Hi there! You can call me Em (they/them).
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Austin, Texas providing relational, trauma-informed therapy for adults, couples, and LGBTQIA+ clients.
Authenticity and connection are at the heart of my therapy work.
I believe healing happens in relationship, and that the one we build together matters as much as any technique I bring. I draw from attachment theory, interpersonal neurobiology, parts work, somatic approaches, and mindfulness-based practices. Together, we'll get curious about the patterns you learned early, how you came to protect yourself, reach for others, and make sense of your worth, and how those old strategies show up in your closest relationships now. In the room, I'm warm, curious, and direct. I'll slow us down when things move too fast, notice what's happening in your body, and name what I see with care. I treasure moments of attuned connection with clients, whether through shared laughter, reflective silence, or the deepening trust that can emerge through moments of disconnection and repair.
We may be a good fit if:
You might be coming to therapy in a season of crisis, or after years of quietly managing. Either way, you've likely gotten good at surviving in ways that are starting to cost you.
Maybe you:
look composed on the outside while feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or exhausted underneath
struggle to slow down or let others support you
overthink interactions and question your worth
carry experiences your body hasn't let go of, even when your mind insists you should be past them by now
feel caught in the same painful relationship dynamics
find yourself constantly caregiving, performing, or anticipating others' needs
crave closeness, then notice yourself bracing, testing, or pulling away once you have it
are questioning your gender or getting to know it more deeply, and want room to explore without having to arrive anywhere
are building a relationship across difference, in identity, culture, background, or how you each move through the world
are worn down by the daily work of existing in a world that keeps asking you to justify your place in it
are moving through grief, burnout, or a life transition that's unsettled what you thought you knew
Therapy can offer a space to better understand the patterns that once helped you survive, but may no longer be serving you now. Together, we'll work toward building more self-trust, emotional flexibility, and connected relationships, both with yourself and with others.
-
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Texas: #113230
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Trained
Master of Science in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin
Bachelor of Arts in Feminist Studies from Southwestern University
-
I approach therapy through a lens of anti-oppression, cultural humility, and a person-in-environment perspective. I hold awareness of the ways systemic harm (including racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, fatphobia, and capitalism) shapes both personal and collective mental health. In our work together, I aim to create a space that honors your lived experience and supports you in reconnecting with your own power, agency, and inner wisdom.
Modalities & Influences:
Attachment Theory
Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) & Parts Work
Somatic (body-centered) Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Approaches
Modern Psychoanalytic Approaches
Interpersonal Processing
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT)
Relational Life Therapy (RLT)
Psychodrama, Sociometry, & Experiential Group Work
Liberation-based Therapy
Feminist and Queer Theory
Social and Restorative Justice
-
My background spans university mental health, higher levels of care, and private practice settings. I previously worked at the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Center, where I provided therapy and crisis intervention to undergraduate and graduate students navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, identity exploration, relationship challenges, disordered eating, and major life transitions.
I also worked within intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization levels of care, supporting adults navigating chronic trauma, suicidality, self-harm, mood and anxiety disorders, relationship and identity-related stressors, and co-occurring substance use concerns. My work there included individual therapy, crisis support, and facilitating psychoeducational, experiential, and process groups. I also created and led two groups of my own: a Queer & Trans process group, offering community and support at a level of care where affirming spaces are rare, and an Interpersonal Processing group focused on how relational patterns show up in real time between group members. I continue to value the ways group therapy can create opportunities for authentic connection, relational healing, and being more fully witnessed by others.
-
Psychodrama Training Institute, Onsite Workshops (2026)
EMDRIA-Approved EMDR Therapy Training, Intuitus Group Counseling Clinic (2025)
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Externship, International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (2025)
Affirming Care in Uncertain Times: Legal & Ethical Guidance for Texas Therapists Supporting LGBTQIA+ Clients & Families (2025)
Relational Life Therapy (RLT) Level 1, Relational Life Institute (2024)
A Little More Personal
Queer, gender-expansive femme, lifelong Texan, coffee enthusiast, and recovering perfectionist.
When I’m not in sessions, I can usually be found spending time with my spouse and close friends, thrifting, experimenting in the kitchen, practicing joyful movement, taking my cat Mango on walks, or starring in my own at-home fashion shows. I feel most embodied and connected to myself when I’m with loved ones, stretched out on a quilt in the grass, sipping a cup of tea, or floating in a body of water.
“I touch my own skin, and it tells me that before there was any harm, there was miracle.”
— adrienne maree brown