Contact Just Mind – Counseling Austin – 512-843-7665

Anxiety may be caused by a life event, a physical condition, psychological stressors which have accumulated, or a combination of these. Certain people may be more anxious in their daily lives and thus may be more predisposed to anxiety. Anxiety is commonly tied to a number of diagnoses like ADHD, OCD, phobia, social anxiety, and depression, for example. That said, it can be treated and the effects can be mitigated.

For most clients, the “cure” for anxiety is growing to understand what causes it and building better coping mechanisms or trying a specific therapeutic approach to manage it. This can be things like breathing techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, biofeedback, EMDR, or a somatic approach. These things work better in the long haul than medication alone. Research shows therapy is 3x more effective than medication.

Most people feel anxious at some point. Anxiety is a sense of fear and worry that something is wrong. Such feelings are common in people of all ages and backgrounds. Anxiety can be useful as it helps people focus on dangers. It can also help motivate people to solve their problem. However, feelings of worry can also create problems. A person may feel anxious all the time about minor problems. The net result can be paralyzing as they find themselves caught up in such thoughts to the exclusion of all else. For some, it can create huge barriers in life which can even impede with work or school. Anxiety counseling is proven to be 3x more effective than medication alone.

Anxiety won’t kill you but it can make life significantly more difficult if left untreated. Clients who do not work on understanding and coping with their anxiety can end up greatly missing out on life events they desire, friendships, and opportunities in life. They may also suffer by spending more time sick or going to the emergency room for things like panic attacks.

People come into therapy for many reasons. Some need to respond to unexpected changes in their lives, while others seek self-exploration and personal growth. When coping skills are overwhelmed by guilt, doubt, anxiety, or despair, therapy can help. Therapy can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping for issues such as depression, anxiety, lack of confidence, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, bereavement, spiritual conflicts, stress management, body image issues, and creative blocks. People seeking psychotherapy are willing to take responsibility for their actions, work towards self-change and create greater awareness in their lives.

If you aren’t sure what your goals are for therapy, your first task is to figure that out. It may take several sessions before a direction is clarified. During the course of therapy your goals may change. However, establishing a direction for therapy will help you get the most out of the experience.

During sessions you are expected to talk about the primary concerns and issues in your life. A session lasts 50 minutes, but some people request longer sessions. Usually weekly sessions are best. Some people who are in crisis or extreme distress need more than one session per week, at least until the crisis passes. During the time between sessions it is beneficial to think about and process what was discussed. At times, you may be asked to take certain actions outside of the therapy sessions, such as reading a relevant book or keeping records. For therapy to “work,” you must be an active participant, both in and outside of the therapy sessions.

A number of benefits are available from participating in psychotherapy. Often it is helpful just to know that someone understands. Therapy can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. Many people find therapy to be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, and the hassles of daily life. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself and your personal goals and values
• Developing skills for improving your relationships
• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
• Find new ways to cope with stress and anxiety that are based in evidence based practices.
• Managing anger, depression, and other emotional pressures
• Improving communications skills – learn how to listen to others, and have others listen to you
• Getting “unstuck” from unhealthy patterns – breaking old behaviors and develop new ones
• Discovering new ways to solve problems
• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and a psychotherapist. Information is not disclosed without written permission. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions include:

Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse. The therapist is required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.

If a client intends to harm himself or herself. The therapist will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in insuring their safety. If they do not cooperate, further measures may be taken without their permission in order to ensure their safety.

There is a confusing array of insurance arrangements. The first thing you should do is check with your insurance carrier. Check your coverage carefully and find the answers to the following questions:

• Do I have mental health benefits?
• What is my deductible and has it been met?
• How many sessions per calendar year does my plan cover?
• How much do you pay for an out-of-net provider?
• Is there a limitation on how much you will pay per session?
• Is primary care physician approval required?

Is online counseling effective? This has been chronicled by a large body of research. They have found that there is no difference in the effectiveness of online versus traditional counseling methods. We have found that most clients prefer it as it allows them even greater schedule flexibility and the ability to do more vulnerable work from the comfort of their own familiar surroundings. You can even continue your therapy while you’re away on business or vacation. Find out more about it online counseling.

This varies by insurance plan. During the pandemic, most are allowing online counseling however it helps to check to make sure. You might want to call your insurance company to ask “is online counseling covered by insurance” and to encourage them to keep offering telehealth support as a covered option as an ongoing item. We would also suggest you mention this to your employer to make sure this is part of their employer selected plan options. Technically there is supposed to be telehealth and in person mental health parity but certain health plans have found loopholes around this requirement.

We offer online therapy in Texas and to every area where there is high-speed internet. This includes online counseling in Houston, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, Ft. Worth, Denton, Waco, Galveston, Lubbock, San Marcos, New Braunfels, and any other city with broadband. Our services include online counseling for children, teens, adults, and couples. We offer a sliding scale from $80-165 depending on the therapist and their experience level. More seasoned therapists have higher hourly rates associated with them. We also offer Single Session Therapy for $125 which offers you the option of coming for one session with no option to return. Think about it like an online appointment required walk-in clinic. Find out more about our options by looking at our online counseling options.

Senior therapists have over 10 years of experience (some have 30+). Mid level therapists have 6-10. Junior therapists have 2-5 years of experience. Each level of therapist has different fee ranges associated with them. (We also suggest you take a look at their advanced trainings and backgrounds.)

An LPC Intern is a therapist who has completed their masters degree (which includes clinical time) and they are now seeing clients and have a supervisor that guides their growth and experience. School for LPC Interns is normally a 3 year process. LMFT-A (licensed marriage and family therapists associates) are in a similar period of their professional growth. Research shows that a key to getting better is how much of a rapport you feel with your therapist.

This really varies by the individual and the issue. Some people have issues that are more tricky and developed over time and these issues might take more time to work on. That said, if you are motivated, work on coping skills outside of session, and are focused on your goals you may have a very short time in therapy. Normally the shortest time tends to be around 2-6 months of weekly therapy. It really depends on the issue and the individual. If cost, time commitment, or just being uncertain is an issue, you should try Single Session Therapy.

No, we do not. We offer counseling for anger but that’s it. You will have to go elsewhere for court mandated anger management classes.

This is a common question and we do not write emotional support animal letters at this time. The liability is just too great and we feel like the laws around them are going to change as TSA is already moving in this direction to do dog bites in airports. My suggestion to you would be as follows: 1) Go through training with your dog and get them their AKC Good Citizenship. This will help both of you to be comfortable in a variety of surroundings. 2) To prepare for this, I would suggest working with K9 Working Mind. Tara has been doing this for over 30 years and has an incredible team of trainers. Go through basic all the way to advanced (this helps you to pass the AKC test). It’s not very expensive and it’s an investment in you and your dog’s life together. After this is completed, you can find therapists that will be comfortable in writing ESA letters. If you do not wish to do this, you can look at online options but just be aware of the liability that you carry. Each city is different with dog bite rules and some have a one bite euthanasia rule with no regard for severity and you will also be held personally liable. We want to keep you and your pups happy and safe.

No, we can not prescribe medication but our referral partners do. Some of our referral partners might require you to be seeing a therapist at our practice or to be seeing a therapist in general.

Our fax number is 512-444-7717

We currently take Whole Foods Insurance and Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO. More info can be found here: https://justmind.org/rates-and-insurance/

Our rates for individual therapy vary from $100-$165 and the rate depends on their years of experience. More can be found here: https://justmind.org/rates-and-insurance/

Our rates for couples range from $110-165 and the rate depends on their years of experience and training. More can be found here: https://justmind.org/rates-and-insurance/

No, we do not.

We are located on Spicewood Springs in between Mesa Drive and Loop 360. Our exact address is 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Bldg 1, #1140, Austin, TX 78759. We are across from the new Austin Board of Realtors building. If you put “Just Mind Counseling” in Google Maps or Apple Maps, it will also navigate you to us. https://justmind.org/directions-to-just-mind/

Our matching is done by our scheduling team who all have gone to school for counseling or received a degree in counseling. They listen to your to your needs and match that against our therapist availability, your schedule, and your payment or insurance preferences. The owners of Just Mind also regularly consult with the scheduling team to help with the process as well. It’s a bit of a puzzle but we try to give you the best options available options and the information you need to make an informed choice.

Therapists see clients from 9am till 9pm Monday through Friday and 9am till 8pm on Saturday and Sunday. Each therapist has a different schedule and availability. Our scheduling team will let you know of available options and who is the best fit. Evenings and weekends are most in demand, so please let us know ANY times you may be able to come (morning, lunch, etc). Make an appointment today!

Great question. Our scheduling team is available for regular business hours during the week (8-5pm). Inquiries are responded to as soon as we can but often this means we may have to email or call you back as there is not always someone immediately available. We do make an effort to respond quickly however but we suggest you look at other options if you are in crisis. Make an appointment today!

Nothing other than yourself and anything you think might be helpful to your therapist.

You just need to email or call your therapist. We suggest emailing them so it’s easier to plan for rescheduling. Just a reminder but Just Mind does have a 24 hour cancellation policy. You can call them or email them. Their email is (first name dot last name at Just Mind dot org).

Yes, we have several.