Allison Ray Benavides (She/Her)

LCSW in CA and TX
Accepting Clients

I support people suffering with chronic pain, fatigue, panic & other mystery symptoms learn to reprocess what hurts & get their life back :)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Terrell Hills, TX

Services
  • Individual

About My Clients

My clients are often high-functioning, thoughtful people who feel stuck in chronic pain, panic, or persistent symptoms that don’t fully make sense medically. They may feel dismissed, frustrated, or scared their body is broken. Many have tried multiple treatments without lasting relief. They are ready for a new approach that helps them understand the brain-body connection and finally experience change.

My Background and Approach

I am a medical social worker specializing in chronic pain & others symptoms, trauma, & nervous system regulation. I have training in Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) & integrate somatic therapy, trauma-informed care, & mindfulness-based approaches. My work focuses on the brain-body connection & how the nervous system can become conditioned to produce very real symptoms like pain, fatigue, nausea, itching, depression & panic. I also draw from Buddhist psychology, Internal Family Systems (IFS), & cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help clients understand both the emotional & neurological patterns that keep symptoms going. My background in hospice & medical settings allows me to support clients navigating health anxiety, medical trauma, & complex diagnoses with compassion and clarity. In our work together, we focus on reducing fear, shifting conditioned responses, & helping your body relearn safety so symptoms can decrease over time & you can back to living.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I believe your symptoms are real, meaningful, & changeable. Chronic pain, panic, and other conditions are often driven by a nervous system that has become overprotective—not by damage or weakness. When we understand how the brain & body work together, we can begin to shift patterns that once felt permanent. I believe in being both compassionate & direct. Healing doesn’t come from pushing harder or fixing yourself—it comes from creating safety, curiosity, & new experiences in the body. I also believe people are far more capable of change than they’ve been led to believe. My role is to guide, educate, & support you as you reconnect with your body, reduce fear, & move safely toward a life that feels more full, free, & like the one you want.

Techniques I Use

Specialties
Energy Psychology Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Other Techniques
  • Art Therapy
  • Coaching
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Contemplative Therapy
  • Culturally Sensitive Therapy
  • Depth Therapy
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
  • Energy Psychology
  • Family Systems
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
  • Somatic Therapy: Body-Based Healing for Emotional Trauma
  • Wilderness Therapy
  • Internal Family Systems
  • Trauma Therapy

Issues I Treat

Specialties
Chronic Pain or Illness Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Women's Issues
Other Issues
  • Abuse
  • Addiction
  • ADHD Therapists
  • Aging Concerns
  • Alzheimer's
  • Anxiety
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Bipolar
  • Burnout
  • Cancer
  • Chronic Pain or Illness
  • Codependency
  • Depression
  • Dissociative Disorders
  • Divorce
  • Domestic Violence or Intimate Partner Violence
  • Grief or Loss
  • Historical/ Intergenerational Trauma
  • Infertility
  • Insomnia
  • Men's Issues
  • Physical Disability
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Self-Esteem
  • Sexual Abuse or Assault
  • Spirituality
  • Women's Issues
Insurance Plans Accepted
  • Aetna
  • Oscar
  • Oxford Health Plan
  • United Healthcare
I offer online counseling in the following states:
I have experience with the following
  • Agnosticism
  • Atheism
  • Baha'i
  • Buddhism
  • Christianity
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
  • Hinduism
  • Jehovah's Witnesses
  • Judaism
  • Taoism
  • Wicca/Paganism
  • Interfaith
  • Multifaith

At A Glance

  • Experience: 9 years of practice
  • Languages: English
  • Rate: $185/session

Reach out to Allison Ray