Licensed Austin Therapists

            Raised on the East coast, Jason received a Bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies from Wesleyan University in 1993. He dedicated the next five years to the study of Buddhism and Taoism, ordaining as a Buddhist monk in 1998. Jason then practiced Chinese medicine before transitioning into a career in professional counseling. He has been in private practice since 2006 and opened Plumeria Counseling Center in 2009. He is the author of “108 Beads: Poems On The Way” and is currently writing a guidebook for couples entitled “Sticking With Staying Unstuck.”

Jason’s approach to psychotherapy combines Eastern and Western psychology and emphasizes values of acceptance, self-responsibility for one’s emotional reactions, and the cultivation of harmonious relationships, including that between an individual and their own self. Therapeutic goals include clients’ acquisition of new insights, understanding, and practical skills for maintaining mental and emotional wellness.

            Linda graduated from Bowling Green State University in Ohio with a major in psychology. In 1976 she moved to Austin. She later attended Southwest State University (now known as Texas State University), where she was awarded her Master’s degree in Counseling. She has been working as a professional counselor since 1989.
            Linda has helped adults with a variety of issues, including relationships, depression, anxiety, phobias, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her methods involve aiding her clients to change thoughts and feelings, hypnosis, and a variety of other techniques. To work with clients on the goals they set for themselves, Linda often gives assignments to complete between sessions to facilitate progress toward these goals.

            Katherine, a native Texan, earned a liberal arts degree with a major in Spanish from Sewanee in Tennessee in 1997. After living in Spain and Northern California, she returned to Austin and began pursuing a career in counseling. She achieved high honors while completing her Masters in Professional Counseling from Texas State University in 2005. Katherine has extensive experience working with adults, adolescents, and children in a variety of settings.
            Katherine uses a warm, interactive, and supportive approach in working with clients. She thinks that the most important part of the counseling process is for clients to feel comfortable and understood as they work through life challenges. Katherine draws from a relational model of counseling while being client-centered; tailoring approaches to best fit the needs and desires of each client. She incorporates techniques from many therapy models including cognitive behavioral, family systems, and psychodynamic theories. Katherine also incorporates play therapy and skills training models in her work with children.

            After working several years in the nonprofit and high-tech industries as a writer and web designer, Andrea decided to go to graduate school to pursue her long-held desire to become a therapist. She received her Master's of Science in Counseling from The University of North Texas in 2006. In addition to her degree in counseling, she holds a Bachelor's Degree in History from The Colorado College.            

            Andrea utilizes an integrative approach when working with clients and she strives to tailor this approach for each individual. Underlying her work is the general premise that people are uniquely shaped by their early relationships -- especially family relationships -- and their life experiences. She values each client as an individual and acknowledge his or her unique struggles, strengths, and life path. She does not provide solutions. Instead, she tries to provide a safe, encouraging, and respectful environment in which clients are able to find your own answers. 

           Laura is originally from Melbourne, Florida. She completed her Master’s degree in Education in 1983 and received her LCDC (Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor) in 1989. She spent 13 years teaching and counseling with the Department of Exercise Science and the Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery at Texas Tech University. She moved to Austin in 1999 where she started the University of Texas Center for Students in Recovery and taught as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Social Work. Laura emphasizes a holistic approach to recovery from addiction, including mind, body and spirit.

           She has extensive experience in relapse prevention, working with families and the issues that relate to substance abuse, ACOA (Adult Children of Addiction), Al-Anon, and the12-step recovery model. Laura also has additional training and expertise in mindfulness living, spirituality, wellness and the recovery process as it relates to all aspects of daily living.

            Rena is originally from Houston, Tx. She believes that healing occurs when a counselor helps the client restore harmony and balance to his or her life through insight and encouragement. She uses a holistic approach to address issues such as communication, trust, and negative self-talk.
            In her spare time Rena enjoys gardening, cooking, horseback riding, reading and
Houston Astros baseball.

            Mary is a Clinical Social Worker licensed to practice in the states of Texas and Florida, with extensive experience providing individual therapy with adults and teens. After graduating from Barry University with a Master’s degree in Social Work, she went on to work with client populations including HIV-positive adults, homeless teens, college students, and people living with major mental illness. She says her goal as a therapist is to help clients discover their own workable solutions to problems and to bring about the positive changes they have decided to create in their lives.
            Mary understands that making changes in life involves work, but believes therapy shouldn't feel like work.  She says she's seen people make the most progress when therapy offers a relaxed setting in which clients may open their minds to reflect and find fresh ways to look at life's issues so they can make real and lasting changes. She currently works with teens, young adults, and adults. 

            Jill has been in private practice for ober 25 years. She earned her Master’s degree from the University of Louisville, Louisvile, Kentucky in 1968. Prior to that, her undergraduate degree was in sociology and psychology for the University of Evanston, Indiana in 1965. She has had experience and internships working in settlement houses, children’s homes, and a Veterans Affairs hospital. After gaining her Master’s degree, she had experience in protective services for children, working with unmarried moethers in maternity homes and then paticipating in the evolution of placement of the older or handicapped child, specializing in finding adoptive homes for them.
            Currently, Jill enjoys a clientele that specializes in helping people make changes in their lives that they desire. Jill enjoys her adopted children from Russia, who she adopted in 2001, and also has enjoyed performing with her band “The Studebakers” since 1993.

            Joshua, a life-long Texan, received his undergraduate education at Texas State University in San Marcos (at the time called Southwest Texas State University), majoring in sociology with a minor in psychology, where he graduated with honors.  After completing his Master's degree in counseling from Texas State University in 2006, he worked at Phoenix House, a non-profit organization serving adolescents recovering from substance abuse.  He received extensive experience working with addiction-related issues through individual, group, and family counseling modalities.
Joshua's use of a conversational and collaborative style allows clients to relax into the experience of self-exploration.  Joshua believes strongly in building a strong, trusting relationship with his clients as a necessary first step towards finding the right combination of healing ingredients.  He helps his clients explore and express themselves through mind-body integration, relaxation tecniques, mindfulness training, and learning how to become more kind and gentle to oneself and others.

            Catherine is originally from Buffalo, NY where she obtained her Master's degree in Social Work from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She graduated with honors from the same University with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Design. Catherine has over 10 years of experience as a clinical social worker. She is an experienced individual, couples, family and group therapist. She is relatively new to Austin and has a passion for music and singing.

            Catherine's therapeutic style is based on unconditional acceptance of her clients and building a trusting relationship so that healing can take place. She is experienced with several different therapeutic strategies including psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, insight-oriented therapy and EMDR. She approaches her clients with the goal of helping them balance the different areas of their lives as well as identifying strengths that will assist clients with reaching their goals. In addition, she is experienced with helping clients with issues regarding spirituality and with exploring meaningful aspects of life.

            Laura describes herself as an optimist and a creative thinker, with a passion for learning about herself and others.  She grew up in California, where she worked as a costume designer for theater and opera companies in the Bay Area.  She completed a BA in Anthropology at the University of Oregon, and went on to design museum exhibits and websites for small businesses.  Laura has emphasized creative expression in all of her career paths, and continued to do so as she earned her M.Ed in Educational Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin, focusing on art therapy and the coming-out process.  She now provides art therapy services to clients of all ages and backgrounds.
            As a counselor, Laura prioritizes a gentle, compassionate, and goals-oriented approach.  She believes in each person’s inherent wisdom, and she is honored to participate in their process of self-discovery.  Laura has experience addressing a variety of issues, such as: addiction, trauma and abuse, family instability, depression, anger, self esteem, and academic and/or professional exploration.

            Justin Schneider grew up in Houston, TX and later attended the University of North Texas in Denton, TX where he received his Bachelors degree in Rehabilitation in 2002.  Justin went on to achieve a Master’s degree in professional counseling at Amberton University in Dallas, Texas in 2006. He has had the opportunity to work in a variety of different counseling settings including working with the blind, victims of violent crime, substance abuse treatment, as well as program therapist at Partial Hospital programs in Houston and Austin.
            One of five children, Justin has a learned patience and willingness to listen to others needs. Justin has an eclectic approach to treatment based on the client’s needs and background.  He enjoys watching those he counsels grow and achieve their life aspirations and mental well being.

            Since high school Andrea has felt a calling to help others heal emotionally and grow spiritually. She discovered that the best way for her to accomplish these goals was to become a counselor. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Master’s degree in Clinicial Psychology. She studies Christianity, Judaism, and Native American religions, as well as enjoying oil-painting, the creative arts, and yoga. She is also certified in hypnotherapy.
            Andrea utlizes various types of psychology, hypnotherapy, trauma resolution, and expressive therapies. Her therapeutic style is holistic including cognitive, behavioral, expressive, and spiritual interventions. Andrea works with all types of clients (children, adolescents, and adults) that are motivated to make the necessary changes in their lives to reach their goals. These goals can include managing and coping with emotions (depression, stress, anger); improving self-esteem; developing better relationships; changing problem behaviors; coping with grief issues; and working through traumatic events (abuse issues and post-traumatic stress).

            Daisy is from Hawaii, where she completed all her academic and internship training. She earned a Bachelors of Art in Psychology in 2001, and graduated with Masters degree in Counseling Psychology from Chaminade University in 2004. Her emphasis was in Marriage and Family Therapy. Following her graduation from her Masters, Daisy has been concentrating her work with individuals, couples, family, and young children under the age of 6 years old. She is both Licensed as a professional counselor in Texas and in Hawaii (Licensed Mental Health Counselor).

            Guiding, supporting, and encouraging people in reaching their full and best potential in life have been Daisy's goal since she started in the counseling field. Daisy believes in building strong, respectful, and trusting relationships with her clients, also creating a safe and nurturing place for them to grow internally. Her counseling method is an integrative approach although most of the time, she uses Cognitive Behavioral and Solution- Focused techniques.