The Spiritual Power of Depression
The Spiritual Power of Depression By Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC-S “Depression Hurts.” This clever tagline was used for years by a...
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Finding Meaning
Seeking clients who want to step more fully into their lives.
Finding Meaning
For clients with existential concerns.
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPC-S) in Austin, TX as well as a writer. I like to work with individuals who are committed to being true to themselves. This takes courage and risks disappointing others—but is important in terms of embracing one's sense of self. People-pleasing is a self-sabotaging, soul-killing behavior.
I am an Attachment-based therapist with a focus on meaning-of-life concerns.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in English
Master of Arts in Counseling
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The Interestings
By Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC-S I see a lot of clients who suffer from social anxiety. Many of them begin to isolate because of their...
The Zen of Remote Coaching
By Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC-S A year ago, my right hip had become so painful that I was reduced to walking with a cane. This was after...
What IS Therapy, Anyway? Part 1
What goes on in a therapist’s office is a mystery to many who have never pursued psychotherapy. First-timers are often nervous and...
The Poignant Dichotomy of Old Age
Every Thursday, my husband and I drive 10 minutes to my mother-in-law’s well-appointed retirement community to have dinner with her at...
I Am the Cosmos*
Our daughter Owen got married a few weeks ago. It was, by all accounts, a joyous occasion. It was the one cold, damp evening of the...
Peacocks and Poachers
Today was one of my assigned swimming days at Gold’s Gym. I am working with a trainer to rehab a hip plagued by osteo-arthritis—swimming...
Why I Left New York By Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC-S
I was keen to stay home and raise our three children. Happily, in New York City, where we were living in the 80s and 90s, it made more...
Armadillo
Armadillo By Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC-S I was already feeling fragile, having slept fitfully, rattled by disturbing dreams. Some part of me...
The Problem with Positive Psychology
Positive psychology has come to the fore in our culture, giving rise to certain positivity performance anxiety. We are under pressure...
Readiness for Change
By Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC Many clients come in for therapy expecting the counselor to “fix them.” Yet when the counselor explores the...
Congruence of Self
Congruence By Elizabeth O’Brien One of our main objectives as human beings is to reach a state of well-being—a state in which we are...
Separation of Self
Separation of Self By Elizabeth O’Brien, M.A., LPC Disconnected When human beings suffer trauma, large or small, they generally...
Social Reciprocity
Social Reciprocity By Elizabeth O’Brien, LPC Do you ever go to a party or dinner and spend the entire evening putting out a lot of...
The Dissociative Culture
The Dissociative Culture By Elizabeth O’Brien, M.A., LPC Our culture has become a population of “dissociators.” For much, if not all of...
Procrastination Strategies
Cognitive: 1. First, explore your resistance to the task: what, exactly, are you dreading, and why? What makes it so hard to get started?...
Choosing the Path of Resilience
As a therapist, I am struck more and more intensely by the importance of personal responsibility. So many clients come in overwhelmed...
Happiness
Happiness means different things to different people: a positive outlook, security, faith in a higher power, good health, meaningful...
Mirroring
By Elizabeth O’Brien, M.A., LPC Mirroring is one of the most important concepts in psychology; it is a lynchpin of Attachment Theory....
Walkin’ the Dog
By Elizabeth O’Brien, M.A., LPC I waited 20 years to get a dog again. After growing up with dogs in my home town of Memphis, taking on...
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