Welcome,
You can call me Carlene.
When you need someone to walk alongside you in those dark and gloomy times, be sure I’ll be right next to you.
I will provide non-judgmental support to help you gain clarity, confidence, and compassion for yourself and the pain you are experiencing. I can help you explore what you are feeling and make sense of the confusion and overwhelm.
This life journey is full of ups and downs, and beginnings and endings. These changes and transitions occur suddenly leaving us feeling jarred, confused, and frustrated. When you’re at that point, there is no shame to seek extra help. We all need support at times in our lives and I see it as a strength, not a weakness, to reach out for it. It helps us grow and gain new perspectives on issues.
I believe in you. I know you have an innate ability to navigate these trying times in your life and I also understand the need for support- to be seen, feel heard and acknowledged. As humans, we are made to connect and seek support in times of change or distress that’s why it pays to have a safe place to explore and equip ourselves with tried and trusted tools, ideas, and solutions.
I want you to know you are not alone. My own journey in counseling led me to become a therapist. I pursued counseling to help get relief during periods of intense trauma and loss, both as a child and as an adult.
When I first sought counseling, I didn’t know what to expect. I just knew I needed support and relief from the overwhelming emotions I was feeling. The therapist walked the journey with me – she didn’t try to change what I was experiencing, but sought to understand, help normalize my experience, and gave me tools to regulate my nervous system. She also helped me find the wisdom within myself.
I felt heard, seen, and accepted for who I was – my whole self. I developed more compassion and gentleness for myself as a human being on this life journey. I felt more empowered to make decisions, to assert myself, and to be in relationship with others.
My personal experience and expert knowledge of attachment, mindfulness, and interpersonal neurobiology informs my work with clients, both adults and teenagers, from diverse backgrounds. This has helped them gain more awareness, understanding, and compassion towards themselves and others.
I invest in myself through extensive training in order to support you with a variety of tools. I also have personal experience in these models as well which helps me be a better clinician.I have training and experience in individual and couples therapy approaches as well as approaches used to work with trauma including Complex PTSD. I have training and experience in the following therapeutic approaches- Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT), Gottman Method Couples Therapy, NARM (Neuro Affective Relational Model) for Complex Trauma, Somatic Experiencing: Body-Centered Trauma Therapy (Intermediate), EMDR Therapy, Dynamic Enriched Experiential Psychotherapy (DEEP), Positive Discipline Parenting Approach, Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), and Sandtray Therapy.
I am a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) here in Texas. I received a Master of Arts in Counseling from St. Edward’s University, and hold a Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Family Relationships from the University of Texas at Austin. My education has helped me understand why we behave as we do as humans. I believe every thing we do makes sense from a survival perspective. My aim is not to pathologize you, but to help you make sense of why you do what you do with compassion and understanding.
I have worked with children, teens, and families for more than 20 years in a variety of settings, including preschools, a residential treatment center, public schools, mental health agencies, and a group therapy practice. My experience working in mental health agencies and in the public schools, as both a general education and a special education teacher, has helped me understand the environment and pressures that children, adolescents, parents, and teachers are facing today. I have worked with teens who have had significant challenges with emotional regulation, interpersonal skills, and provided the behavioral intervention strategies they needed to be successful in the classroom.
I am a strong believer in self-care! When I’m not working, you will find me enjoying time with my family and outside enjoying the beauty of Central Texas. I am a triathlete, marathoner, half-marathoner, and love being a part of Austin’s culture of health and active lifestyles.
I am dedicated to helping you overcome life’s curveballs. I launched Relationships Matter Therapy to make quality counseling more accessible. Those I’ve worked with were glad they found me. I have watched them make huge shifts in their life for the better. Providing them with more connection within and with their loved ones. This gives me joy. And I’d like you to experience more of what you want in your life as well.
Feel free to get in touch, together we’ll explore what is challenging you and the goals you have for therapy and creating a fulfilling life based on your wants and needs. I am here to guide you and support you in fulfilling those goals. Don’t let more time go by living a life that isn’t what you want.
Please call me at 512-994-0432 or kindly complete the form on here to request an appointment.
I look forward to speaking with you.
Much love,
Carlene