713-376-0427
Vanessa Pate Counseling
Providing Individual and Family counseling
Bringing hope and healing to one individual, one family at a time.
About Me
Glad you are here today! My name is Vanessa Pate and as a bilingual licensed mental health counselor, I am committed to creating a warm, inclusive, and compassionate environment where you are supported in becoming your best self. I work primarily with individuals and families who are seeking support regarding issues related to, trauma, anxiety, depression, highly sensitive and/or empathetic persons, adjustment and life transition, grief and loss, interpersonal issues, healthy communication and boundaries, and exploration of life purpose and meaning.
I also enjoy working with children as well as their caregivers. When working with children I utilize child-centered play therapy. This approach allows children to process challenges and communicate through their natural language of play. I work collaboratively with their caregivers by providing them with resources and tools to help connect with their kids.
Above all, I view therapy as a relationship. I come from a place of empathy, vulnerability, and a genuine desire to understand people’s lived experiences. I believe that one of the most important factors in achieving the healing that you desire is to find a therapist who you genuinely connect and feel safe with.
I am a bilingual Spanish and English Licensed Professional Counselor. I received my Bachelor's degree
in Psychology in 2008 and my Master's Degree in Counseling from University of Houston Clear Lake in 2012. I am also trained in Brainspotting.
Issues:
Behavioral Issues
ADHD
Coping Skills
Parenting
Self Esteem
Self-Harming
Stress
Trauma and PTSD
Grief & Loss
Anger Management
Depression & Anxiety
Life Transitions
Infertility
Women's Issues
Separation & Divorce, Infidelity, Remarriage and Blended Families
Domestic Abuse
Brené Brown
"What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful"
Counseling Services
Play Therapy (ages 3 to 8)
Play Therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach primarily used to help children ages 3 to 8 explore their lives and freely express repressed thoughts and emotions through play. Therapeutic play normally takes place in a safe and comfortable playroom where very few rules or limits are imposed on the child, encouraging free expression and allowing the therapist to observe the child’s choices, decisions, and play style. The goal is to help children learn to express themselves in healthier ways, become more respectful and empathetic, and discover new and more positive ways to solve problems. I am trained in both non-directive and directive play therapy. In non-directive play therapy, I allow the child to lead the play, trusting that the child's struggles will naturally arise in their play. I work closely with parents to generate strategies that will help bring resolution to these struggles. I provide an array of expressive art therapies including, play, sand tray, and music.
Family Therapy
Making the decision to seek family counseling can feel overwhelming and even nerve-racking. You may have various questions about the process, such as: will it be helpful?, Will I or my family be judged? Am I to blame for what’s happening in my family? You may have considered it in the past, but for whatever reason, decided against it. If this is you, or someone in your family, you can find relief in knowing that you are in the right place and have taken a huge first step in helping your family thrive. You’re here for a reason! Let’s help you all move forward towards a happier and healthier family life!
Common reasons for family therapy
Adjustment to a new family member in such as the birth of a sibling or adoption
Children coping with divorce
Parental child-rearing conflict
Child behavioral problems at home and school
Therapy Approach
Utilizing an attachment-based and trauma-informed perspective, family therapy is focused on:
Teaching all members of the family developmentally appropriate communication skills
Enhancing and/or repairing relationships destroyed by arguments or trauma.
Developing and maintaining healthy boundaries and roles in the family
Improving problem-solving skills between family members
Understanding how family interactions affect each member of the family
Identifying patterns that are keeping the family “stuck” and experiencing the same negative interactions “over and over again”.
Individual Therapy
Individuals seek therapy for a variety of reasons. I have spent my professional career as a Licensed Professional Counselor, working with adult clients across a diverse range of issues, including: trauma, PTSD, depression, anxiety, low self esteem, parenting stress, relationship conflict, life transitions, grief, and stress management. In individual therapy, we will work as a team to uncover and heal the issues that are preventing you from living an empowered and intentional life. Together we can explore current life challenges, feelings, behaviors and ingrained beliefs that you keep you from living the life that you want. In our time together, we will work through your current challenges, and you will learn to look at suffering as a call to courage, personal growth, and authentic living. It is my goal to give you concrete tools that you can walk away with to enhance your life and relationships. I use an eclectic approach, blending Existential, Client-Centered, Solution- Focused and CBT-informed perspectives.
Online Therapy
Are you unable to attend counseling in person due to scheduling difficulties? Parenting concerns? Health issues? Just because you can’t come in person doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from therapy. In fact, research shows that clients are as or more satisfied with online sessions as in person ones. Here are some of the reasons why:
You may feel more free to express yourself in the comfort of your home.
The online interface feels familiar and comfortable to most people, and provides a sense of safety that allows them to easily engage.
Your therapist will get to see you in your everyday environment, providing a layer of perspective they would not otherwise have.
Brainspotting
"Where you look affects how you feel," David Grand
WHAT IS BRAINSPOTTING?
Brainspotting is a treatment method that works by identifying, processing, and releasing brain/body sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation, and a variety of other challenging symptoms to bring about more healing and wellness. Brainspotting is able to access the deeper parts of our subcortical brain, along with the nervous symptom, to clear some of the emotional energy of experiences that keep us stuck. Whether it’s a traumatic past experience, painful negative emotions, or even physical pain or sensations caused by something psychological, brainspotting can help you overcome it.
WHAT IS A BRAINSPOTTING SESSION LIKE?
A brainspotting session is always collaborative. Once you’ve identified a thought, feeling, or behavior that you want to focus on, you’ll work together with your therapist to find a brainspot that creates some activation. The therapist will also be looking for reflexive cues that you may not even be aware of; this could be rapid blinking, swallowing, a tightening of the jaw, or change in breathing. Every client's experience is different.
Once the brainspot is located, you’ll be encouraged to notice what's happening in your mind and body. Some clients process this out loud and some are silent. Clients have reported quick links of other memories, experiencing body sensations, imagery, or changes in emotional state. Experiencing some mental or physical discomfort can be normal during this process as we need to “feel it to heal it.” The therapist stays attuned to your emotional state and will help guide you through this. Most clients report a lower activation level at the end of a session, but some need multiple sessions to “clear” a concern.
One thing that clients might notice is different with a brainspotting session is that the therapist is less likely to be directive or to point out any observed connections in what the client is reporting. In this way, the client’s brain is better able to make the necessary connections and insight with minimal interference. At the end of the processing, the therapist will leave time to debrief the session and discuss ways to support you between sessions.
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM BRAINSPOTTING?
Brainspotting is for anyone that feels “stuck” on a concern; for those that “just can’t get over it.” Brainspotting can be used for almost any concern you would bring to counseling, from a traumatic event to concerns around finances. The following list are some examples of concerns that brainspotting can help with:
All forms of trauma or emotionally charged experiences
Anxiety
Anger management
Grief
Depression
Relationship concerns
Shame
Impulse control issues
Performance issues
Brainspotting can be a nice addition to traditional talk therapy or can stand on its own. If you are interested in seeing if Brainspotting could be helpful for you, please send me a message.
Payment Methods
Insurance
Vanessa Pate Counseling does not take insurance, but can provide you with a superbill that you can file with your insurance company for reimbursement should you choose. Insurance companies require a diagnosis in order to reimburse services.
You and/or your child's treatment information and diagnosis are accessible by your insurance company if claims are filled. They have the right to review any information pertinent to your treatment plan in order to determine reimbursement. You have the right to choose not to involve the insurance company in treatment.
Private Pay
To pay for counseling, you are solely responsible for the entire fee. For some families, this is the preferred method of payment. It allows families to retain control of the privacy of their mental health information. Payment is due at the time of each session unless otherwise discussed. Cash and all major credit cards are accepted.
Counseling Fees
Cost per Session: $150
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost.
Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services.
You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call (800) 985-3059.
Contact Me
719 Sawdust Rd, Suite 104
The Woodlands , Texas 77381
USA
713-376-0427