Austin Counselor Client Reviews

I came to Judith hoping to learn how to improve on one area of my life- something I felt was holding me back from truly being my best self. She was recommended by a trusted friend after a very positive experience with her. From the first session, I knew I had found the right person. This was my first time with therapy, and I expected to walk into a sterile room with a "Mmmhmmm, yes, and how does that make you feel" type of practitioner. Instead, I met Judith... a non-judgement, extremely skilled but laid back professional in a refreshingly peaceful, safe space. 60 minutes later I was walking out of her office completely mind-blown. I had no idea how she did it, but she was able to show me where I lacked personal power and, most importantly, helped me identify when and how this started. By session #2, I felt 100% safe opening up to her- even with things I hadn't shared with others. Her style is collaborative, and nothing is powder-coated- it's like we face things together. Judith has a unique way of reading between thoughts and creating "a-ha" moments from asking the right questions and truly listening to your answers. If you are seeking therapy to truly improve yourself, I highly recommend Judith.

I was dealing with some anxiety after a recent surgery, and I decided to try therapy. I emailed Judith based on her years of experience and the reviews I read here and on her website (this was before the recent handful of suspiciously similar one-star reviews popped up).

Honestly, even after I emailed her, I didn't know if I could actually make that first appointment, or make the second one. I don't open up easily to anyone, let alone a person I've just met. But as difficult as it was, after one session, I just felt like she could help me.

I remember in the first session, she said her goal was to "work herself out of a job"--meaning, I'd no longer need her. And while we definitely covered the surgery and I was able to make peace with it, I actually stuck around a lot longer to talk about other stuff I'd never addressed in my life. That's how much I trusted her, and considering where I started, that was huge.

It wasn't just my anxiety and insomnia that improved, it was every area of my life--my relationships with my parents, my husband, my friends. I have a great set of friends right now, and that's entirely thanks to what I learned in my sessions with Judith about choosing healthier friendships.

Then, just when I thought we were drawing to a close, I had a series of difficult losses. Each time, she made room in her schedule for me. And seeing someone who already knew me so well was incredibly helpful in working through those losses.

Now, to be clear, is therapy all hand-holding and telling you you're awesome? No. Not if you're in it to change yourself (or your relationship). It's hard. No one wants to take responsibility for the crap in their life. No one wants to hear that maybe WE are to blame for a situation, or that there are fundamental errors in our thinking. Or that maybe our partner is right and we're wrong.

And one thing I really appreciated is that in a few instances where I felt like I was being misunderstood, I talked to Judith about it and we arrived at a different place.

So...after seeing her off and on for two years, I'd take the negative reviews here with a grain of salt. If you're looking for a therapist, email Judith and setup an initial appointment and decide for yourself. She changed my life for the better, and I highly recommend her.

When I truly opened myself up, Judith both helped my marriage evolve into something worth keeping and referred me to other mental health professionals (like my psychiatrist) who still help me to this day. I first saw Judith three years ago with my partner after the newlywed life didn't seem so glamorous. I was talking to an old high school friend and she referred us with a glowing review. I was dubious.

At first, it seemed like she took my partner's side more often than my own. This ended up not being the case. This went on for a few sessions until she asked me a yes or no question, I replied curtly, and she said something along the lines of, "So then tell me what happens when you get honest feedback?"

Definitely took me by surprise. I was hurt and didn't want to go back. We chanced one more time. Judith, again, told me to wait. Then, my partner was honest. Brutally honest. I didn't realize that they had so much bottled up and it really felt like a light clicking on. I really never listened to them.

Since then, we have been seeing Judith pretty consecutively and I've been able to come to terms with my own  mental health. We went from being on the brink to working on our marriage actively, all because I actually chose to listen and improve myself. I highly recommend her, especially if you're ready to truly work on your relationships and listen to what she has to say.

I have seen Judith for both marriage and individual therapy and would DEFINITELY recommend her!!! She has done an amazing job at identifying issues and getting to the heart of where and why it began. She is no nonsense, very compassionate, and has an immense amount of knowledge to help resolve situations.

Hi Judith,

I just wanted to send a short note to say thanks.  I have been meaning to do this for a while but never made the time...

Our relationship is much better and stronger thanks to your guidance.  We are more realistic about our expectations for marriage, more considerate of each other, and we just communicate more.  We are literal and tangible people so managing the intangible and subtle stuff (aka the important stuff) was a challenge, but we are so much better equipped now.  I still sometimes have to stop myself here and there or recall past events (and your guidance), but it is very seldom nowadays.  We can talk through things without anticipating the other's position, and we can talk about topics we don't necessarily agree on.  And, we do it naturally.  As our parents' health deteriorates, our kids and jobs stress us out, or whatever other challenges lie ahead, it feels good that we will be there for each other.

Anyway, I could go on and on with more details and examples, but the main point is that we are better people and have a better relationship because of you.

Thank you!

I discovered Judith 2 years ago after I attended her workshop "Living Effectively: How to Build Resilience and Add Joy to your Life". I've seen her since for 2 impactful years and wanted to provide a review. I was surprised to read the recent negative reviews as my experience has  been wonderful! If you are really willing to look at yourself and want to improve, she is the person to see.
Judith really listens, is empathetic,supportive and affirming. What stood out to me is that she has a direct style and an ability to get at core issues quickly. Judith really challenged me to not avoid issues or make excuses but she was never unkind or judgmental.
At the beginning we set measurable goals and regularly assessed my progress with the intent to stop therapy when I felt better and more competent at handling new issues that came up. Judith gave me specific strategies to address every time I hit a wall of indecision or felt too overwhelmed to move forward on a problem. She helped me identify my  personal values and look for patterns that kept sabotaging my important relationships. I am so grateful for her kindness and her professional skill that has given me the confidence to become resilient to changes in my marriage and issues with my aging parents.

Judith is a direct and no-nonsense therapist. If you want to make real changes in your life and relationships then go see her. I have been impressed by her ability to offer practical solutions as well as being able to get to the heart of the problem pretty quickly. She is humble and listens well. She has great reviews on her website jsptherapy.com. (Yelp Review)

I was just thinking about Judith the other day as I was drawing on some of the skills I learned from her in a current stressful situation. This statement is what led me to post a review, long overdue. I have experienced many therapist over the years but I have never worked with one that offered me skills that I could draw upon years later. I saw Judith for a short time last year and am still able to pull from the work we did together. Quite frankly, I feel she saved me and provided me with a much needed perspective to my life that no other counselor has ever been able to uncover. She was patient, she was kind, she was proactive and productive. She brought a creativity to our work together that I have never seen in a counselor and created a custom game plan for me to be my best self. This best self is what is making me feel saved because it is allowing me to be a better mother, a better wife, and well a better everything. I have hope now where I once did not. I gained skills that I was able to start using immediately and am still using today over a year later.  In fact our whole family has adopted some of the healthy techniques I learned from Judith which makes me feel like I am putting my best foot forward to raise a more confident, more loving, and full of self worth young man. I can not recommend Judith more highly. She is an all-in, highly invested and caring counselor who has an unbelievable gift for seeing your best self even when you can not and helping guide you out of the darkness into a light of confidence and worthiness. I am forever in debt to Judith for giving me clarity and a brighter future<span class

Judith, we can't thank you enough for your genuine care for us as individuals and as a couple. Through our sessions with you, we learned a tremendous amount about ourselves and our relationship that set the stage for honesty and healing.

Thanks sooooo much Judith. You have been so helpful and you're efficient. I truly appreciate it. I will stay in touch.