Meet Vanessa

Hello GT Therapy community! I’m Vanessa Lai, the newest LPC Associate to join the team. I graduated with my master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in the spring of 2023 and have been recharging before beginning this new journey. This field had been calling to me for years after my own positive experiences with seeking mental health counseling. For as long as I can remember, I have been moving naturally and freely in creative and healing spaces, so this has felt like a welcome professional transition. I feel honored to help others achieve an overall wellbeing by supporting their mental health.

During my graduate studies I really clicked with the adolescents and young adults I was seeing, and it encouraged me to focus on those in these important life stages. Other populations I am passionate about are BIPOC or marginalized communities and those that are a part of the gender expansive family. I have experience working with creative modes of counseling such as sand tray, visual art, narrative therapy, and music therapy. I also was a part of a team that taught me a lot about somatic experiencing which may look like breathing techniques or brief movements to process trauma and stress responses. At my graduate internship at YWCA, I assisted in creating a somatic/sensory room that accommodated those with sensory sensitivities and helped with emotional regulation. 

Outside of my clinical work I love being with my pups, having various creative projects, going to local markets, drag shows, special FX makeup, working out, watching scary movies, swimming, fostering dogs with APA!, and being outdoors. Some of my favorite things in the world are beaches (I’m an ocean girl for life), hot springs/spas, burritos, Zed’s ice cream, and 90’s music/movies. I’ve lived all over the country but have found Austin to be the best homebase for the last 12 years and I am thrilled to be of service to the community here!