The overview
The Austin area is saturated with mental health providers specializing in a variety of therapies, Schroeder said, with local higher education institutions such as The University of Texas at Austin, St. Edward’s University and Texas State University helping put out social workers, psychologists and more.
Some of these therapy specializations include grief and trauma counseling; postpartum depression; stress management; and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, or EMDR.
Despite the saturation, a 2024 Mental Health America report showed Texas ranked 44th in adult mental health and 15th in youth mental health.
Cost and accessibility is often a barrier, while others may delay therapy out of feeling vulnerable or judged by a stranger, Schroeder said.
“[The new year] is often a time where—from the data side—people start making those changes,” Schroeder said. “I do think it’s something whereas benefits reset and things like that, people start looking at, ‘How do I make this year different?’”
Just Mind Counseling therapists say the process of starting a therapy journey can look like:
- Knowing the signs of when to consider therapy
- Understanding individual goals, challenges and needs out of therapy
- Doing research
- Considering the financial implications
- Scheduling an initial session or consultation
- Gathering any questions, concerns or documents needed before the first session
- Committing to going
Schroeder said utilization for mental health services has increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the insurance company side, he said, covering these services might not be modeled into their care. On the clinician side, more local providers seem to take insurance, but Schroeder said this can present challenges if insurers increase their rates.
"There's the [therapist’s] desire for accessibility that exists, and yet there's also the fundamental principle of being able to survive on the rates that are there,” Schroeder said. “Over the next five to 10 years, we're going to see more people leave the field just because it's really hard to survive taking insurance—because insurance [companies] like to play these different games."
What the experts say
It’s important to understand an individual's needs going into therapy, Schroeder said, and to make note of any provider preferences, such as their age, gender or cultural background.
Talking with health care providers, friends, family members or using an online directory such as Psychology Today can also help people find a therapist that fits their needs, he said.
“It's really important to kind of gut check the [therapist] and see if it feels right,” Schroeder said. “Sometimes you can find somebody that looks great on paper, and then you get in there, and it's like watching paint dry.”
While therapy helps build the skills and coping mechanisms needed to make lasting change, Schroeder said it may require work to “lift some of the fog” before feeling like you’re able to commit to one, and he suggests:
- Finding what feels easy and accessible first, such as joining a local support group
- Journaling or reading therapy blogs
- Talking with a health care provider about starting medication
The structure of therapy sessions vary, Schroeder said, and it’s important to know the provider’s style. Some may be more directive and give clients homework or goals to work on, while others offer a less structured approach.
Telehealth therapy has also expanded access, but Schroeder said it could lead to providers missing major body language cues.
“When you're in a room with somebody, you get that energy in a different way from them,” Schroeder said. “That can also be very demonstrative and important of knowing a variety of different things, like if what you're doing is actually working.”
While each experience will differ, Schroeder said it’s important for people to check in with how they feel at the end of each session to make sure their therapist is a good fit, and that they:
- Feel like they're making progress
- Feel their therapist’s approach and feedback is effective
- Feel respected, heard and valued
