Mia Pastel, LPC Associate

she/her/hers

Howdy, and welcome! Beginning therapy can be daunting, and I understand the vulnerability and courage it takes to jump in. I am so happy you have decided to carve out some time each week to foster wellness for yourself! I feel honored and excited to walk alongside you in this journey of healing and growth.

I celebrate the unique story and identity of each person and thus use a person-centered, collaborative, and holistic approach in order to tailor the therapeutic process to your specific needs. However, one thing you can consistently count on is that the presence I offer will be warm, supportive, and authentic. The therapeutic relationship is the most important factor in therapy, and you can trust that I will always approach our relationship with an attitude of non-judgment and empathy.

I believe that the root of suffering is trauma, lack of connection, and dissonance between one’s current self and their actualized self. Therapy addresses these roots through providing safety, genuine human connection, and the opportunity to explore ones’ self and be fully seen without the fear of rejection. I place a strong emphasis on neurobiology and the mind-body connection; after all, our mental health is inseparable from our brain which is inseparable from our body! I believe an integral part of our work is getting connected with and understanding our nervous system so that we are able to let go of the ways it is no longer serving us, and to utilize its wisdom to create a new, healthy internal support system.

My areas of focus include trauma, religion and spirituality, mind-body connection, identity development, and LGBTQIA+ issues. I have worked with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, substance use recovery, family of origin issues, life transitions, and religious trauma. I often incorporate aspects of internal family systems and interpersonal neurobiology into my work. Spirituality may seem like an odd thing to discuss in therapy, but research indicates that the number of individuals wishing to incorporate their spirituality into therapy is growing! I want you to know that I am always completely respectful and open to whatever beliefs you may bring into the room; faith-based or otherwise.

Perhaps you have experienced trauma that is manifesting in ways that interfere with your ability to live a life of wellness. Perhaps you find yourself acting or reacting in ways that are incongruent with your true, ideal self. Perhaps you are having difficulty authentically connecting to yourself or others and thus struggle to maintain sustainable relationships. Perhaps you have realized you are unsure of who you are or what you want out of life. Perhaps there is no one specific issue you want to address, and you simply want a warm and non-judgmental mental health professional to walk with you through life’s many challenges and complexities. I am here not only to help you survive, but also to help you thrive and flourish. I hope that as a result of our time together, you feel more connected to your authentic self, and as a result experience a richer and fuller quality of life.

A bit about me: I have a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and in Religious Studies, and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am a Houston native, but moved to Austin to attend UT and never left! When I’m not at work you can find me spending time with my loved ones (including my rescue pup!), hiking, haunting art museums, watching scary movies, and traveling as often as I can. If you are interested in working together, I invite you to contact me at 512/201-4501, ext. 277. I look forward to meeting you!