Olivia-Beth Horak (Name Only)

I have worked with and for the LGBTQIA+ community for 15 years, including co-founding a Spiritual Camp for LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults in 2009 still going strong today. I currently work full-time with Waterloo Counseling Center, the oldest LGBTQIA+ affirming mental health organization in Texas and part-time in private practice. I have also worked with OutYouth, an LGBTQIA+ affirming organization for children, teens, and young adults.

The majority of my clients I currently work with and have worked with over the last 10+ years have had some level of depression- mild to persistent. I am ready to work with you to help you find your voice and hope for life again.

I currently do the majority of my work in depression and trauma. I am trained in Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). When we experience a traumatic or painful event, these memories are sometimes misplaced in our bodies. Much like a computer misfiling a document, our brains can do the same thing with painful experiences. EMDR helps your brain “re-file” difficult memories, ultimately decreasing the symptoms associated with them and helping you restore a sense of balance.

I think art and play therapy (which I often use together) is for all ages! We all face difficulties that affect our well-being, such as stress, trauma, anxiety, or depression. These challenges can interfere with your happiness and healthy relationships. Art therapy is a form of therapy that uses image and play as the main language between you and me. And sometimes painful memories are hard to talk about; that is when art is best utilized!

With guidance from me, you will establish a chronological narrative of your life, concentrating mainly on the traumatic experiences, but also incorporating some positive events. By expressing the narrative, you can fill in details of fragmentary memories and develops a coherent autobiographical story. In so doing, the memory of a traumatic episode is refined and understood.

When you experience a traumatic or painful event, these memories are sometimes misplaced in your body. Much like a computer misfiling a document, our brains can do the same thing with painful experiences. Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy can help your brain “re-file” difficult memories, ultimately decreasing the symptoms associated with them and helping you restore a sense of balance, presence, and stability in your day-to-day life.

I think art and play therapy (which I often use together) is for all ages! We all face difficulties that affect our well-being, such as stress, trauma, anxiety, or depression. These challenges can interfere with your happiness and healthy relationships. Art therapy is a form of therapy that uses image and play as the main language between you and me. And sometimes painful memories are hard to talk about; that is when art is best utilized!

I currently do the majority of my work in depression and trauma. I am trained in Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). When we experience a traumatic or painful event, these memories are sometimes misplaced in our bodies. Much like a computer misfiling a document, our brains can do the same thing with painful experiences. EMDR helps your brain “re-file” difficult memories, ultimately decreasing the symptoms associated with them and helping you restore a sense of balance.