Therapists in Austin, TX

Welcome and Bienvenida! Balancing the multiple demands of life is challenging. You may experience daily stress such as marital problems, parenting, financial pressures, and difficulties at work or school. Stressors can make you feel unmotivated and exhausted. Stress can turn into anxiety, depression, or medical problems that can keep you from living a full life. I can help you find ways to deal with difficult times and provide a comforting/safe place to examine your life, your relationships with your partner/children, and find solutions to specific problems.

As Soren Kierkegaard says, “Life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced.” I have years of training in forensic psychology and counseling techniques dealing with adolescents, adults, individuals, couples, and marriage and family counseling. My specialization includes group therapy in areas of intimacy and addiction. I am specialized in dealing with moderate and more serious mental health issues especially anxiety, impulsivity, and depression.

I strive to tailor treatment to a client’s specific needs by addressing their personal strengths to reach their goals. Focus is on changing problematic behaviors, feelings, & thoughts by discovering their meanings by challenging and replacing negative thinking patterns. I offer Diagnostic Assessments & testing to clarify or rule out specific diagnoses (ADHD, ASD, Substance Abuse); Psychological Evaluations to assess a person’s current level of cognitive, academic, emotional & social functioning & provide administration of The Anger-Aggression-Violence-Assessment AAVA. MEDICATION MANAGEMENT COMING SOON!!!!!!!!!!!

You are the hero of your own tale; you are a warrior who can rescue yourself. Every warrior needs a tribe, people that are going to support them and rally around you in the darkest of times. Will you allow me to be part of your tribe? Therapy is about you, your freedom and the healing that occurs through self-exploration, understanding, finding meaning, and deepening one's insight. My role is to help you begin to think, feel, and understand yourself more deeply, empowering lasting change. My approach is a person-centered eclectic approach that fosters self-acceptance and empowerment. We will go at your pace, this is your journey.

Life can be hard. Whether it is transitioning from one phase of life to another or financial and work stressors there is always something that we have to learn to cope with and it can be very easy to start feeling overwhelmed and stuck. I believe every experience in life has a purpose. Nothing happens by chance. Failure, conflict or ending a relationship isn't meant to break us but to provide valuable lessons for us to learn, grow, gain insight, become stronger and live happier. I can support and guide you in your search for inner strength needed to regain your sense of control, purpose and joy.

Welcome I hope to be part of your support journey as you seek hope, health and recovery to various life challenges . I have over 25 years experience providing Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment in a great deal of diverse settings. I am interested in learning more about (you ) and (your ) goals and objectives for therapy. I believe a counseling relationship works best when you are comfortable with a therapist and free to be who you are. I help you reach this goal by bringing to the session , experience , honesty of myself , kindness and genuine regard. I am part of the Veteran Choice Programs to receive VA referrals.

After 25 years, I still absolutely love what I do and look forward with excitement to learning what makes each individual who enters my office unique. I picture myself in the person's shoes and try to see the world from their perspective to learn their strengths, struggles, goals and needs. I see therapy as a collaborative process in which the therapist assists the client in identifying and achieving specific goals. We clarify, refine, and adjust these goals throughout the therapeutic process.

"Does anybody have a map, Anybody happen to know how the h--- to do this?" Are lines from my favorite musical, Dear Evan Hansen. I resonate with them as a mom of older teenagers and a retired military wife. So often "I'm flying blind and making this up as I go." When I get to the end of me, I reach for someone else who "pretends to know" along with me. We need two things when we're overwhelmed--a plan and accountability. In other words, another person who has some idea how to find where I left myself and then how to help me move again in maybe a different direction. With less shame, less pretending. More breathing room.

Dr. Livengood Psychology, PsyD, PLLC, is owned and operated by Dr. Tara Livengood and spouse, Mr. Brian Foster of East Tennessee. Dr. Livengood is a native Texan who graduated in 2017 with a doctorate in clinical psychology. After exploring the country and working in various settings such as aging services, corrections, forensic, psychiatric hospitals and the Veterans Affairs, she recently decided to return to Central Texas and make the career change to open a private practice. With a broad range of experience, Dr. Livengood, PsyD, PLLC hopes to meet the psychological needs of Central Texans and beyond.

Life can be rough, and sometimes we need a little help getting by and coping. I have always been led to help people, and have found my calling in counseling people through their trials. I have worked with individuals of various ages and issues. My goal is to help you build coping skills to get you over the challenges in your daily life and return to a sense of balance and serenity.

I am a clinical and forensic psychologist who provides psychological evaluations and compassionate, solution-focused therapy. I use a collaborative, goal-directed approach, meaning that you and I will work together to identify your specific treatment goals and regularly evaluate how well therapy is helping you to reach those goals. An individualized plan is developed based on your unique needs; there are no "cookie cutter" approaches used.