Talk can change your life

Therapy for Children, Adolescents, Adults, Couples and Families

Our professionals can help you clarify your feelings, thoughts and goals to see new possibilities for growth and change in your life. For couples and families, a trained, calm and helpful observer and guide can not only pinpoint problems in relationships, but also facilitate communication and help you move toward stronger, more effective and secure connections.

Our APS professionals have an average of over 20 years of experience helping Austinites and Central Texans build happier lives and more fulfilling relationships.

We also offer divorce and post divorce counseling, including collaborative divorce services. Some of our doctors work with young children and adolescents.

Group Therapy for Adults and Young Adults

Group psychotherapy has been shown to be highly effective in treating depression, social anxiety and other disorders. It is also a very cost-effective way to obtain treatment. (See The Wall Street Journal article, “No Joke: Group Therapy Offers Savings in Numbers,” March 24, 2009.)

Group psychotherapy (group therapy) is a form of psychotherapy in which one or two therapists treat a small group of clients together. The term can refer to any form of psychotherapy in a group format, but the APS doctors are specialists in psychodynamic and modern analytic groups. In these groups the interpersonal context and group process is explicitly utilized as a mechanism of change by developing, exploring and examining interpersonal relationships within the group. Group therapy is a collaborative effort among the group members and the group therapist. Group members work with each other and the leader to talk openly and honestly about their problems and help each other grow and change. The group becomes an in vivo opportunity for members to observe how they relate to others, learn from peers, gain hope and information, and correct unconscious destructive behaviors in an open, safe, and supportive atmosphere.

In-house Psychiatrists for Medication Management

Dr. Katie Maxwell sees patients in need of medication and collaborates with our psychologists in providing both medication and talk therapy. Many patients appreciate the convenience of having both their doctors in the same office.

Consultation to Individuals, Organizations and Other Professionals

The APS doctors have extensive training and experience in professional consultation with businesses, organizations, and individuals. Consultation topics include morale issues, personality differences, program improvement, workplace stress, skill optimization, work efficiency, process evaluations, communication problems, legal challenges, management effectiveness and organizational development.

Life Transitions Counseling

Normal life transitions, such as becoming a new parent, embarking upon a different career, going back to school, losing a spouse to divorce or death, starting to date again after many years of marriage, blending families upon remarriage, caring for aging parents, and retirement can all be difficult and stressful at times. Knowing what to do next and stepping out into the unknown can be a real challenge. Sometimes it is extremely helpful to have a wise counselor to help you make decisions and implement them in the way that works best for you.

Focused and Time-Limited Groups

Therapists lead groups devoted to particular topics, such as mindfulness, men’s issues, parenting issues, and improving social skills.

Mindfulness

Presently, mindfulness-based treatments provide some of the most effective and empirically supported psychotherapeutic treatments for addressing a wide range of psychological conditions while improving one’s well-being. Some have found the benefits so powerful that mindfulness has been called the “essential ingredient” for effective psychotherapy (Germer, 2005, p. 4). While there are many different definitions of mindfulness, Jon Kabat-Zinn, the co-developer of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), concisely defines mindfulness as “moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness” (Gazella, 2005, p. 59). Recently, MBSR was reported by ABC News (Conley, 2012) to be one of the best “evidence-based prevention, intervention programs” available for managing mental health issues. Dr. Wilson is the only MBSR certified psychologist in Austin, and he received his formal training from Dr. Bob Stahl and Dr. Maryanna Klatt of Ohio State University School of Allied Medicine. He actively utilizes mindfulness-based treatments in his clinical and consulting practices.

Professional Mental Health Supervision and Training

APS professionals provide clinical supervision and training for Psychologists, Social Workers, Psychological Associates, Marriage and Family Therapists, Pastoral Counselors and Licensed Professional Counselors in the Central Texas area. Supervision can occur in individual sessions, group sessions, and in study and training groups. We value the opportunity to teach other therapists the art, the theory and the techniques of psychotherapy and their application to clinical practice.

Community Education and Training

The APS professionals make presentations and conduct training modules on a wide rage of psychological topics, such as Mindfulness, Managing Stress, Post-partum Depression, and Marital Challenges.

Insurance

If you would like to use your medical insurance to see an APS doctor, please call our Office Manager, who will tell you if that doctor takes your insurance and will answer your questions about it.

Remote Services (Telephone Counseling)

The doctors at APS offer some services by means of the telephone. Initial meetings are usually held in the office, but follow-up sessions may be conducted remotely.