Our therapists offer counseling for anxiety & depression in Pflugerville, TX

My go-to approach for helping people in anxiety therapy is TEAM cognitive behavioral therapy. I find the best benefit in this approach because it is structured, goal-oriented, and leads to rapid change. It also takes into consideration that some degree of “exposure” or facing your fears is always required to overcome anxiety. This is often the last thing a client will want to do, but it is a necessary component of treatment.

My go-to approach for treating depression is TEAM-cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It is evidence-based and has significant research supporting its effectiveness in improving individuals' lives. TEAM-CBT is particularly effective in assisting individuals with depression.

I teach the following tools in anxiety therapy:

• What-if technique: Draw an arrow pointing down under your fear and ask, “What if that were true? What’s the worst that could happen? What do I fear the most?” A new negative thought will come to mind. Repeat it several times until you uncover the fantasy that frightens you the most. Then you can ask yourself, “How likely is it that this would happen? And could I live with it if it did?”
• Gradual exposure: Use small steps to face your fear so that it won’t be quite so terrifying.
• Talk show technique: Learn how to make casual conversation. The idea is to focus on the other person in a friendly way. Get them to open up, rather than feeling like you have to impress them by talking about yourself.

I teach the following tools in depression counseling:

• Reattribution: Instead of blaming oneself entirely for the problem, consider the external factors that contributed to it.
• Examine the Evidence: Use a scientific approach to attempt to disprove negative thoughts before accepting them as truth.
• Be Specific: Focus on concrete strengths and weaknesses rather than making general statements.

I know a client is making meaningful progress in anxiety therapy when their scores improve. I engage in measurement-based care. There will be a survey at the beginning and end of every session to help measure progress. If you are making progress, it will be reflected in the numbers.

I know a client is making meaningful progress in online therapy when their scores improve. I engage in measurement-based care, conducting surveys at the beginning and end of each session to track progress.

Clients can supplement their time in anxiety therapy with psychotherapy homework. One of the main ideas of TEAM CBT is that psychotherapy homework is a non-negotiable. If you want change in your life, then you will take what is discussed inside weekly therapy and apply it on your own without the help of the therapist. Psychotherapy homework ranges from additional reading to assist with learning new ways to think and behave, practicing new communication skills, and self-analysis of your own thoughts and emotions.

Clients can supplement their time in counseling by completing psychotherapy homework. This is a non-negotiable aspect of TEAM-CBT, as applying what is discussed in therapy independently fosters change.

To prepare for your first anxiety therapy session, you can make sure you have somewhere private where you can focus and hopefully not be disturbed. In addition, do your research on types of therapy. There are as many modalities of therapy as flavors of ice cream. You don't want one bad experience to ruin the entire experience. Make sure you find an approach where you have room to express yourself, and you can also work to achieve your goals.

To prepare for your first counseling session, ensure you have a private space to focus and avoid interruptions. Additionally, research different therapy modalities to find one that allows you to express yourself and work toward your goals.