When the same arguments keep circling back, or when silence leaves you feeling alone in your relationship, it’s easy to wonder if you’ll ever feel close again. Many couples face these painful cycles—and they don’t mean your relationship is broken. In this post, Jacey [Last Name], MA, LPC-Associate (supervised by Kerry Williamson, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST), explains how Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) helps partners move beyond conflict patterns, uncover the deeper needs beneath them, and build a stronger foundation of safety and connection.  Read More

When painful experiences from the past shape how you connect in the present, it can feel discouraging—like you’ll never escape old patterns. Many people wonder if having an insecure attachment means they’re stuck with disconnection forever. In this post, Jacey Breedlove, M.Ed., LPC-Associate (supervised by Kerry Williamson, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST), explains how trauma and attachment are connected, why those old stories don’t have to define you, and how therapy can help you build relationships that feel safe, secure, and deeply fulfilling.  Read More

When words fall short, it can feel frustrating and isolating. You may know something is stirring inside, but struggle to put it into language—or feel like talking about it just isn’t enough. In those moments, creativity can offer another way forward. In this post, Lizzie Oekerman, LPC-Associate (supervised by Kerry Williamson, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST), shares how she integrates expressive arts—using art, music, movement, and writing as creative tools—into counseling to support healing and self-discovery for children, teens, and adults alike  Read More

It can be easy to dismiss certain habits as “normal” or “not that bad”—scrolling late into the night, overspending, overeating, or pouring another drink. But when these behaviors begin to feel unmanageable, the shame and secrecy can be overwhelming. In this post, Lizzie Oekerman, LPC-Associate (supervised by Kerry Williamson, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST), explores how addiction counseling offers a safe, nonjudgmental space to understand the “why” beneath the behavior and find new freedom, balance, and connection.  Read More

Amid the excitement of planning a wedding, it’s easy to get caught up in details like venues, guest lists, and travel plans—while overlooking the most important part of it all: your relationship. Premarital counseling is one of the most meaningful investments you can make in your future together. In this post, Lizzie Oekerman, LPC-Associate (supervised by Kerry Williamson, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST), introduces SYMBIS (Save Your Marriage Before It Starts), an evidence-based framework that helps couples build a stronger foundation of connection, communication, and shared vision for the years ahead.  Read More

We all want to feel heard—especially by the people closest to us. In this post, Scott Pratt, MS, LPC-Associate (supervised by Kerry Williamson, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST), explores what validation really means in relationships - and why it’s so much more than simply agreeing. If you’ve ever said “You’re not hearing me,” this one’s for you.  Read More

When pain from the past feels like it's holding you back in the present, it can be hard to imagine a way forward. Even when you've done all the “right” things—talked about it, prayed, tried to move on—you might still feel stuck. In this post, Catherine Cain, MSW, LMSW (supervised by Melissa Gould, LCSW-S), explains how EMDR therapy offers a gentle, effective path toward healing—especially in the places that feel frozen in time.  Read More

When you’re living with OCD, it can feel like its voice is always the loudest—relentless, critical, and exhausting. But therapy offers a new conversation—one where your whole self is welcome, not just the parts that are struggling. In this post, Hannah Park, MA, LPC-Associate, Supervised by: Kerry Williamson, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST, explores what it means to begin that journey with compassion and curiosity.  Read More

Good communication is at the heart of every healthy relationship — but it doesn’t always come naturally. In fact, many couples find themselves stuck in cycles of misunderstanding, defensiveness, or silence, even when they care deeply about each other. In this post, Scott Pratt, MA, LPC-Associate, shares five simple yet powerful ways to improve connection and build trust through everyday conversations.  Read More

We all carry moments we wish we could redo — words unsaid, choices made, relationships strained. In this post, ALCS therapist Carolyn Dixon, LCSW reflects on the power of grace, vulnerability, and moving forward when shame and regret try to keep us stuck. If you’ve ever struggled with guilt or felt weighed down by the past, keep reading for encouragement and hope.  Read More

Do you ever wonder why you feel stuck or overwhelmed by patterns you don’t fully understand? Anxiety, shame, and relational struggles often have roots in our personal stories. Keep reading as ALCS therapist Catherine Cain, MSW, LMSW shares why reflecting on your past isn’t about blame or dwelling - it’s about healing and becoming.  Read More

As our parents age, many of us feel unprepared to be a caregiver. One day, they are the ones guiding and supporting us; the next, we find ourselves in the role of caretaker—navigating medical decisions, financial concerns, and emotional challenges we never anticipated. This shift can feel overwhelming, especially when we’re also balancing careers, raising children, or simply trying to maintain our own well-being. In this post, Julie O’Brien, MA, LPC-Associate, Supervised by Kerry Williamson, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST offers helpful tips on how to navigate the demands of caregiving while maintaining our own mental health.  Read More

ALCS is excited to welcome Hannah Parks, MA, in the very near future. Hannah will be working with children, teens, and adults at our Kyle and North Austin locations. Are you considering therapy for your child for the first time? In this post, Hannah shares practical suggestions for parents as they help their child take this important step.  Read More

During October, Kerry and Rachel have been sharing blogs about their personal experience with breast cancer this past year. In his last blog, Kerry wrote to husbands about how to love their wives well during breast cancer, and this week he offers help for cultivating sexual intimacy after breast cancer. Sexual intimacy after breast cancer can be hard. I guess that sounds obvious as I write it, but...  Read More

During October, Kerry and Rachel have been sharing blogs about their personal experience with breast cancer this past year. This week, Kerry speaks to husbands about how to love their wives well during breast cancer. We hope you'll return for his final post later this month as he offers wisdom for sexual intimacy after breast cancer.  Read More

During October, Kerry and Rachel are sharing about their personal experience with breast cancer this past year. This week, Rachel shares about her faith journey and her experience of being hidden and held during suffering. She hopes to bring comfort and encouragement to others who are hurting as she recounts how God can birth new life from our sorrows.  Read More

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this month, Kerry and Rachel will be sharing a series of blogs about their personal experience with breast cancer this past year. Read on to be introduced to their story, and then return later this month to read Rachel's blog about faith during cancer, and Kerry's blogs about loving a wife well through breast cancer, and sexual intimacy after breast cancer.  Read More

This time of year can bring a lot of jitters for kiddos heading back to school. And sometimes, these jitters may come out in ways that are not so fun for parents. Over my 29 years of experience working with children and adolescents (and raising four adult boys), there are tools and strategies that I have found to be helpful in navigating this transition smoothly. Read on for ways to help your child approach back-to-school with a more positive mindset that will help them experience success.  Read More

Sometimes life can get so chaotic that it begins to take a toll on us before we recognize what is happening. In this blog, Julie O’Brien, MA, LPC-Associate, Supervised by: Kerry Williamson, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST shares a helpful framework for evaluating how we are doing in order to make adjustments. Be sure to download the infographic that she created and uses with clients at the end of the post.  Read More

Communicating effectively can be challenging for many of us—even in everyday situations, but especially in more emotional contexts that can require vulnerability or involve criticism. Here are some recommendations from Rachelle Honohan, LCSW, for becoming better communicators.  Read More

For those who have never been to therapy, the thought of bringing pain into the open may seem a bit intimidating or even scary. While reluctance to share our past or our vulnerabilities is understandable, Julie O’Brien, MA, LPC-Associate, Supervised by: Kerry Williamson, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, CST shares a helpful framework for thinking about the process of therapy, along with reassurance for taking the next step.  Read More

For clients struggling with trauma, anxiety, depression, chronic physical pain, athletic performance anxiety, and behavioral problems who feel "stuck" and unable to make progress with traditional talk therapy, Brainspotting Therapy may be an intervention that can break through frustrating barriers. Nicole Parker, MA, LPC is trained in Brainspotting Therapy and describes it in easy-to-understand- l...  Read More

" I believe in the power of INTIMACY (into-me-you-see), which involves identifying and labeling your emotions as a way to self-regulate your nervous system but also as a way to connect with others."  Read More

Michelle Johnson-MA, LPC | But what happens if what happens isn’t what was supposed to happen? Due to an increasing number of difficulties surrounding infertility, poor health or complications in pregnancy, a history of PTSD, a negative subjective birth experience, having an operative birth (i.e., assisted vaginal or caesarean section), and lack of support during birth (Ayers, 2017), to name a few, some women find themselves tangled in a web of emotions that they neither understand nor can communicate.  Read More