Most of the time, people are able to handle challenges on their own, or with the support of family and friends. However, sometimes people need additional objective support.

Psychotherapy is the term describing a form of psychological treatment. It is used to treat a number of mental health issues. Psychotherapy is an effective and proven means to help people deal with emotional and behavioral issues. It is a relationship between the client and a qualified therapist that takes place within a structured environment that promotes trust, positive regard and collaboration.

A Psychiatrist is a trained medical doctor, who has a trained specialty in psychotropic medication (medication for mental health conditions). This means they can and do prescribe medications. They also spend much of their time with patients on medication management as a course of treatment. They are the only mental health professional licensed to prescribe medications.

A Clinical Psychologist is a trained psychology doctor, who has trained exclusively on mental health conditions, research of mental illness, assessment of mental health issues, and treatment of mental health issues. They focus extensively on psychotherapy, assessment, and treating emotional and mental suffering in patients with therapeutic interventions. A Licensed Clinical Psychologist also has a total of 6,700 to 11,600 supervised clinical training hours along with 4-7 years of graduate education prior to being eligible for the licensing exams. At this level Texas has three licensing exams that must be passed. A licensed Psychologist spends the extra educational years focusing on advanced therapeutic skills and identifying complex mental disorders.

A Counselor or Social Worker is trained in mental health, just less extensively. They have earned a bachelor’s degree, up to two years of graduate studies and approximately 3,000 supervised clinical training hours. All of this is required to be eligible for the licensing exams. At this level, Texas has two licensing exams that must be passed.

When you meet with a Psychologist it is an opportunity to talk openly about your concerns and feelings in a comfortable, confidential and supportive setting. Sessions are approximately 50 minutes long. There is no way to predict how many sessions will be necessary. Therapy works best when the client takes an active role in collaborating with the psychologist in each and every session.

Unfortunately, a therapist’s availability is limited and there is a cost associated with therapeutic calls. Most non-clinical issues can be handled through the administrative support.

Not at this time.

Call 24 hours in advance to prevent any late notice/missed appointment fees. Illnesses, family and work emergencies will be evaluated depending on circumstances.

Payment is expected at the time of service unless previous arrangements have been made. We will collect according to coverage and plan. We will also file claims on your behalf. We accept cash/self-pay clients as well as insured clients. We will confirm benefits prior to your session.

We will send you paperwork prior to your session, and if convenient, you can print it, fill it out and bring it with you to your first session. You can also download the New Client Information paperwork from the Download Forms tab on the home page of the website. If you do not have an opportunity to do this, then please plan on arriving at least 20 minutes to complete it. The receptionist in the waiting area/lobby on the third floor where our office is located will have copies available for you if needed. The Intake/New Client Paperwork must be filled out, initialed and signed in the appropriate places in its entirety before the session can start.

That’s okay. At Bella Living Psychological Services, PLLC we say, “Therapists are like shoes… sometimes you need to try a couple pair on before you find ones that fit just right.” We hope that it is a good fit, but if it isn’t we are more than happy to help you connect with another therapist that may be a better fit.