Supervised by Lauren Masciarelli, LPC-S, LMFT-S
- Sole-Author Publication:
- Papa, O. (2016). Homosexuality and Religion: The Conflict. Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology, 11(2), 118–133.Â
- Graduate (July 2021-July 2022) and Post-graduate (July 2022-March 2024) associate, Austin Family Institute
- Special Education Paraprofessional, Austin Achieve Public Schools (September 2020-April 2022)
- Supervisor and Mentor, Discovery Academy Clinical Boarding School (July 2017–August 2018)
- Utah County Crisis Line Volunteer (June 2014–August 2018)
- Additional Languages:Â Spanish (able to read, speak, and write fluently)
Training Completed In
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Internal Family Systems Informed (IFS)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (M-CBT)
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
- Sandtray
- Play Therapy
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution Focused Therapy
- EMDR Training pending Summer 2024
Rates
- $135 / 45-55 minute session
- $190Â / 80-85 minute intake session
Why Trust Your Story with Me?
You know you’ve got a good match with your therapist when you walk away feeling like the past hour was time well spent. Clients who resonate with my approach to therapy appreciate…
- A direct approach
- Someone who really listens and takes in what you are saying
- A non-biased, super accepting atmosphere
- A therapist who helps you to explore what YOU actually believe & not give as much weight to society’s narrative
- A good laugh
- Someone who will encourage you to not take anything for granted
