Therapists for college students near Houston, TX

College can feel overwhelming. Many of the students I work with are dealing with anxiety, academic pressure, burnout, relationship stress, or uncertainty about their future. I work best with students who feel stuck, overthinking everything, or constantly stressed but still trying to hold it all together. Whether you’re struggling with motivation, confidence, major decisions, or the pressure to figure out your direction, therapy can help you regain clarity and control. My approach is practical, supportive, and focused on real-life tools you can use right away. We’ll work together to manage anxiety, improve coping skills, and create a clear path forward. Before becoming a therapist, I worked as a school counselor helping students navigate academic stress, mental health challenges, and major life decisions. I also have experience working with student veterans and individuals adjusting to major life transitions. If you’re looking for a therapist who is easy to talk to and focused on real progress, I’d be glad to connect. Insurance is accepted through Headway and SonderMind. Please contact me to verify your specific plan and coverage.

Welcome! I'm Alison Bankston, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas. I work with adolescents and adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, life transitions, relationship concerns, self-esteem, and stress. My background includes working in both school counseling and private practice settings, supporting individuals through some of life's most challenging seasons. I have experience working with veterans, adolescents, young adults, and individuals coping with grief, identity concerns, family conflict, and major life changes. My approach is warm, collaborative, and person-centered. I integrate evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills while tailoring treatment to each client's unique needs and goals. I believe therapy should be a space where you feel heard, respected, and supported as you work toward meaningful change. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, stuck, navigating a loss, or simply looking for a place to process life's challenges, I would be honored to walk alongside you in your healing journey.

Let's be real. Anxiety is a b!tch. You know the kind I mean. Heart racing, chest tight, skin crawling, lying awake at 3am when you have to be up at 6. The kind that doesn't care how put-together you look on the outside. Most of my clients grew up in environments where they had to stay on guard just to get through the day. Emotionally unsafe, physically unsafe, or both. They learned early that keeping quiet, going along with things, and making themselves small was the smartest way to avoid getting hurt. And it worked, for a while. The problem is, survival strategies don't just turn off. So now you're people-pleasing in relationships you're not happy in. Biting your tongue when you should be speaking up. Telling yourself "it's fine" when it's really, really not. You know that voice in your head that says I should be over this by now? That's not clarity. That's the trauma talking. Here's what I see in my clients before they start working with me: they're exhausted. Not tired, exhausted. Drained by the constant hum of worry. Distant from the people they care about. Too spent to return a text, too anxious to be present, too guarded to actually rest. They carry it all in their chest like a weight they've stopped noticing because it's been there so long. You deserve something different. Not "managed" anxiety. Not white-knuckling your way through the week. Actually different. Setting your own terms. Saying no without a three-paragraph apology. Showing up in your relationships without shrinking. Feeling okay in your own skin without needing someone else's approval first. If you want to ditch the anxiety, break out of people-pleasing, and finally start living on your own terms, I'd love to help you get there.

Are you tired of struggling with constant thoughts about food, your body, and exercise? I'm passionate about helping you to achieve a balanced relationship with food, find peace and acceptance in your body, and take steps towards a more fulfilling life. I will provide you with support, guidance and compassion as we navigate the growth and changes that come with eating disorder recovery. My approach to treatment is personalized for the unique needs of each of my clients and incorporates a number of evidence-based modalities. As a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, I know that eating disorders are NEVER just about the food. I will also work with you to identify the underlying issues; including depression, anxiety and life stressors that have contributed to your distressing thoughts and behaviors. I believe that no matter what stage of life you're in, therapy can be beneficial. If you’re ready to work through the challenges that have kept you stuck, I'd love to be that safe space and provide the accountability, support, and empathy you need. If you'd like to talk more before scheduling a session, I offer a free 15 minute phone consultation to answer any questions you have and see if we might be a good fit to work together.

Our Counseling Practice: we offer outpatient, individualized, psychological care. We treat a number of mental health disorders, and provide a neutral ground to individuals, families, and couples. We are willing to use or avoid using passages from the Christian Bible in sessions. Our Treatment Focus: to help individuals heal, energize, and become aware of their inner strengths through counseling. We achieve this by providing a neutral safe space, listening to your concerns, and customizing a treatment plan. Our Patient Promise: we promise to be there for you every step of your journey. Our goal is to help you grow from your struggles, heal from your pain, and move forward to where you want to be in your life.

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Life hasn’t gone the way you thought it would. Maybe you’re grieving someone or something important, navigating chronic illness, or facing a major life change that’s left you questioning who you are. You might look “fine” on the outside but you feel lost, disconnected, or just tired of holding it all together. Deep down you want to feel at peace - to rediscover your sense of purpose, rebuild your confidence, find your new normal, and reconnect with the part of yourself you’ve had to leave behind. I offer a calm, supportive space to process what you’re going through - without judgment or pressure. Using a trauma-informed, person-centered approach, I help clients explore self-compassion, resilience, and growth. Together, we’ll uncover what healing looks like for you and take it one day at a time. You don’t have to face this alone. Healing doesn’t mean pretending everything’s okay - it’s about honoring your story and finding new ways forward. We might laugh, maybe even curse a little, but we’ll always keep it real. If you’re ready to begin again, I’d be honored to walk alongside you. I specialize in helping individuals who are experiencing chronic illness, life transitions, and grief as well as suicidal thoughts and psychosis. Chronic Illness: Living with a chronic illness can impact every part of your life - your identity, your relationships, your energy, and your sense of control. Together, we’ll make space for the frustration, fear, and grief that can come with ongoing health challenges. We’ll explore ways to honor your body’s limits while still creating a fulfilling, meaningful life that feels like yours again. Life Transitions: Change, even when it’s “supposed” to be positive, can feel unsettling. Whether you’re adjusting to a move, a career shift, becoming a caregiver, or adjusting to a new phase of life, I’ll help you slow down, reflect, and find your new normal. Our work will focus on clarity, self-compassion, and building resilience as you move through uncertainty and rediscover your footing. Grief: Grief isn’t something to “get over.” It’s a process of learning how to carry what’s been lost and find moments of peace amongst the pain. Whether you’re mourning a loved one, a part of yourself, or a life that didn’t go as planned, we’ll navigate that process together - with gentleness, honesty, and the space to just be where you are. Suicidal Thoughts: If you’ve ever felt like giving up or that things will never get better, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to go through it alone. I offer a non-judgmental space to talk openly about these thoughts, identify what keeps you going, and find ways to reduce pain and increase safety. Healing begins with honesty, and it’s okay to start wherever you are. Psychosis: If you are living with psychosis, it can feel confusing, isolating, or overwhelming. Together, we’ll work to understand your experiences, identify triggers, and develop grounding and coping strategies that help you feel more in control of your life. My approach emphasizes empathy, collaboration, and restoring confidence — helping you find meaning, safety, and connection while honoring your lived experience. Professional Experience: I began my career in 2014 and have since worked in a variety of settings, including crisis services, partial hospitalization (PHP), and community mental health. Over the years, I’ve supported individuals navigating depression, anxiety, chronic illness, grief, suicidal ideation, self-harm, psychosis, major life transitions, and much more. My work has included crisis intervention, safety planning, clinical assessment, and ongoing therapy focused on building self-compassion and resilience. These experiences have shaped my belief that growth happens when we feel seen, supported, and empowered to take life one step at a time. Next Steps: Start with free 15-minute consultation to see if we’re a good fit. We’ll briefly discuss your goals, what’s bringing you to therapy, and answer any questions you may have about the process. Reach out to me via my website, email, or phone. Please allow 24-48 business hours for me to return contact to inquiries.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

I am a licensed professional counselor based in Houston, Texas, with over 15 years of experience supporting individuals and families through life’s most challenging moments. My background includes 10 years as a high school guidance counselor and 5 years in private practice, where I’ve had the privilege of working with adolescents, couples, and adults from diverse backgrounds. My areas of focus include depression, anxiety, substance use, relationship and marital concerns, domestic violence, self-harm, and stress management. I am deeply committed to creating a safe, empathetic, and nonjudgmental space where clients can explore their experiences and work toward meaningful change. Whether you're navigating a personal crisis, seeking to strengthen your relationships, or simply looking for support, I bring compassion, professionalism, and evidence-based strategies to help you meet your goals.

Feeling stressed, stuck, or just plain overwhelmed? Let’s talk (no couch required!). I believe that finding a therapist who is the right fit for you is the most important part of the process. If you’re looking to heal from traumatic experiences, explore your interpersonal relationships, and clarify your life’s values, I might be the right fit for you. I have been trained in a range of evidence-based, short and long term trauma and depression therapy approaches.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), I am dedicated to providing a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore your personal, academic, and emotional goals. I believe that college is a time of significant growth, and my approach is centered on empowering you to navigate life transitions, manage stress, and build healthy coping skills. Whether you are dealing with anxiety, relationship challenges, or simply seeking personal growth, we will collaborate to create a personalized plan that supports your well-being. Together, we will work toward fostering resilience and achieving a balanced, fulfilling college experience.

Have you felt like everyday is a treadmill that's going too fast? Feeling guilty for taking time for yourself? Having doubts like: Am I in the right career? Are the people around me good for me? Why do I keep arguing with my family? Is there a disconnect within your social or cultural identity? Maybe the sense of belonging comes with straddling two or more cultures. Feeling overwhelmed by the weight of heavy expectations? Any of these issues can bring stress, confusion, regret, and a sense of isolation. I would love to help. I'm a child of Chinese immigrants trying to make the world a better place, one person at a time. I help people navigate cultural identity, relationships, anxiety, depression and mental well-being practices with an approach that blends cognitive therapy, behavioral strategies, mindfulness, and culturally responsive perspectives. I work with clients collaboratively to cultivate healthy mindsets, sense of purpose, and balance that allows us to thrive. I'm a child of immigrants trying to make the world a better place, one person at a time. I understand how complex and winding this journey can be. My goal is to provide a safe, non-judgmental space to share your story and build a more mindful, joyful life. When you're ready to take a step towards a more balanced life, please reach out - I'd love to help.

Accepting New Clients in TEXAS, IOWA, ARIZONA and KANSAS ! Welcome to Mind Connection Behavioral Health where your mental health is our priority. We are committed to providing you with exceptional mental health and psychiatric services, and delivering high quality care to patients of all ages. Our goal is to make you feel valued and not numbered. I am a Doctoral-Prepared Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. My goal is to build trust and develop lasting relationship with you by providing a positive, unique, and life-changing experience tailored to your needs using evidence-based practices. I am here to listen to you and collaborate with you. I am so happy you have taken a step forward to better your mental health. Remember, you only live once. Let's make it great. I look forward to working with you.

Alicia Thomas, MS, LPC specializes in working with teens (17+) and adults. Her goal is to partner with her clients as they travel on their journey to healing from trauma, grief, relationship issues, and depression. In working with Alicia, you can expect a personalized experience based on your background, needs, and goals.

As a licensed counselor with over 15 years of experience in educational, online, and clinical settings, I specialize in supporting college students as they navigate the unique challenges of academic life, personal growth, and adulthood. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed by stress, struggling with anxiety or depression, experiencing relationship difficulties, or simply trying to find your direction, I’m here to help. I provide a warm, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where you can speak openly, explore your experiences, and build the tools you need to feel more balanced and confident. My approach is collaborative and flexible, combining evidence-based strategies with genuine care and respect for your individual journey. You don’t have to go through it alone—therapy can be a space to reconnect with yourself and move forward with clarity and purpose.

You’re juggling a lot. Classes, work, friends, family, money, maybe figuring out who you are and what you actually want from life. And somewhere in the middle of all that, your mental health is supposed to “keep up.” My practice is here for that in-between space—when things aren’t exactly falling apart, but they’re definitely not okay. I work with college students who are dealing with anxiety, overthinking, burnout, relationship stress, grief, and big life transitions. Together, we slow things down, sort through the noise, and build practical tools you can actually use in real life. Sessions are judgment-free, conversational, and tailored to you—no pressure to be “put together” or say the perfect thing. You can come as you are: exhausted, unsure, overwhelmed, or just curious about therapy. If you’re ready to feel a little less stuck and a little more like yourself again, you’re in the right place.

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Is life supposed to look like this? Is this how I’m supposed to feel? How many times have you asked yourself these questions, questioned why you are on this earth, questioned your existence? For me, the answer is that I have asked myself this countless times. Most of my life I had people tell me who I was. What I was allowed to say, what I was allowed to feel, what my opinions should or should not be. I was expected to conform, to not take up space, to obey. I never felt like I belonged anywhere. I longed for it. I wanted to know myself. I wanted to be seen. So, I went to therapy. My therapist helped me acknowledge the distorted mirror that had been held up in front of my face for so long by others. She helped me stop waiting for others to see me, to validate me, and guided me to my own gut-wrenchingly painful but oh so beautiful journey of self-exploration and healing. I wish that I could say to you that I have always had a strong identity and sense of self, but the truth is that I needed someone to let me know that they saw me. That they understood me. Have you ever felt seen? I mean really seen. Seen for everything you are. The rawness that comes with that. It makes us feel alive, it validates us, it permeates us with energy. Energy to engage, energy to connect, energy to contribute. I want to help you become a reflection of your highest self. I want to help you get to know you. I want to weather the storm of life with you, be there to see you in your most exquisite moments but also in your most broken. I specialize in working with relationship concerns, men’s issues, and trauma work (I do EMDR which is a specialized treatment for trauma. I also help with alcohol and substance-use that is causing you concern (or curiosity), old coping mechanisms stemming from childhood, existential depression, anxiety, and relationship stressors. As a therapist, I want to help my clients relinquish their stories of pain and help them move towards a future that no longer feels limited. SO, let’s begin. Let me provide you a safe, warm, judgement-free, space of acceptance. A space to be seen. A space to heal and grow. I am so excited to see you. The Story: As I consider what initially drew me to the field of psychology, a quote by Robert Frost comes to mind: “The best way out is through”. By age 10, I had already lived a life full of adversity. Receiving therapy to help sort through painful experiences was transformative and my therapist was kind, gentle, full of empathy, respectful, and empowering. My biggest takeaway from therapy was how crucial the therapeutic relationship is; so much more work, growth, and healing can be done when you feel safe with your therapist, when you feel they really see you and understand you. You can always count on me to be genuinely myself when we are together, to be a human with another human. I knew since I was ten years old that I wanted to be able to help people heal. I knew that I wanted to listen to all those intricate details that are woven together that makes up someone’s life story. I wanted to sit there on the floor with someone, help them pick up the pieces, sort through them, notice each piece, and help put things back together. I learned early that pain can travel through family lines until someone is ready to heal it in themselves. I wanted to encourage others that by going through the pain or growth, will allow for the cycle to be broken, for the pattern to end there. It’s incredibly sacred work and incredibly meaningful. I also knew it was going to be a long road to be able to get where I needed to be so that I could offer this to others. I’m thankful to be here now with you. I’m now equipped with my PhD and more life experiences than it might appear at first glance. My Training: I began my pursuit of a career as a psychologist at Texas Tech University where I received my Bachelor of Arts in psychology. I then attended the University of Louisville where I completed my Master’s degree in counseling psychology. I finalized my education at the University of Missouri- Columbia where I received my Doctorate (Ph.D.) in counseling psychology. Through so many years of experience and education, countless hours of research, and looking at the science of everything, I have found that the most crucial part of helping a person heal, is the therapeutic relationship. If we don’t like or trust someone, how in the world can we open up and allow someone to know us intimately enough to help facilitate our own healing? I specialize in working with trauma of all kinds and have obtained my certification as an EMDR therapist (a type of trauma healing therapy). I also have spent a lot of time working with addictions and believe that addiction is not about the substance itself but rather it’s about the pain that fuels the desire to use the substance. I also enjoy working with life anxieties and stressors, family of origin concerns, inner-child healing, relational issues, grief, and so many other things! Can you tell my training has been eclectic? I believe that everyone is unique and there is not a one size fits all method of therapy. I tailor my work to each individual and their needs and goals. Some concepts and theories that inform my work are attachment theory (childhood experiences effect how we see ourselves and others), trauma informed care, interpersonal, relational, and feminist theory (all components of our identities and environments we are in impact us). My Commitment: Every step I have taken in my life has brought me here; to being a psychologist. I look at past experiences I have had as ways of deeply understanding my clients and their struggles. You can trust that I will sit with you, as a human sitting with another human (not some therapy robot), and express genuine empathy and compassion towards you and your story. We will take time to create a relationship that you can believe in, that you can depend on, and feel safe in. I want to spend my time empowering you, helping you feel inconceivably brave, unloading some of the pain you might have been carrying, watching you gain inner peace, and allowing yourself to be seen. It is my privilege to be able to sit and listen to you and be your guide on this journey.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Gary Stittgen Jr. is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Texas specializing in anxiety, stress, marriage counseling & divorce, parenting, and other relationship concerns. Over his eight years of experience in the mental health field, Gary has developed a focus on communication, social-emotional aspects, and reality-based problem solving to assist clients in achieving their therapeutic goals. Gary uses evidence-based techniques, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), two therapy modalities that encourage clients to understand the influence of their thoughts and feelings on their behaviors. Gary’s ultimate goal is to help clients free themselves from the unhelpful behaviors and cognitive distortions that are unhelpful to their achievement of their ultimate goals. As a Certified Yoga Instructor, he also incorporates elements of mindfulness and yoga into his sessions. Gary is dedicated to finding a treatment plan that works for each client. To this end, initial sessions with Gary include a diagnostic evaluation, an orientation to his therapeutic approaches, treatment planning, and then the start of therapeutic work by session three. Gary earned his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Statistics from Loyola University of Chicago and his Master of Social Work degree from Fordham University. Prior to private practice, Gary worked in psychiatric hospitals, community mental health organizations and substance use clinics—providing him with broad expertise to best meet the needs of each client.