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Offered in-person & online

Our counselors in Austin, TX offer self-harm counseling in Austin, TX

Get in-person or online care, and cover the majority of the costs with your insurance.

Connect with a therapist, psychiatrist or counselor near you
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2,312 people sought self-harm counseling help in Texas in the last year

Discover how starting therapy with a self-harm counseling can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

Good news! We have 73 therapists in Texas available for an online or in-person session.

Starting Self-harm counseling

What is self-harm counseling?

Self-harm counseling is aimed at helping individuals who struggle with harming themselves break this pattern by addressing the underlying emotional causes and working to develop new, healthier coping skills. Thriveworks self-harm therapists in Austin, TX are experienced in treating those who self-harm with empathy, compassion, and unconditional regard in order to help them heal and recover, both physically and emotionally.

How does self-harm counseling work?

Self-harm counseling at Thriveworks often uses cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy to help clients discover the connections between their thoughts and feelings and their behaviors. By assessing these areas, Thriveworks Austin therapists can help clients find and address the true emotional roots of their patterns and, from there, effectively adjust unwanted behaviors.

Is self-harm counseling conducted in person or online?

Self-harm counseling at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.

How long does self-harm counseling last?

The duration of self-harm counseling will often depend on a variety of factors, such as the intensity of an individual’s symptoms or the current levels of stress present in their lives. Because of this, treatment can last a handful of months or on a continual basis over the course of years. In the end, it’s up to the client and their individual needs.

Need more help deciding?

A 14-year-old is about to high school. She makes perfect grades and has perfect attendance. Her parents are also going through a divorce, and she has no idea which school she will attend. A 30-year-old single dad is putting in long hours and burning the candle at both ends. He knows he cannot keep up this pace, but he also feels stuck. A 56-year-old grandmother is beginning a new job after her husband passed away. They had no savings and no life insurance, and she is worried about if she can make ends meet. Each of these individuals’ life and stress is unique, but the way they are handling it is not—they are coping through self-harm.

“Other times, I look at my scars and see something else:
a girl who was trying to cope with something horrible that she should never have had to live through at all. My scars show pain and suffering, but they also show my will to survive. They’re part of my history that’ll always be there.”
― Cheryl Rainfield, Scars

 

People cope with traumatic life events in the best way they know, and at times, the only way they can process their emotional pain may be through causing themselves physical pain. No one asks for difficult circumstances, but the shame that people feel as a result can easily be turned inward—upon themselves.

When people are ready to learn new ways for handling the pain—hopeful and life-giving ways—they are often turning to mental health professionals for help. Thriveworks Austin has seen many clients forge a new way. Our counselors have helped many people learn and practice healthy coping skills.

Different Ways to Self-Injure

People commonly associate self-injury with cutting, and cutting certainly is one form. However, there are many ways people choose to express their pain through self-harm.

Examples of the different ways people may self-injure include…

  • Pulling out their hair—painfully plucking large portions of their body hair.
  • Interfering with how their body is healing—pulling scabs, untying stitches, et cetera.
  • Branding, carving, or tattooing—attaching a word, symbol, or picture to one’s psychological pain.
  • Hitting, biting, punching, and/or pinching oneself.
  • Burning—employing matches, candles, ropes, heat, cigarettes, or more to cause bodily harm.
  • Cutting—Using a knife or sharp object to slash, stab, pierce the skin.

Some people use self-injury during particularly stressful times in their lives and cycle through seasons of self-harm and other coping mechanisms. Others use self-injury as a ritualized coping mechanism, doing so on a routine basis—daily, weekly, monthly.

Risk Factors for Self-Mutilation

People who experience the following face a higher risk for engaging in self-mutilation:

  1. Drug or Alcohol Use: One study looked at cases of self-injury at a Northern Ireland hospital. In over 60 percent of the patients, alcohol was involved in the incident. Many times, drug use or alcohol use is a factor in the decision to self-harm.
  2. Psychological Pain: One common situation that many people who self-harm have faced is child abuse and neglect. Domestic violence, bereavement, toxic relationships, and poverty are just a few of the traumatic situations that can trigger intense psychological pain.
  3. Mental Health Diagnosis: While not an individual diagnosis, self-harm is frequently a sign or symptom of certain mental illnesses. Depression, conduct disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorder, borderline personality disorder, and certain phobias can trigger self-injury.

Looking for an Alternative: Learning Healthy Coping Skills

If self-harm has been the only way you know to handle the pain you feel, know that there are other ways. Many people have learned healthy coping skills that have filled their lives with hope and healing. For most people, they have worked with a therapist or counselor to learn how to…

  • Build up a support network. Think about friends and family members who care. Know that there are groups of people who struggle with self-harm and support each other as they learn to stop. A counselor can guide you through healing exercises.
  • Make their physical and emotional safety a top priority. For most people, certain situations and people are triggering, but they can learn how to protect themselves. Safety is important, and a big part of healing can be learning how you feel safe.
  • Practice mindfulness. Becoming more aware of one’s own emotions is a big step toward healing for many people. There are many ways to practice mindfulness—take a yoga class, journal, be quiet for five minutes each day.

An experienced mental health professional can help people discern which coping mechanisms may help them the most. Each person is unique and what is effective for one may not be effective for another. Counseling may also help people identify the underlying psychological wound that is causing the psychological pain. Deeper healing can then be applied.

Counseling at Thriveworks Austin for Self-Harm

Do you want to meet with a counselor to learn new coping techniques? If so, know that Thriveworks Austin has appointments available for self-harm. Our counselors have worked with many people, healing deep wounds and teaching healthier forms of handling pain.

When you reach out to Thriveworks Austin, a person will answer your call (not a voicemail). We accept most forms of insurance, and many new clients have their first appointment within 24 hours of their first call. Our office also makes evening and weekend sessions available.

We want to help heal the psychological pain. Contact Thriveworks Austin today.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Austin therapists and counselors accept 43 insurance plans

  • APEX Memorial Hermann

  • ARIA | Covenant Management Systems

  • Aetna

  • Ambetter by Superior Health Plan

  • Auto Club Enterprises (Employers Health Network)

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas HMO

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas PPO

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Buist Byars and Taylor (Employers Health Network)

  • Carelon

  • Christus Health Plan Exchange

  • Christus Health Plan Medicare Advantage

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Self-pay costs at Austin
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

3.7 Thriveworks Austin reviews are collected through Thriveworks.com.
★★★★★
Amazing!!! I am beyond happy with the services provided by Dr. Nunez. She has been so amazing with my children and I am beyond grateful for her and ThriveWorks. I’d recommend her to anyone. She is incredibly talented and listens without judgement. If I could I’d give her a zillion stars for having the most positive, profound impact on our lives!
Read more Amazing!!! I am beyond happy with the services provided by Dr. Nunez. She has been so amazing with my children and I am beyond grateful for her and ThriveWorks. I’d recommend her to anyone. She is incredibly talented and listens without judgement. If I could I’d give her a zillion stars for having the most positive, profound impact on our lives!
West Lake Hills Sep 2018
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I needed someone who was strong, kind, listened and was action oriented who had the experience to deal with the trauma I was struck with when I experienced severe loss of a loved one in 2016. Linda was and is present, intelligent, professional, human, warm and kind and at every session she has offered me practical solutions to face my life and my day to day activities. I highly recommend her. She Is so good it is very hard to get an appointment with her but if you can get one keep it. She is fabulous and will heal your spirit and soul in a safe and loving place. I love her strength more than anything and her optimism that anyone can get to a better place and not be stuck in pain and hopelessness. She is healing my heart and I feel like I have found a person who truly cares. This is a very good place.
Read more I needed someone who was strong, kind, listened and was action oriented who had the experience to deal with the trauma I was struck with when I experienced severe loss of a loved one in 2016. Linda was and is present, intelligent, professional, human, warm and kind and at every session she has offered me practical solutions to face my life and my day to day activities. I highly recommend her. She Is so good it is very hard to get an appointment with her but if you can get one keep it. She is fabulous and will heal your spirit and soul in a safe and loving place. I love her strength more than anything and her optimism that anyone can get to a better place and not be stuck in pain and hopelessness. She is healing my heart and I feel like I have found a person who truly cares. This is a very good place.
West Lake Hills Sep 2017
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I am gonna cry as I write this review... I have been working with Linda M. since I was married to my abusive ex husband and through my single time and my time meeting and marrying my current very wonderful husband. She has pushed me to be the very best person I can be and literally saved my life on several occasions. I'm moving to VA so I can't see Linda anymore and I'm telling you, this is my hardest goodbye. This woman is beyond amazing. She has forced me to take a good hard look at myself and work on everything: anxiety, borderline and PTSD to make me be a better person. You CANNOT go wrong with Linda. It's amazing how much one person and one session can change your life. I've tried therapy before, many times, with no luck until I got dragged to Thriveworks by someone close to me who wanted therapy to fix me! Well it didn't "fix me" it made me a totally new person. A happier, more confident person willing to take on the world. I even wanted Linda to come to my wedding, but knew she couldn't as she is very professional and this is against policy. But I would have had her there in a heart beat!
Read more I am gonna cry as I write this review... I have been working with Linda M. since I was married to my abusive ex husband and through my single time and my time meeting and marrying my current very wonderful husband. She has pushed me to be the very best person I can be and literally saved my life on several occasions. I'm moving to VA so I can't see Linda anymore and I'm telling you, this is my hardest goodbye. This woman is beyond amazing. She has forced me to take a good hard look at myself and work on everything: anxiety, borderline and PTSD to make me be a better person. You CANNOT go wrong with Linda. It's amazing how much one person and one session can change your life. I've tried therapy before, many times, with no luck until I got dragged to Thriveworks by someone close to me who wanted therapy to fix me! Well it didn't "fix me" it made me a totally new person. A happier, more confident person willing to take on the world. I even wanted Linda to come to my wedding, but knew she couldn't as she is very professional and this is against policy. But I would have had her there in a heart beat!
West Lake Hills Apr 2017
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
The office is quiet and peaceful. It is hard to beat an appointment within 24 hours and no waiting once you get there.
Read more The office is quiet and peaceful. It is hard to beat an appointment within 24 hours and no waiting once you get there.
West Lake Hills Mar 2017
Review left on Thriveworks.com
☆☆☆☆
Sadly, I was in at vulnerable time and felt taken advantage of with Lisa. She was late for appointments and cut appointments short with no apology. I had been charged for full appointments. If the patient is late or misses, we are charged regardless of the circumstances. Unfortunately, it doesn't go the other way with the therapists. I felt she was defended by Thriveworks for her actions. I can only hope that for the sake of the patients this will change.
Read more Sadly, I was in at vulnerable time and felt taken advantage of with Lisa. She was late for appointments and cut appointments short with no apology. I had been charged for full appointments. If the patient is late or misses, we are charged regardless of the circumstances. Unfortunately, it doesn't go the other way with the therapists. I felt she was defended by Thriveworks for her actions. I can only hope that for the sake of the patients this will change.
West Lake Hills Jun 2015
Review left on Thriveworks.com
☆☆☆☆
My teenage daughter with diagnosed social anxiety and anxiety and depression was dropped because your counselor could not meet at times that worked for the patient. No other doctor was recommended. A nice note was written but now I’m empty handed with a serious situation. And you all dumped us.
Read more My teenage daughter with diagnosed social anxiety and anxiety and depression was dropped because your counselor could not meet at times that worked for the patient. No other doctor was recommended. A nice note was written but now I’m empty handed with a serious situation. And you all dumped us.
West Lake Hills Apr 2015
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Austin is located in the same building as Detect Lab, Oakin Adams & Kilmer LLP, Actum Processing, MaQro Advisors, Cobalt Group Inc., Tribe Design Group, Virtus Financial Group, and Ecolab. Across the street is Hill Country Animal Hospital. We are near the intersection of Bee Cave Rd and St Stephens School Rd S, which has a Texaco nearby, as well as Rob Roy Chevron and Half Off Fireworks.

Phone number

(512) 601-5098

Languages spoken by TX providers

  • English
  • Spanish
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in CT

Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in CT

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