Therapy and Nutrition Counseling in Austin, Texas

Our lives are woven from many stories—some we’ve chosen, some we’ve inherited, and some we’re still trying to understand. Often, we can feel pressure to hold all those stories (and everything else!) together all by ourselves, which can be lonely and overwhelming. Sharing our stories with another person creates space to look at those stories with compassion and curiosity. I have always loved stories. I love listening to the stories people hold and helping them understand and reframe them, and then supporting and empowering them in writing the next chapter. 

 

My approach is eclectic and continually developing but is anchored in a deeply humanistic foundation. I come to the therapeutic process with the assumption that you are the expert in your own story and I will trust your inherent wisdom! When working with clients, I seek to draw from Person-Centered, Existential, and Feminist approaches as well as Narrative therapy and Internal Family Systems theory. We may also incorporate Brainspotting in our work together. Additionally, I deeply value the wisdom of the body and the stories the body tells. In our work together, we will practice recognizing and listening to somatic cues and the stories they tell. 

 

Most of my clinical experience has been with older adolescents and adults, with a strong focus in eating disorders, trauma, anxiety, religious trauma, and spiritual abuse. A lot of my M.A. research centered around restrictive eating disorders and religious trauma, as well as the overlap between the two, so those areas are particularly meaningful to me both clinically and academically. I also approach this work as a committed LGBTQIA+ ally. 

In my free time, I enjoy training, performing, and teaching aerial circus arts. I especially love performing on aerial silks and Spanish web. When I’m not in the air, you can probably find me playing with my puppy, Posie, reading thrillers, painting, or watching Stranger Things on a loop! 

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Education: 

M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from University of the Cumberlands 

M.Div. from Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan University, Concentration: Counseling 

B.S. in Ministry and Biblical Studies from Kentucky Christian University 

 

Training: 

Inclusive Eating Disorder Education 

Brainspotting Phase 1 

Appetites & Arousal: Understanding Purity Culture, (Dis)Embodiment, Eating Disorders, and Healing presented by Dr. Hillary McBride, Ph.D and Dr. Sandra Noble Ph.D, International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals Foundation (April 2025) 

Targeted Treatments for ARFID Subtypes (Eating Disorder Recovery Center, April 2026) 

1 Unit (400 hours) of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) as a chaplain assigned to the trauma units of Johnson City Medical Center 

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Favorite Quote: 

"Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, 

the world offers itself to your imagination, 

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting – 

over and over announcing your place 

in the family of things.” 

― Mary Oliver, "Wild Geese" 

 

 

Recommended Resources: 

Holy Hurt: Understanding Spiritual Trauma and the Process of Healing by Hillary L. McBride. 

Holy/Hurt Podcast by Hillary McBride 

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown 

Food Psych Podcast with Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CEDS 

The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living by Hillary L. McBride