Blake Howard Norton, LMFT-S
Co-Founder of GT Therapy Group

Fee: $175 / 45 min session
Pronouns: She / Her
Session Format: Virtual / Telehealth Works with: Young Adults, Adults, Parents, and Families

MY PASSION & PURPOSE:

• How Parenthood Shapes Us: Supporting families at all stages of parenthood, as they navigate their changing identities as parents, partners, professionals and people

• Anxiety, Depression & Coping with Major Life Stressors: We are not meant to struggle alone

• Grief: Moving along the long arc of loss in your own way, on your own timeline

• Identity & Relationships: Helping people learn more about who they are, where they are going, what they really want & need, and how to find connection along the way

• Self-compassion & Resilience: How mindfulness and empathy can help us transform painful experiences and emotions into healing and growth

• Family Systems: How our families of origin shape us and influence our relationships, our ways of attaching to others, and how we deal with difficult emotions and experiences—and what we can do to work with what we’ve been born into

Therapeutic Approach:

Blake loves her work with adults and families, including parents of all ages, and she brings her heart, humor and loving directness into the room with each person who sits down with her. If you're struggling in relationships (friendships, family, romantic), or if you're searching for meaning, direction and purpose, Blake can help you find more connection, clarity and self-compassion. Blake is a systems therapist at heart, which means she views individuals in the context of relationships, culture and family, and not as a set of problems to be fixed.

Blake offers a warm, empathic and open space for clients to gain insight, tools and support in growing, healing and transforming relationships, including your relationship with yourself. Her approach is integrative, systemic and collaborative, drawing on many years of training in family systems, interpersonal neurobiology, attachment and self-compassion. Some areas of expertise include parenting adolescents, family transitions such as divorce/separation, young adults who are struggling to find meaning, purpose and fulfillment in work/school, identity and relationships, and helping adults navigate parenthood, career, marriage, life, and grief.

Professional Background:

A native Austinite and honors graduate of St. Edwards University and Pitzer College, Blake is active in mental health advocacy and has served as president for the Austin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, as a committee member with Girls Rock Austin, and as a board member-at-large at the YWCA Greater Austin. Blake is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist-Supervisor, and is not currently taking on new supervisees for licensure in order to focus more fully on her clients and her role in running GT Therapy Group.

GET TO KNOW blake:

Blake loves to read (literary fiction, young adult, psychological thrillers, and beach reads all find a home next to the latest in mental health)! A gardener, baker and cook, Blake enjoys watching things grow, eating delicious food, and sharing home-canned goods with her neighbors. When she's not in the office you can catch her outside as much as possible running around and getting some Vitamin D with her family.

Tracy Tanner, LPC-S, LMFT-S
Co-Founder of GT Therapy Group

Fee: $175 / 45 min session
Pronouns: She / Her
Session Format: Virtual / Telehealth Works with: Young Adults, Adults, and Parents

 Tracy’s sweet spots:

• Giftedness: Exploring the wide, wide world of the gifted label and the overlooked social and emotional challenges of the Gifted & Talented population

• Strategy Sessions for Parents, Caregivers, & Individuals: Diving in and digging into specific wants and needs through short term sessions that focus on deliberate goal setting, next steps for action and change, psycho-education, and follow-up support

• Parent Coaching: Learning about yourself, growing as a parent & individual, and taking steps to build and live the kind of life & relationship you want to have with your family

• Neurodiversity / 2e / ADHD: Teaming up for support, strategies, and knowledge on all things related to the wonderful world of neurodiverse individuals and families

Get to Know Tracy:

I am a nerd and weirdo, and proud of it. Nerds and weirdos don’t always come in the same shapes and packages. For me, I express this part of myself through an avid love of fantasy, magical worlds, art making, and intense creativity. I love my inner world of imagination and bringing my two boys along for the exciting ride. Singing is another love and soul-nurturing aspect of my life. I am a 14+ year member of Tapestry Singers, a choir for women. I am also part of their a cappella group, Loose Threads. I served as president to the Tapestry board, among other board and committee roles past and present. Fun facts: During undergrad and grad school, I was a nanny to a musical family with two gifted kids and provided voice lessons to middle school students.

Therapeutic Approach:

I’m a passionate and creative therapist who you can get real with. I primarily work with young adults, adults, parents, and professionals. I enjoys helping my clients learn more about themselves and find everyday happiness, peace and acceptance in their lives.

I’ve spent the over a decade dedicated to learning about the gifted (gifted and talented / GT) population and their unique and intricate social & emotional landscape and development. Growing up with the GT label myself, I have personal and firsthand experience with the highs and lows that accompany a complex gifted mind. Growing up gifted is not easy. The word, gifted, itself is often problematic and deserves space to be unpacked. I believe that with each client I connect with, it is important to find the unique human within the gifted label.

You can count on me to weave in humor, imagination, and even playfulness into sessions, as well as mindfulness, compassion, and full acceptance. I thrive upon the meaningful and magnificent connections I make with my clients and the world at large.

Professional Background:

My education in psychology and counseling began at the University of Texas at Austin and continued at St. Edward's University where I graduated with honors. In my early work at Austin Child Guidance Center, I honed my skills in trauma and attachment work, child development, family systems, and parenting for 7 years with the agency before embarking on full-time private practice. From 2012-2016, I provided consultation and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) education to the students, parents, and faculty of Magellan International School. I also created an individualized SEL curriculum for the international baccalaureate school, which was integrated into their classrooms through workshops and small group teaching. One of my most pivotal deep dive trainings was with ADHD expert, James Ochoa, LPC. Through this immersive and intensive training, I honed in on my specialty and passion with the ADD/ADHD population. In addition to specific training with the ADHD, population, I have focused my ongoing training on Internal Family Systems, Interpersonal Neurobiology, Relational Therapy, Systems-Work, and giftedness.

I am a current member of the Texas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the Austin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and Austin InConnection. I am a licensed supervisor for LPC Associates and LMFT Associates. I utilize my supervisory skills for support and training of the GT Therapy team. I am not accepting supervisees at this time. I value my long-term work with clients who see me through many different stages and ages. I also immensely enjoy short-term work through my hour-long “strategy sessions” that target specific questions about giftedness & twice-exceptionality and what support may be helpful at this juncture, as well as other considerations to factor in the big picture.

Sarah Park, LCSW-S

Fee: $230 / 60 min session (only offers hour long sessions)
Pronouns: She / Her
Session Format: Virtual / Telehealth Works with: Young Adults and Adults

SARAH’S PASSIONS & SPECIALTIES:

• IFS Sessions: trauma therapy with a focus on mapping and unburdening wounded parts in your internal system.

• Getting Unstuck: take a deep dive into those internal conflicts that leave you feeling stuck, so you can move forward from a place of authenticity. 

• Emotional Expansion: helping people identify, grow, and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their emotional experience. This is particularly helpful to people raised in families where emotions were poorly tolerated and for people whose gender identity resulted in a denial or suppression (by family, culture or religion) of the full spectrum of human emotions.

• Inner Critic Work: getting to know your more critical parts of yourself in order to develop self-compassion and empathy, and ultimately heal underlying wounds that led to the self-critical voice to begin with.

• Young Adults: exploring possibilities of this transition in life with special attention to increasing self-awareness and confidence, growing in your relationships with others, and exploring career opportunities that align with your values. 

Therapeutic Approach:

Sarah is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist and Clinical Supervisor. Sarah has a warm and nurturing approach to therapy and invites each client to take up space in therapy for their own well-being, as a time to reflect, heal, and grow. Through the lens of IFS, Sarah helps clients navigate life changes, process grief, resolve trauma wounds, and connect with their true Self. This approach is deep emotional work, aiming not only to improve this chapter in life but to create healing that will sustain clients throughout their lifespan. 

Sarah currently works with adults and has found she is uniquely effective working with men seeking to broaden their emotional landscape, improve their relationships, and examine their internal experience. Sarah enjoys creating a safe and open space for people of all gender identities who have not been invited into the more emotionally vulnerable parts of their humanity, as well as any person who grew up with messaging that denied the full emotional spectrum of being alive and human. Sarah also enjoys working with young adults to fully embody their true nature from a place of empowerment, authenticity, and autonomy, as they navigate the vast transitions in this stage of life. 

ProfessionaL Background:

Sarah has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Social Work, both from the University of Texas at Austin. She found her roots working with adolescents and families in community mental health. Her love of nature drew Sarah to Montana to work at a therapeutic boarding school, providing individual, group, and family therapy in a wild and vast environment free of most of life’s distraction. Upon returning to Austin, Sarah’s focus shifted to adults facing life transitions and relationship challenges. In 2014, Sarah was trained in The Daring Way,™ a methodology created by Brené Brown to build shame resilience and increase courage and vulnerability. Sarah became a Clinical Supervisor in 2021, allowing her to guide budding therapists in finding their sense of self in their role as therapist. Perhaps most profound, in 2023 Sarah completed the Level 1 training in Internal Family Systems*, a non-pathologizing approach to healing wounds and deepening one’s connection to Self. This methodology has been groundbreaking in the treatment of trauma. Other areas of interest and exploration include ecopsychology (how place and environment influence our mental wellbeing) and psychedelic assisted therapy and integration. 

When Sarah is not in her role as a therapist, she’s doing her best to move with fluidity (however messily) between the important things in life: kiddos, family, friends, community, allyship, and being a gentle steward of the Earth. 

*What is IFS? It’s a therapeutic approach that works from the belief that each one of us has multiplicity, meaning many “parts” of ourselves. You’ve probably had to make a decision and the thought “well, one part of me feels/wants/thinks ____ but another part of me feels/wants/thinks ______” ? Those are your parts, each working to take care of you in one way or another. In IFS we believe there are “no bad parts” (literally, the founder wrote a book with that title!). Even the parts that seem to guide us toward less than ideal behaviors (substance abuse, working too much, perfectionism, overeating, overexercising, numbing out on social media/news/TV - to name a few examples) are working to protect us from something that feels too vulnerable or out of our control. Rather than feeling shameful about the behaviors, we try to understand and heal the root cause of the behaviors. IFS is a compassionate and thoughtful approach to healing trauma and finding more authenticity in one’s life. This approach to therapy is becoming widely known for its power to help clients transform and heal.

Shawn Kent, LPC

Fee: $175 / 45 min session
Pronouns: He / Him
Session Format: In Person & Virtual / Telehealth Works with: Teens 12+, Young Adults, Adults, and Parents

SHAWN’S SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:

• Teens & Adults

• Individuals & Families

• Adoption (specifically transracial adoption)

• Yoga therapy

• ADHD

• Gifted Teens & Adults

• Anxiety & Depression

• Stress Management

• Trauma Healing & Resilience 

• Parenting 

• Communication

• Male identity 

• Racial Identity

• Addiction & Recovery

• Mental Health Maintenance 

Therapeutic Approach:

Shawn is deeply passionate about encouraging social emotional wellbeing, working with individuals, families, and organizations to support mental wellness in our community.  He enjoys working in partnership with people to support them in connecting to their own strengths, values, and ability to  navigate life in a way that is meaningful and healthy. Shawn has worked with teens, young adults, and families from many different backgrounds.

He has extensive experience working with young men and adults around male identity. If you are struggling with challenges to your emotional wellbeing, Shawn can work with you to develop healthy and purposeful ways of learning from your experience and living from your values.

Shawn specializes in mindfulness, compassion focused, and motivational approaches to therapy and believes that we all heal and grow through caring relationships with ourselves and each other. He offers a calm, caring, space for clients to look deeply into their experience and explore new ways of meeting life's challenges. Some areas of expertise include, stress management, anxiety, addiction and recovery, communication, and mental health maintenance.

PROFESSIONAL Background:

Shawn has worked in social services beginning in high school, Graduating  from Texas State University with a focus in Community Counseling. He worked for six years at Austin Child Guidance Center with teens and families both individually and in group settings. Having worked in both the juvenile justice system and in private school settings, he has extensive experience working with young men. He has worked with teens in recovery as well as teens and adults who identify as gifted.   

Shawn was most recently the mental health director at Amala Foundation where he developed programming around mindfulness, social emotional leadership, community wellness, mental health, racial healing, and healing centered facilitation. He facilitated peer supported wellness circles and mental health education for teens, families, teachers, and administrators. He also  facilitated youth retreats for refugee and gifted teens including music camps and youth summits. 

Shawn facilitates community programming and professional training for schools, rehabilitation centers, social service organizations, social justice organizations, and criminal justice organizations. At the root of his work is the vision of helping to inspire a compassionate and mindful approach to engaging with the challenge of building a healthy and just society together. 

Danielle Bartlett, LPC
Leadership Team

Fee: $160 / 45 min session
Pronouns: She / Her
Session Format: In-Person & Virtual / Telehealth Works with: Tweens & Teens, Young Adults, Parents, and Families

 DANIELLE'S TOOLS:

• Expressive therapy (art, music, movement, nature, play)

• Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Training

• Narrative Techniques

• Mindfulness

• LGBTQIA knowledgeable and affirming

• Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator

• Multicultural approaches

Danielle supports children, teens, and adults who are experiencing:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Life Transitions

• Grief and Loss

• Trauma

• Stress

• Parenting issues

• Siblings or children with mental health diagnoses

Therapeutic Approach:

With warmth, humor, gentleness and the ability to be “real,” Danielle connects deeply with young people who may feel unheard or unworthy. Her experience working with children and teens in the foster care system as well as young people on the autism spectrum has allowed her to understand that traumatic experiences comes in all shapes and sizes, that no individual or family is the same, and that all are worthy of true compassion, connection and acceptance.

Danielle approaches therapy using family systems and attachment styles, interpersonal neurobiology, mindfulness and lots of play (yes, even with adults!). With her, you can expect your therapy space to be safe for learning and exploration, and where you are fully and compassionately heard and seen.  In session, she is able to see what your strengths are and likes to draw them out via expressive modalities, such as art, movement, writing and nature. To her, this solidifies what someone won't (or is unable to) say in words - it is evidence that the mind and body are connected and that deep down, their expression is saying something that matters and is worthy of care and attention.

Professional Background:

Danielle’s education includes a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Child Development from Texas Christian University, where she studied under the late and great Dr. Karen Purvis, creator of Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TRBI®). Her draw and compassion towards those experiencing familial, developmental and attachment related trauma led her to move to Austin in 2010 to work with children on the autism spectrum, a pre-school teacher, and a part-time nanny for numerous families. In 2014, she realized her skills and love for nurturing children and their families would be best shared with the world as a child, adolescent and family therapist. After earning her Master of Education in Human Developmental Counseling from Vanderbilt University, she returned to Austin to plant her roots and grow into the therapist she is meant to be. Danielle has been a part of GT Therapy Group for five+ years and is a vital part of the Leadership Team.

Jessica (“Jessie”) Deimler, LCSW, M.Phil
Leadership Team

Fee: $160 / 45 min session
Pronouns: She / Her
Session Format: Virtual / Telehealth Works with: Tweens & Teens, Young Adults, Adults, and Parents

Theories & Modalities I ENJOY: 

• Psychodynamic 

• Family Systems 

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 

• Motivational Interviewing 

• Expressive: Play, Biblio, Art, Creativity 

Jessie’s Specialties:

• Gifted & Talented Overexcitabilities and Intensities

• Twice Exceptional Individuals (2E) 

• Executive Functioning Skills & ADHD

• Social Skills 

• Anger Management 

• Anxiety 

• Depression & Existential Depression 

• Transitions, Life Changes, School Challenges  

• Stress, Perfectionism, and Self Care 

• Healthy Relationships, Boundaries and Consent 

• Parenting Support and Processing

Therapeutic Approach:

Jessie takes a holistic approach to her work with each individual client learning about one’s needs and goals in the therapeutic relationship. Jessie’s passion areas stem from extensive experience working with gifted children and adolescents and the family system. 

Jessie utilizes an eclectic approach, incorporating different therapeutic modalities customized according to the client or clients beginning with and maintaining a strengths based perspective. Her theoretical foundation is psychodynamic, believing self-exploration leads to healthy processing and ultimately new perspective. Growth is possible when facilitated and contained in the proper therapeutic relationship. Other approaches customarily integrated into the clinical approach include cognitive behavioral therapy, the application of art in therapy, bibliotherapy, play therapy, and skill building.

Professional Background:

Jessie’s educational journey began at a small liberal arts college in Tennessee. At Sewanee: The University of the South Jessie embraced the small class sizes and meaningful connections with professors as mentors and partners in education. As an undergraduate, Jessie majored in Psychology and Minored in Women’s and Gender Studies. 

An Irish adventure awaited Jessie following graduation. She headed off to Dublin, Ireland to study at Trinity College Dublin. While living in Dublin, Jessie worked towards a Masters in Philosophy delving into her fascination with psychoanalytic studies. Jessie eventually moved back to the States to attend Baylor University Graduate School. At Baylor, Jessie studied at the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work concentrating in clinical practice. During that time, she interned at a Psychiatric Hospital as well as the Baylor Counseling Center. Loving to work with young adults and the family system, she realized the impact therapy has at all stages of life and how an individual functions within a unique system, which must be understood to find growth and healing. 

Following Baylor, Jessie landed in Austin when she accepted a job as a Counselor at a boutique private school for gifted and talented youth (pre-k through middle school). After three years in the school setting, Jessie found GT Therapy Group where she continues her passionate work with gifted individuals.

Vanessa Lai, LPC Associate

Fee: $130 / 45 min session Supervised by: Leigh Rainwater, LPC-S
Pronouns: She / Her
Session Format: In-Person & Virtual / Telehealth / Walk & Talk (as arranged) Works with: Teens 12+, Adults Under 40 Practice passions: Somatic experiencing, Creative and art therapies, Self-Compassion, Narrative work, Motivational interviewing

INTERESTS & specialities:

• Trauma / Complex trauma 

• Depression / Anxiety

• Teens & Young Adults 

• Creatives & Artists 

• Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) 

• Third culture kids 

• Gifted individuals 

• Neurodivergent & LGBTQ+ affirming

Get to know Vanessa:

Outside of therapy I enjoy getting outdoors with my two rescue dogs, scary movies, seeing live music, getting carried away with another art project, and gardening. I seek out new and varied ways to stay active, whether that means hiking, kickboxing, swimming, yoga, or tai chi. As a third culture kid, I have worked to find a unique relationship with my ancestral roots and current existence as a first generation Asian American. I am often inspired by and have spent some time learning how to integrate Eastern philosophies and practices into my overall wellbeing. Growing up in a beach town, the ocean has my heart and is often the place I find most healing. I feel very at home in Austin and love to do anything that keeps me engaged with the local community.

Therapeutic Approach:

I offer counseling that is rooted in a trauma informed holistic approach. My practice is collaborative, strengths based, and relational. I use a bottoms up approach based on the mind-body connection and somatic awareness. I am inspired to work with individuals with non-traditional backgrounds and those that may feel more sensitive than others. I provide compassionate, culturally responsive care in a grounded space to help you explore your identity, interpersonal relationships, and expand your self-awareness. I am passionate about helping you become a more authentic, embodied, and connected version of yourself.

Professional BACKGROUND:

My lifelong love of art led me to study fine art and art history for my undergraduate degree at Florida State University. After graduating, I worked at a children’s art studio where I was able to further witness the transformative power of expressive techniques and the experience of creating. Along that time, I also became a licensed esthetician which granted me the love of intimate, healing environments and caring for clients that I carry into the world of counseling. 

During my studies at Adams State University, I gravitated towards any approaches that allowed me to advocate for my clients and promote inclusivity in the mental health field. I spent my graduate internship at a local community-based non-profit, YWCA of Greater Austin, which allowed me to realize my passion for providing trauma informed therapy with teens and young adults. During this time I also facilitated groups at Manor High school, volunteered with victims’ advocacy groups, and offered clinical care during stressful times at the state Capitol. In addition to providing therapeutic services at GT, I facilitate groups at a psychiatric hospital in town. I enjoy group work and seeing clients find community and connect in meaningful ways. 

Lizet Ortuño, LMSW

Fee: $130 / 45 min session Supervised by: Starla Simmons, LCSW-S
Pronouns: She / Her / Ella
Session Format: In-Person & Virtual / Telehealth Languages: English and Spanish Works with: Children 7+, Tweens, Teens, Young Adults, Parents, Families, and Adults.

AREAS of INTEREST:

• Working with bilingual & Spanish-speaking clients

• Grief & Loss

• Managing anxiety 

• Depression 

• Exploring identity 

• Sober / Sober-curious 

• Life transitions

• Neurodivergence / ADHD

• Children / Teens / Adults

Get to know Lizet:

My name is pronounced Lee-set. In my free time, I love enjoying coffee walks and taking leisurely bike rides. I’m an avid music lover, always seeking out new sounds that inspire me. One of my dreams is to build a Chevy Corvair lowrider, blending my love for cars and culture. Family is a big part of my life, and I’m always up for new adventures, embracing a bit of wanderlust whenever I can.

Therapeutic Approach:

At the core of my approach is a belief in the importance of (re)connection—whether to oneself, to community, or to cultural roots. This perspective reflects a commitment to recognizing how individual experiences and healing are deeply interconnected with broader community and cultural contexts. I use an eclectic approach in therapy, meeting clients where they are and integrating various modalities to best support their unique needs.

In my approach, I incorporate a decolonial perspective that acknowledges the importance of returning to culture and ancestral traditions. I believe in honoring the diverse backgrounds each person brings and how reconnecting with those roots can support healing. I also focus on the significance of relationships and community in personal growth, drawing from relational-cultural theory to guide this work. My goal is to create a warm and supportive space where people feel comfortable exploring who they are and finding a path to well-being that values their unique experiences and context.

Professional BACKGROUND:

I graduated with my Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. During my studies, I gained meaningful clinical experience that shaped my perspective on therapy. At AVANCE in Austin, Texas, I supported predominantly immigrant families and their young children through transitions and educational support. My time at CANICA in Oaxaca, México, was especially meaningful. I worked closely with children and families, gaining a deeper understanding of cultural and family dynamics and how these influence the challenges they face.

I work with school-age children to adults and am developing my skills in supporting children and adolescents with neurodivergence, executive functioning, and ADHD.

Being bilingual in Spanish and English is a vital part of who I am. It shapes how I view the world and interact with others. Speaking Spanish has always been important to me, allowing me to connect authentically with clients and create an inclusive space where language and culture are fully embraced.

Lisa Garza, LPC Associate

Fee: $130 / 45 min session Supervised by: Eva Escobedo, LPC-S
Pronouns: She / Her
Session Format: In-Person & Virtual / Telehealth / Walk & Talk (as arranged) Works with: Children 7+, Tweens & Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Families, and Couples

AREAS of FOCUS:

• Mindfulness & Somatic Awareness

• Trauma & Complex Trauma

• Relationship Dynamics

• Boundaries & Burnout Prevention

• Anxiety & Stress Management

• Highly Sensitive Individuals (HSPs)

• Giftedness

• LGBTQIA+ Affirming Therapy

Get to know Lisa:

Lisa is an Austin native who enjoys swimming early in the morning at Barton Springs, reading historical fiction and fantasy novels, gardening, and all things floral. She loves going on walks with her husband and their golden retriever and miniature poodle. As a lifelong animal lover, she aspires to own a miniature donkey one day that can work with her as an equine psychotherapy animal. 

Therapeutic Approach:

Lisa’s approach is deeply rooted in systems and relational theories, reflecting her belief in our innate need for connection to ourselves and one another. She employs a holistic approach to therapy, recognizing that mental, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual well-being are all interconnected. By maintaining a person-centered and strengths-based perspective, Lisa fosters a nonjudgmental and empowering space for clients to examine their inner experiences in relation to the outer world. Lisa places a strong emphasis on authenticity, believing that being true to oneself is crucial for overall health and well-being. She understands that societal and cultural pressures can often lead to the suppression of one’s true self, which can result in stress and anxiety. 

Having grown up as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), Lisa understands firsthand the emotional intensity and overwhelm that often accompanies heightened sensitivity. She believes that individuals with high sensitivity can thrive in a nurturing, supportive environment. Lisa is also passionate about working with the gifted population, helping them navigate their unique emotional landscapes and embrace their strengths. Her goal is to create an empowering space where clients can explore their identities, develop self-acceptance, and cultivate resilience. 

Professional BACKGROUND:

With over ten years of experience teaching yoga, Lisa’s practice emphasizes strengthening the mind-body connection, managing the effects of overstimulation and supporting nervous system regulation. She integrates principles of mindfulness, breath work, and movement to help clients develop greater awareness of their physical and emotional states, fostering resilience and balance. She has led domestic and international yoga retreats focused on self-compassion and recovery from burnout. 

During her practicum and internship at the Greater Austin YWCA, Lisa worked with both adults and adolescents dealing with complex trauma. She also facilitated group therapy for teens in both school and residential settings. Lisa played a key role in establishing a movement therapy program at the Gardner-Betts Juvenile Detention Center, where she led yoga therapy groups for teenagers. For five years, she volunteered at a non-profit equine therapy ranch, where she now provides equine-assisted psychotherapy, guiding at-risk youth, veterans and survivors of domestic violence in building confidence, trust, and a sense of empowerment through work with horses. Lisa is also an active member of the Austin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Julia Ward, LPC Associate

Fee: $130 / 45 min session Supervised by: Eva Escobedo, LPC-S
Pronouns: She / Her
Session Format: In-Person & Virtual / Telehealth / Walk & Talk (as arranged) Works with: Children 7+, Tweens & Teens, Young Adults, Adults, and Parents  Practice passions: Mindfulness, Creativity, Client- and Strengths-focused, Neurodivergence

Areas of INTEREST:

• Transitions

• Emotional Regulation

• Anxiety

• Mindfulness

• Skill Building

• Creative people

• Activism and social justice

• LGBTQIA+ community

• Parenting and co-parenting

• ADHD/Autism

• Giftedness and 2E identity

• Somatics and body awareness

GET TO KNOW JULIA:

I live in a multi-generational household with my artist mother, 11 year old son, 2 dogs, a big garden, and many musical instruments. In my free time, I enjoy bouldering and rock climbing (badly), practicing yoga, playing music (some instruments better than others), gardening, cooking, reading, making art, and re-learning middle school math with my kid. 

In addition, I am involved in community mutual aid, organizing and providing food aid to neighbors in need. 

Therapeutic Approach:

I delight in creating space for non-judgmental, strengths-based client-centered healing. What this means is that each client enters the space (virtual or in-person) where they are accepted as they are and for who they are and where they are in charge of the pace and work of therapy. 

Therapy is relational healing. It is a space where there is comfort and ease, allowing a client to come as they are and test boundaries knowing they will be confidently held in their exploration. If the idea of therapy is one of facilitating change, the therapeutic space is one where change is led by the client with the knowledge that learning is a slow process, requiring patience, guidance, and support.

My therapeutic philosophy is drawn from many psychological and philosophical teachings but comes down to a few major questions:

How do we learn to love and accept ourselves? 

How do we learn to love those we care for in a way that is committed to their growth and our own? 

Facilitating the answer to those deep questions is surprisingly joyful. It involves conversation, art-making, games, poetry, mindfulness, and the co-creation of plans for healthy habits. 

I have deep and abiding respect for childhood as a unique and important stage of life and love working with all ages. While work with children involves less philosophical conversation (sometimes), it is just as deeply rooted in respect for the individual and their innate desire for well-being. Play-based counseling looks a lot like playing with kids, but the deeper work taking place is co-regulation, non-instructive attention, and is designed to create self-efficacy and confidence in kids. It works, it takes time, and it is a joy to be a part of. 

My practice is based in liberation psychology with love and loving at its core. This involves not only developing self-love and nurturing familial love, but community care as well. With adults, my work involves examining broader social and cultural influences on well-being. This exploration is challenging and thrilling and is especially important in a cultural bent on individualism, which isolates us from the community we need to thrive. We look to the root causes of suffering and the different behaviors we might take on to manage our pain. Untangling the threads of each of us is life-long work. We begin the work together. 

Professional BACKGROUND:

My career working with young people started with a post-high school stint as an Americorps volunteer in Los Angeles, providing after school educational support, community outreach, and art education as well as running community gardens with a local nonprofit organization. After completing my undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Linguistics with a concentration in ethnomusicology and folklore at UT Austin, I did what every young grad does: I became a bespoke cowboy bootmaker. During my apprenticeship, I also worked as a costume designer, vegetarian caterer, began advanced training in yoga, and continued my lifelong career as a professional musician. 

Always intrigued by education, I began volunteering my time as an arts educator in 2007 and transitioned to a career as adjunct art and music faculty at an Austin-area private high school. I then began taking on an administrative and counseling role at the school and fell in love with working with adolescents in a more therapeutic capacity. In 2021, I returned to UT-Austin, where I earned a Master's Degree in Educational Psychology with a concentration in school counseling. 

Jen Slaski, LPC Associate

Fee: $130 / 45 min session Supervised by: Gena St. David, PhD., LPC-S, LMFT-S
Pronouns: She / Her
Session Format: In-Person & Virtual / Telehealth / Walk & Talk (as arranged) Works with: Adults, Professionals, Young Adults, Tweens & Teens  Practice passions: EMDR, Expressive Arts Therapy, Mindfulness, Ecotherapy, StrengthsFinder

Therapy Sweet Spots:

• EMDR-Trained & Trauma-Informed Care

• Expressive Arts & Journal Therapy

• Grief & Loss - Bereavement, Divorce, Infertility & Illness 

• Life Transitions & “Way-finding”

• Career Coaching & Leadership Development

About Jen’s Specialties & Style:

• Growth-minded:  My 20+ years in corporate environments means I work well with highly motivated clients who embrace therapy not simply as a place for quick fixes, but more so as a transformative process where one seeks tools, insights, and practical ways to pursue tangible, meaningful change.

• EMDR-trained therapist: While many refer to its effects as “magic,” EMDR is an empirically proven therapy used in 130 countries and endorsed by the World Health Organization. In a nutshell, it helps people move past “stuck” places of self-doubt and anxiety related to past traumas and adverse experiences. 

• Systems-oriented: Our “systems” – the people and places we spend the most time with/in (i.e. family, school, workplace) - affect how we perceive situations, behave, and navigate relationships. Considering our systems can provide valuable insights to help us to understand our behaviors and emotions and to make more Self-affirming choices. 

• Expressive arts enthusiast: It’s magical how expressive arts can help us get in touch with our inner wisdom (and our inner child!) - in a way everyday rational thinking simply cannot. I integrate evidence-based, expressive arts (ex: doodling, journaling, music, and beyond) to help you grow, heal, and discover “a-has!” 

• Strengths-based: You have a unique constellation of values, talents, and passions that can help support you in navigating your current circumstances. Illuminating this inner well of wisdom (…it’s in there!) will help inform the therapeutic tools and techniques that best align with your authentic self.

• Laughter, lavender & lattes: Laughter and simple pleasures are some of the most important ingredients in my own personal  “recipe for resilience.” Spoiler alert: part of our work together will be discovering your recipe…and laughing along the way at what heck-of-a-roller-coaster-ride this whole life thing can be!

Therapeutic Approach:

While I’m a self-proclaimed “silver-lining lemonade maker,” I’ve experienced firsthand how everyday life can often make us feel anywhere from anxious…to uncertain and unfulfilled…to sad, or even just plain stuck. Nevermind, how unexpected loss - of a loved one, a dashed dream, an unexpected diagnosis - can plunge us into paralyzing despair and grief. I get it. I’m a human too. And I’m here to help you through this season. 

My clinical training in EMDR (“Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing”) and Expressive Arts therapies “helps me, help you” in engaging, creative, and scientifically proven ways that go beyond traditional “talk therapy.” 

I believe my role as a therapist is to accompany you through your trying, tender, and uncertain times, and help instill a sense of hope. I’ll meet you where you are now, and help you move forward in a way that assures you that you are not alone. My hope is that our time together will inspire a sense of clarity and possibility…and promote healing and growth. Together, in a warm, encouraging environment - infused with creativity and humor - we’ll explore your story, set practical goals, and co-create a path forward - towards what feels better. And, we’ll laugh along the way too! :-)

Some things that bring me joy? Morning coffee and journaling on a front porch, hiking (and generally just being in nature - esp with my sweet rascal of a pup, Henri), finding the perfect gift for someone, live music, road-tripping, collaging, vintage thrifting, playing board games (hello, Scrabble!), and having root-beer taste tests and dance-offs with my three nephews. I’m enamored with honey bees and birds, and a sucker for all things nostalgic, ranging from drive-in movies, historic B&Bs, and Big Band music.

Professional BACKGROUND:

I grew up in Ohio, then headed West for college where I graduated from Stanford University with a liberal arts degree. I spent the next twenty years in the tech start-up world, leading creative teams, driving workplace culture initiatives, and coaching professionals ranging from execs to mid-managers. As a people-oriented leader, I was always passionate about helping colleagues and worker bees find meaning and in their work.

My passion for professional growth and coaching inspired me to earn my Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, TX - a program celebrated for its progressive approach to spirituality’s role in the therapeutic process. I’ve been honored to work 1:1 with adults, adolescents, and their families, as well as at Austin Center for Grief & Loss where I’ve co-facilitated everything from divorce support groups to Camp Red Bird – a kids’ grief camp. While I now love helping individuals and families enrich their personal lives, the many years I’ve spent in goal-oriented environments make my therapeutic style one that organically works well with those who are curious, motivated, and value personal growth.

Matthew Olson, LPC-S

Fee: $175 / 45 min session
Pronouns: He / Him
Session Format: Virtual / Telehealth Works with: Teens 15+, Young Adults, Adults, and Parents

 Matthew’s SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:

• Teens & Adults, Individuals & Families

• College Students & Young Adult Transitions

• Identity & Relationship Development 

• Family Of Origin Exploration

• Anxiety & Depression

• Parenting Challenges

• Working with Anger

• Male Identity & Relationship Exploration

• Adult Children of Alcoholics/Addicts

• Substance Use, Addiction & Harm Reduction

• Smoking Cessation

Matthew is especially well-suited to support:

• Individuals and young adults who are engaging in substance use and experiencing co-occurring mental health concerns

• Male-identified individuals who want to explore their male identity & what masculinity means to them

• College students who are figuring out their goals, dreams, relationships and identities

• Individuals who are experiencing depression, anxiety, or who want to explore a life of meaning

• Individuals who want to explore & manage their anger

• Individuals who are experiencing low self-esteem, self-worth, or who want to have a better relationship with themselves

• Parents, families & partners who have a loved one who is struggling with substance use

• Individuals who identify as being in recovery and desire to maintain their sobriety
  

Therapeutic Approach:

Matthew has an intense passion for his work with teens, young adults, families, and adults and he believes whole-heartedly in the power of therapy. Matthew works well with a wide range of mental health concerns, and he has extensive experience working with substance use and co-occurring mental health needs. Matthew takes a warm, caring, and non-judgmental approach to therapy that facilitates his clients’ self-exploration through compassionate curiosity. His approach is rooted in Motivational Interviewing principles, stages of change theory and harm reduction. Matthew highly values the therapeutic relationship, and your comfort in the therapeutic alliance, as key to change & growth. Matthew strives to create a safe space for clients to feel heard, to feel worthy of compassion, and to feel your worth as the expert on your own life. Matthew has an extensive clinical background in Mindfulness, CBT, DBT, and self-compassion.

If you or someone you love are experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use concerns, Matthew will work with you to explore your relationship with substance use and support you in healing and nurturing your relationship with yourself and those in your life.

Professional Background:

A native Texan and graduate of Texas State University and Baylor University, Matthew has worked clinically in the Austin area for the past 15 years.  For the past 12 years, Matthew served as the Alcohol and Other Drug Counseling Program Coordinator at the Counseling and Mental Health Center at the University of Texas at Austin.  During his time at UT, Matthew provided individual and group counseling services to UT students who were experiencing mental health and substance use concerns.  Matthew was recognized for his work by being a recipient of the Outstanding Staff Award from the Office of the President in 2018.  In addition to his clinical work, Matthew also consistently served on the advisory council for the Center for Students in Recovery program, led the Committee on Substance Safety and Overdose Prevention, and was designated a UT system representative for the system-wide expansion of the BASICS alcohol education program. Prior to UT, Matthew work with the homeless population in the Downtown Austin area. 

Emily Schneider Olson, LPC-S

Fee: $175 / 45 min session
Pronouns: She / Her
Session Format: Virtual / Telehealth Works with: Tweens & Teens 12+, Young Adults, Adults, and Parents

Emily’s SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:

• Parenting support and processing through all stages and changes

• Youth 12+ and young adults

• Life transitions & changes 

• Stress management & self care

• Anxiety & Perfectionism 

• Depression 

• Behavioral Concerns

• Communication

Emily’s Modalities & Approaches:

• Motivational Interviewing  

• Positive Psychology

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Strength Based Therapy

• Solution Focused Therapy

• Narrative Therapy

• Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy

Therapeutic Approach:

As a counselor, it is critically important to me that I meet the individuals that I work with where they are. My philosophy incorporates several core components that I consider at every therapeutic engagement.

• Relentless Optimism: All clients deserve to have someone who is fiercely devoted to their success. By focusing on an individual's strengths and successes, I strive to help them reframe their situations in order to foster motivation rather than trepidation. 

• Person Centered: It is important to identify what the client is asking for. This may differ from what the counselor or even a loved one feels that a client needs. This may also change at each encounter with a client. Meeting a client where they are facilitates rapport building and engagement with action planning that the client will be more willing to follow through with.

• Utilization of the Stages of Change Model: Recognizing where a client is in regards to changing a behavior will help identify where to start in counseling. This leads to a more effective action plan with smarter goals. 

• Gender, Multicultural and Diversity considerations: I believe it is extremely important to consider the gender, cultural and diversity implications when working with clients.  Community Colleges have an extremely diverse student population. As an expert of their lives, client’s should be encouraged to share how these considerations are impacting their lives and relationships.

Professional Background:

After graduating high school, I enrolled at UTSA, knowing I wanted to pursue a field in “liberal arts”. While attending school, I began working at a kidney dialysis clinic assisting the underserved and at-risk population of San Antonio where I worked alongside a clinical social worker who provided guidance, support and mentorship. I focused my studies in Sociology as I was fascinated with understanding cultural/societal norms. However, after working with those that were chronically ill, I began to clarify my career goals to become a therapist and upon graduation from UTSA I entered graduate school at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, where I received my Master of Arts Degree in Counseling. 

During and after completion of my graduate program, I was fortunate to serve for 10+ years at non-profit organizations; Front Steps (formally Austin Resource Center for the Homeless), LifeWorks Austin and the Center for Health Care Services in San Antonio. In these years, I was blessed to work alongside and get to know those facing homelessness, food/housing insecurity, legal challenges, family conflict, and relationship challenges. In more recent years I provided mental health and academic counseling services to college students at UT Austin and ACC, including Early College High School Students. Sharing in these individuals' experiences has shaped me professionally and personally and it is extremely important to me that I learn one’s story and experiences so that we can align in a way to facilitate positive change. My approach is to be as authentic and transparent as possible with the individuals I work with and support. I am excited to bring my experience to the GT Therapy Group and would be honored with the opportunity to work alongside you.