Counseling
Counseling Services in Austin TX
Psychotherapy driven psychiatry means counseling is at the heart of our mission at Pondworks. Wherever you may find yourself, we want to help you take charge of your emotional health. Supportive, warm, and direct counseling is a great place to start.
Pondworks providers are unique in their commitment to quality by not only offering medical care, but also counseling (talk therapy or psychotherapy). We are passionate about engaging our patients in a recovery and growth oriented psychiatry. In our Austin care community our dedication to providing psychotherapy (counseling) is truly unique and helps us stand out from the crowd.
What is Counseling?
Counseling at its core is the simple healing benefit we feel when we are understood or feel safe with someone. There is an elegant and simple power to us just being allowed to talk openly with another person.
What Kind of Counselor is Right for Me
Whether you engage with a psychologist, psychiatrist, nurse practitioner or another type of provider, you can find a therapeutic treatment that benefits you. What makes medical providers who engage in counseling unique is our ability to integrate mind and body. We can identify overlapping physical health issues and also help you decide what type or level of care you might need.
Who Can Call Themselves Counselors?
Many different individuals, with varying levels of training, call themselves “counselors.” The title may include such diverse groups as life coaches, spiritual advisors, the clergy and even financial advisors. While many different individuals may be able to help, it’s always a good idea to be cautious and to find a licensed professional for counseling in Austin, especially considering the highly personal nature of talk therapy.
Any provider you see at Pondworks will be either a psychiatrist (medical doctor) or a master’s degree level or higher nurse practitioner. If your Pondworks provider refers you to another talk therapist, it most often will be one of the following (their Texas credentialing board requirements are also listed):
- Psychologist (PhD or doctorate level)
- Licensed Clinical (Master) Social Worker (LCSW),(LMSW)
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Counseling in Austin
If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, or another condition that is interfering with your well-being, we recommend first seeing a psychotherapy providing psychiatric professional for evaluation. A psychiatric provider can offer talk therapy or counseling, but will also consider your symptoms in the context of your overall medical health.
Pondworks Counselor and Patient Relationship
A Pondworks new patient evaluation starts with an hour long appointment. That’s a lot of time to listen and gain understanding about your problem, begin to learn your history, and determine what the next steps are. Historically, psychiatrists have assumed the role of medication prescribers and abdicated counseling and psychotherapy to other types of providers. At Pondworks, though, we do both. Our providers can prescribe medication and do psychotherapy. We believe in the power of getting to know our patients, and that takes time.
Safe, Secure, Trusted Place For Counseling in Austin TX
All Pondworks staff are conscientious about patient privacy. We know that our patients share very personal information with us, and we work hard to honor that trust. Some of the ways we protect patient privacy are by training our employees in HIPAA practices, guarding patients’ records, not using methods of communication that are not secure (such as email), and omitting personal identifying information when we do need to discuss patient care.
Pondworks Psychiatry | Counseling in Austin TX
For counseling in Austin, please click the link below to schedule a chat with a mental health provider.
