Counseling in South Austin · Online across Texas

Counseling That Takes You Seriously

Sometimes life gets to be too much. Maybe you're feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and not sure what to do to change it.

You've tried things that either aren't working, or you simply don't have time between paying the bills, staying healthy, being social, keeping up with your kids, and following through with family obligations. Maybe you're not even sure you have the time or energy for counseling. That's understandable.

When life gets busy, taking care of yourself is usually one of the first things to fall off the list, but taking that first step toward counseling is an investment that could mean the world for your peace and stability.

In person in South Austin·Online across Texas·LGBTQIA+ affirming

Why counseling

Counseling gives you something that can be hard to find.

Schedule Your First Session

The point of counseling is to focus on yourself and feel understood. It doesn't sound like much at first, but maybe you're not getting enough of that.

Some days are filled with taking care of others and trying not to burden them with what's really going on inside. Counseling is one place where you don't have to do any of that.

Here, you can let it all out without worrying about being judged.

If this is your first time in counseling, it might even feel a little weird. You're talking about yourself, and nobody is waiting to change the topic or make your problems about themselves. That's part of what makes counseling different.

My job is to listen, understand what you're going through, and offer suggestions along the way. At the end of the day, we're working together to figure out what actually works for you.

Counseling isn't about getting everything right. Sometimes it's just paying attention to what happens and learning from it.
How to get the most out of counseling

There's no such thing as the “perfect” counseling client.

You don't have to know exactly what's wrong or have everything figured out before you reach out. The people I tend to work best with are willing to be curious.

Curious about why they react the way they do.

Not to judge the reaction, and not to explain it away. Just to notice it, and wonder where it comes from.

Curious about where their behavioral patterns came from.

Most of what we do made sense somewhere. Understanding the purpose of a behavior can be the start of changing it.

Curious enough to try something different.

And to let me know how it went, even if it didn't work.

Meet Joshua Ruiz

I'm here to help when you need it.

Joshua Ruiz, LPC-Associate #101473
Supervised by Dr. Kevin Fall, LPC-S #13958

I'm not someone who only knows counseling from the therapist's chair. I've spent years sitting in the client's chair myself. One of the biggest things I've learned is that trying to push painful feelings away usually doesn't make them disappear. Having someone who can sit with you while you sort through them can make a real difference.

  • Lifelong Texan, living in Austin for more than 10 years
  • Bachelor's degree in Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin
  • Master's degree in Professional Counseling, Texas State University
  • I currently provide individual counseling to adults
LGBTQIA+ Ally

Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and feel understood in counseling. I welcome clients of all sexual orientations and gender identities and strive to create a space where you can be yourself without worrying about being judged.

Some of the reasons people come to see me

Sometimes people know exactly what's bringing them in. Sometimes they don't.

These are some things I focus on with clients.

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Life transitions
  • Intrusive thoughts
  • Self-criticism
  • Anger
  • Men's issues
  • Attachment issues

Feel free to reach out even if your situation isn't listed here.

Attachment

I look at things through attachment styles.

A lot of what we struggle with as adults isn't random. It's connected to what we learned growing up. It's about how we relate to other people and ourselves.

  • Can people be trusted?
  • Will they be there when I need them?
  • Is it okay to ask for help?
  • Is there something wrong with my needs?

Those questions don't just disappear because we get older. In counseling, we'll spend time understanding where those beliefs came from and whether they're still helping you today.

Your attachment style isn't good or bad. It probably made a lot of sense at one point in your life. The question now is whether it's still working for you.

When you decide to reach out

Two ways to start.

Schedule online, right away

You'll see my availability and choose a time that works best for you. No conversation required.

Call, email, or send secure message

I'll get back to you as soon as I can during business hours.

(512) 487-0967·hello@joshuaruizcounseling.com

To send a secure message, click the button below then click Contact on the following page. No login required.

Sessions
In person in South Austin and online throughout Texas
Office
2111 Dickson Dr, Ste 14
Austin, TX 78704
Business Hours
Mon - Wed: 9:30 am to 6:00 pm
Thurs: 9:30 am to 2:00 pm
Fri - Sun: Closed

You don't have to figure this out by yourself.

If you're wondering whether counseling might be helpful, that's enough to start.

Schedule Your First Session