LGBTQIA+ Therapy for Texas
So much more than traditional talk therapy…
Our trauma specialists know how hard it can be to live in Texas as part of the LGBT community and are here to help.
- NW Austin
- Round Rock
- Online Therapy across Texas
Our EMDR Trained Staff helps with...
PTSD & Trauma
LGBTQ+ individuals are estimated to be 2.2 times more likely to experience PTSD than their heterosexual and cisgender peers.
EMDR helps your brain process your life so you can feel safe/calm/lovable when you are actually safe.
Relationship Issues
LGBT relationships can be complex.
The HFTJ staff won’t put you or your relationship into a box. We help you to let go of the past so you can be intentional and change relationship patterns for good.
Anxiety & Panic
Anxiety can take over your life and make dating or being in a relationship almost impossible.
We focus on giving you skills so you can start feeling better fast. Then we help you identify and heal what is driving your anxiety.
Grief
Grief can sometimes feel heavy and unmoving, making it hard to take the next step.
EMDR therapy supports your mind and heart in gently processing that pain, helping the overwhelm ease bit by bit.
Depression
Half of LGBTQIA+ people experience depression.
Additionally, 60% experienced anxiety last year.
The HFTJ staff help you to create a treatment plan that goes beyond talk therapy and actually works to reduce depression.
Suicide & Self Harm
41% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide last year & 14% attempted it. Transgender adults are especially impacted—40% have attempted suicide.
Therapy changes these numbers. Let us give you the support you deserve.
How Does Good LGBTQIA Therapy Help?
Nonjudgmental Support
No matter what brings you into therapy, you want a counselor that can hear your story and see the real you–not judge you for what happened to you.
A Treatment Plan as Unique as You
LGBT Therapy should never be cookie cutter. When your treatment is grounded in science, but fueled by what works for you, you get a new, impactful process that creates real change.
A Clear Finish Line & Results That Matter
We believe therapy shouldn’t last forever. If it’s done right, our clients will finish counseling with resiliency to feel better for years to come. Our aim is to work ourselves out of a job.
Clinical Director Katy Harmon, LCSW, EMDR, IFS Level I
Advanced Clinician Heather Hammock, LMFT, EFT, EMDR, Sex Therapist
Senior Therapist Maegan Woytek, LPC, EMDR Certified
Traci W. Pirri, LCSW-S, Executive Director, EMDR Consultant
Resident Clinician Oliver Papa, LPC-Associate, EMDR, Narrative Therapy
Bailey Pellissier, LMSW, EMDR (in training)
How We Help
Individual Therapy
Couples/Family
Kids, Tweens & Teens
EMDR Intensives
common questions
You’ve heard about EMDR and are curious, but also a little nervous. Does it work? What is it like? Is it like mind-control? Does it actually work online? Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a proven, powerful tool. It helps heal trauma, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and many other mental health issues. We know. It sounds like magic. I mean, is it possible to have a memory that’s haunted you your entire life suddenly feel farther away and not as important? The answer is yes (and no). EMDR is a short-term treatment model that can heal simple traumas in as little as 1-3 sessions. While it is powerful and often very effective, it is not magic. Instead, it is an 8-phased treatment model that is tailored to your needs. It may take many months or even years to complete. This will depend on if you are suffering from complex trauma or other complicated issues. EMDR therapy may be simple and fast or more complicated. Either way, our therapists at Hope For The Journey have got you covered.
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No. You won’t be hypnotized.
You will be in full control at all times. In fact, we’ll even teach you how to signal us to stop if needed.
You may have tried other counseling options before. You may have even tried EMDR before and not had great results. The benefits you receive from EMDR are a direct result of your therapist’s skills and training. Plus, your own readiness for treatment.
At Hope For The Journey, our EMDR therapists receive regular, ongoing consultation and training.
- EMDR Basic Training
- Follow Up Consultation towards EMDR Training
- Weekly Complex Trauma Consultation Group
- EMDR Certification
- EMDR Consultant Training
- FEEL
First, you’ll learn to identify and tolerate your emotions. This makes it safe & quite frankly is what most therapists skip or skimp, sometimes causing things to go badly.
2. HEAL
Next, you’ll dig into what is “driving the bus” with your anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Shift your thinking and take the negative charge out of the memories that shape your pain.
3. THRIVE
Now, you’ll put it all together and make real changes in your life and your relationships. This is where you get to celebrate how far you’ve come.
Absolutely not. EMDR is just one of the tools our team uses to help people heal. It just tends to be one of the most helpful. But you won’t get cookie cutter therapy at HFTJ. Instead, your therapist will work with you to develop a plan that you both feel confident in. Then you’ll tweak it as you go after learning what works.
- Austin, Texas
- Round Rock, Texas
- Online Therapy for all of Texas
No. You won’t need to “white-knuckle” it through your worst memories.
Before we start working on memories, you will learn how to shift into a state of calm and safety fast.
We will also develop several “resources” to help you turn down the intensity of a memory if needed.
This is part of Phase Two of EMDR: Preparation. This phase might be pretty long, depending on how complex your history of trauma is.
Well…all therapy is leaning into things that are uncomfortable or painful. However, if we’re doing our job right and you’re feeling comfortable enough to be real about your experience, we will help you build the skills and confidence you need to tolerate the emotions before we dive into the deep stuff.
BLS can occur in many ways. This can may including eye movements, tapping, alternating tones in your ears, and more.
For kids, it might look like playing patty-cake or coloring on a piece of paper back and forth.
For online therapy, your therapist will likely instruct you how to tap below your shoulders, on your legs, or cheeks. Or, they might have you use an online program that assists you in doing eye movements or using tones.
EMDR therapy has a distinct beginning and end, unlike some therapies that can go on and on for years.
You know you’re done when you truly believe something positive about yourself. You can see it playing out in your reactions, your relationships, and your relaxed body. You feel different.