Make an Appointment: 512-572-4215 | [email protected]

  • FAQs

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    Does Dr. Vivyan have openings for new clients?

    Dr. Vivyan currently has a waiting list for new one-on-one therapy clients, and is offering enrollment in the following therapy groups:

    Worry Warriors (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for kids with anxiety symptoms)

    Preeen Anxiety Group (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for preteens with anxiety symptoms)

    Teen Anxiety Group (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for teens with anxiety symptoms)

    Coping in College & Career (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for young adults/college students)

    Parent Coaching (Parent coaching for parents of kids with difficult behaviors at home/school)

    Kids OCD (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention for kids with OCD)

    Teen OCD (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention for teens with OCD)

    Young Adult OCD (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention for young adults with OCD)

    If you are interested in enrolling in any of these groups or joining the waiting list for individual therapy, email [email protected] for more information.

    Group therapy sessions can be covered by your insurance! Send a copy of your insurance card (front and back) to our secure email ([email protected]) to get started on checking your group therapy benefits. 

    How long do therapy sessions typically last? 

    A regular individual therapy session for kids, teens, or young adults is 53 minutes long.

    A parent-only therapy session to help parents manage a younger kid’s behavior or emotions is 26 minutes long.

    What happens during the first therapy session?

    I’ll start with a review of the important paperwork that young adult clients or parents/guardians of kids and teens will need to sign to start therapy. Then, I’ll do a quick review of what confidentiality means and ask you a few questions about safety. With the remaining time, I’ll ask for more information about what’s been bugging you and talk about how I might be able to help. Most people leave the first session feeling better, because they’ve finally taken a step towards the goal!

    How do I know if I (or my child/teen) really need therapy?

    Seeking online therapy is a big step – and if you’re thinking that you might need help now, you probably needed that help a few months or even years ago.

    If you’re a parent, and your child or teen is missing out on school and social event because of their big emotions or behaviors, it’s probably time for therapy.

    If you are a young adult (18-23ish), and your emotions are getting in the way of your schoolwork or your job, it’s also probably time for therapy.

    If you are worried about trying therapy out for the first time, let me be the first to say that I’m ridiculously proud of you for finding this website, and I’m super pumped for you to schedule your consult call with me. I’m not a super scary stuffy psychologist – promise.

    How often will I (or my child/teen) need to come to therapy?

    (short answer) Probably weekly.

    (long answer) If you’re just starting out in therapy, I will give you a weekly time (like Mondays at 3 pm) and I’ll meet with you every week at that time. If I notice that your (or your child/teen’s) worries are particularly GINORMOUS (or there are just a bunch of them), I might recommend that we meet more regularly to get them down to size more quickly.

    How long will I (or my child/teen) need to come to counseling?

    (short answer) It depends. Most people start making changes in 2-5 months of treatment.

    (long answer) It depends on YOU, your child/teen, your parents, your roommate, your partner, your school schedule, your motivation, your symptoms, and your willingness to practice bravery EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. In most people, 8-10 weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) improves symptoms significantly. In my practice, we usually spend 8-10 weeks per area of worries. For example, if your teen is deathly afraid of spiders AND is super worried about moving away from home for college, my guesstimate is that we would spend at least 16-20 weeks together. We will be setting goals and evaluating progress regularly, so you always get to decide if you’re ready to graduate (YAY!) or keep working with me to get to the next level of your bravery (also YAY!).

    Where do sessions take place?

    On a super-secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform that will send you a link before each appointment. You should be located in a quiet, private space in your home (such as an office or bedroom) with the door closed.

    Do I have to be located in Texas to work with Brave Young Minds?

    I am a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Texas, and by law my clients must be located in the state of Texas during sessions unless other arrangements have been made. I am also a member of PSYPACT and may be able to work with you if you are located in one of the states listed here.

    Who do you work with?

    I work with kids, teens, and young adults ages 3 to 23ish who are struggling with anxiety and OCD. I also help parents and guardians with managing tantrums, meltdowns, and aggression.

    Do parents/guardians attend every therapy session?

    For anyone under the age of 18, yes! For safety reasons, parents/guardians are required to be present or available for the entire session when the client is under 18. That means parents/guardians should not leave the house and should not schedule important phone calls during the precious time we get to spend helping your child/teen.

    Parents/guardians always play an important role in the therapy process, whether you’re present for 5 minutes or the entire session. For younger kids, I work mostly with parents/guardians to change the way they are responding to emotions/behaviors at home. For tweens, teens, and college students, most prefer spend a majority of the sessions with me one-on-one, with a quick check-in from parents/guardians as needed.

    Can I eat, drink, or chew gum during my therapy session?

    Yes – as long as it’s not distracting. If you’re munching on a snack and we can’t hear each other over the crunch, just save it for after session please.

    I’ve never talked to anyone. I’m used to handling things on my own. Aren’t people who go to therapy weak?

    Not at all. Having the strength and courage to ask for help is actually really tough for most people. I’m honestly impressed you’re here, and I’m excited to learn about how you want to build on this strength in therapy.

    What’s the difference between talking to you or my best friend or family?

    As a Licensed Psychologist, I have extensive training in helping people to learn more about their mental health and view problems in a different way based on scientific research. Talking with your best friend or family members is so important for your mental health – but sometimes that support is simply not enough to manage what’s going on. Mental health providers also keep your information confidential (with a few rare exceptions), which helps increase openness and honesty in therapy sessions.

    Why shouldn’t I just take medication?

    Medication can be very helpful in managing mental health disorders. However, therapy is proven to be effective for mild to moderate symptoms. For more severe symptoms, medication and therapy together may give the best chance for a happy, healthy life. A psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner might be a helpful team member during our treatment.

    I want to get the most out of therapy. What can I do to help?

    I am so glad you are dedicated to getting the most out of your sessions. Your active participation and dedication is so crucial to your success. If you attend weekly sessions and follow through on therapy homework assignments, you have the best chance at getting the most out of our work together.