Mental Health Support


At Houston Canterbury, we prioritize the well-being and mental health of our students. Recognizing the challenges that college life can present, we have taken proactive measures to provide comprehensive mental health support to our student community by partnering with several qualified mental health professionals and therapists who are dedicated to assisting students in their journey towards emotional well-being.

Our network of mental health professionals and therapists offers a wide range of services to cater to various needs and concerns.

  • Private one-on-one sessions with a licensed therapist to address personal issues, stress, anxiety, depression, and other emotional challenges.

  • Supportive group sessions that provide a safe space for students to share experiences, learn coping strategies, and build a sense of community.

  • Sessions to equip students with effective strategies to manage stress and build resilience.

  • Sessions focused on mindfulness practices and meditation techniques to promote relaxation and self-awareness.

Where to Begin?

If you are just starting your journey and not quite ready to talk with a therapist, these resources may help you consider what the next steps might be for you.

The Christian Closet: LGBTQ Mental & Spiritual Health Services

IF YOU’RE WONDERING IF THERAPY IS THE RIGHT THING FOR YOU…

You probably have a lot of questions on your mind. We get it. There are a lot of unknowns. That’s why we want to offer a free 15 minute consultation during which you can ask questions and explore if this is the right thing for you.

HERE’S WHAT A 15 MINUTE CONSULTATION LOOKS LIKE:

  1. We’ll ask questions to learn more about you and what brought you to this moment.

  2. We’ll help you identify your current challenges as well as your goals.

  3. We'll co-create a plan with you including what therapy might look like and any other resources we can point you towards to help you take the next step in your journey.

Reaching out for support is a new experience for many people and can sometimes feel scary, but if you can find the bravery to do so, I know you won't regret it.

If you’re ready to make a positive step forward for your mental health…

Click here: https://www.thechristiancloset.com/free-consultation

Contact a Specialist Today!

Flexible Scheduling

We understand that students have busy academic schedules, so we have worked with our partners to provide flexible appointment options to accommodate different student schedules. Virtual options are also available.

Discounted Rates

We recognize the financial burden that mental health services can impose, so we have negotiated discounted rates with our partner therapists. By making these services more affordable, we aim to ensure that every student who needs support can access it without worrying about excessive costs.

Confidentiality

All counseling and therapy sessions are strictly confidential. Your privacy is paramount, and our professionals adhere to the highest ethical standards to create a safe and secure environment for students to express themselves openly.

ARLEE PRYOR she/her

Arlee Pryor is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Associate and relational therapist dedicated to guiding those going through life's intricate emotional landscapes. With a collaborative approach, she specializes in supporting individuals, couples, and families experiencing relationship issues, navigating through family of origin complexities, and identity exploration.

  • Specialty: Relationship issues | Family conflict | LGBTQIA issues

  • Email: balancedlifepsychotherapist@gmail.com

  • Phone: 214-707-8757

  • Website: balancedlifepsychotherapy.com

  • Instagram: @thebalancedlifepsychotherapist

  • Rates: $130 per 50 minute individual session

    $150 per 50 minute couples/family session

    Can offer a reduced rate of $100

    Does not accept insurance but documentation for potential reimbursement can be provided

  • Availability: Virtual appointment only!

DAVID RUIZ he/him/his

David Ruiz is a first-generation student and son of very proud Mexican parents. This background has influenced his interest in working with Latinx and Spanish-speaking individuals, as well as anyone that just needs to be heard. Born and raised in Houston, David has love for everything the city represents from the food, arts, sports, and culture. He has spent a lot of my time traveling to other countries in his free time, which he believes has given him the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for various cultures.

STEPHANIE R. JORDAN

Stephanie’s approach to therapy is to get a picture of your problems or concerns, and in collaboration with you facilitate curiosity about pivotal life events; and explore the possible causes of key themes staring back at you and her. This entails building an alliance that invites you into healthy self-confrontation which allows you to see “what currently is” regardless of how troubling it may appear. 

Her approach promotes a more accurate picture of your experiences and reorganizes the mind/body/spirit connection so that you learn to do resiliency differently. She aims to see you become the best version of yourself. Someone healed and thriving in life, rather than living life in survival mode.

  • Specialty: Grief and Trauma | Family Dynamics| Spiritual Matters | Dating and Relationship

  • Email: stephanie@abettermewellness.com

  • Phone: 832 617 4840

  • Website: www.abettermewellness.com

  • Instagram: @abmwellnesshtown

  • Rates: $150 per 50-minute session

    $115 per 50-minute session (Conditions apply)

    Insurance payment methods must go through verification.

  • Availability: In-Person.

DWIGHT D. LAVAN he/him

As a faith-based counselor, member of the LGBTQ community and a believer in Christ, Dwight knows firsthand what it's like to struggle with low self-esteem, not feeling good enough, or the need to outperform everyone. Dealing with a failed marriage and substance abuse, which he describes as a recipe for disaster and overcoming all of the hurdles was what led him into the ministry of counseling.

JAYDA WASHINGTON, LPC-A

Jayda has been seeing clients as a resident therapist at Fuller Life since 2020.  She holds a Master of Arts in Counseling from the Houston Graduate School of Theology and a provisional license as a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, with plans to continue education with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is also supervised by Amy Fuller PhD, LMFT, LPC and sees clients at rates specific to each person through Fuller Life. 

APRIL NGUYEN, LPC-ASSOCIATE she/her

April has a passion for mental health and connecting with others. As a therapist, her goal is to foster an environment of warmth, authenticity, acceptance, & non-judgment while working together with her clients to address whatever is weighing on their mind. She enjoys working with clients to modify their thoughts, emotions, & behavior to create a life they love, while celebrating their strengths & building meaningful connections.

  • Specialty: Identity Exploration | Self-Esteem| Gender/Sexuality | Life Transitions

  • Email: apriln@ajanatherapy.com

  • Phone: (832) 387 5735

  • Rates: $100 per 50 minute individual session

    Can offer sliding scale rates of $70 as needed

    Does not accept Insurance but can provide a superbill if Insurance has a mental health reimbursement policy. 

  • Availability: In-person | Virtual Appointments also available!

BRITNI ANDREWS, LPC, LMHC they/them

Britni is a Black Queer NonBinary professional counselor currently accepting new clients via telehealth only in Texas (TX) and Washington (WA). They earned a master’s degree in counseling from Prairie View A & M University, an HBCU, and have more than ten years of combined experience in community mental health services, higher education, and student services. Britni honors the important impacts of life experiences and intersections of identity on individual clients' journeys to wellness. They work collaboratively with clients to develop positive coping skills that can be utilized between sessions-where it counts the most in your daily life.  

  • Specialty: ADHD | Gender Identity Exploration | Anxiety | Major Life Transitions/Stressors

  • Email: britni@drivencounseling.org

  • Website: https://www.drivencounseling.org

  • Instagram: @drivencounseling

  • Rates: $150 per 50 minutes session

    Accepts insurance from CIGNA, AETNA, BCBS, Optum/United.

  • Availability: In-person.

MATT TRIETSCH, MA, LPC-ASSOCIATE, NCC he/him

Matt has been in practice as a counselor and psychotherapist since 2021 after retiring from a 20 year career in Human Resources. Identifying as a white, middle-class, middle-aged, gay, queer, and cis gender male, Matt knows choosing a counselor you can really connect with is essential to healing. His gift is to provide his clients with a deep empathetic, understanding, authentic, and trusting experience that embraces the intersection of psychology and spirituality. He also weaves that in with his unique wit, sass, humor, and compassionate directness.

He approaches therapy from a humanistic orientation along side psychoeducation and proven interventions including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative, Motivational Interviewing, and Psycho-analysis. Matt also enjoys working with the LGBTQIA+ population, professionals in training, as well as survivors of chaotic childhoods and relationships, trauma, and religious conflicts. He is supervised by Jeanene Smith, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S.

  • Specialty: Life Transitions | Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity | Grief/Loss

  • Email: matt@matt-trietsch.com

  • Phone: (512) 591 8510

  • Website: www.matt-trietsch.com

  • Rates: $150 per 50 minute individual session

    Can offer sliding scale rates of $75 for students

    Does not accept Insurance. 

  • Availability: In-person | Virtual Appointments also available!

ALEX QUINN, LPC-Associate, he/she/they

Alex is a white, genderqueer therapist who works with LGBTQIA+ teens and adults of

various relationship styles, ethnicities, and spiritual backgrounds. He specializes in

navigating trauma, grief, anxiety, relational conflict, sexual identity, and gender identity.

Their approach is trauma-informed, consent-based, and incorporates a social-justice

framework.

Alex’s counseling style is a blend of somatic, mindfulness, systems, and person-

centered therapy. Therapy, at its core, is collaborative; it’s a relationship between two

humans with different backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and beliefs working

together. Alex meets their clients where they’re at while maintaining authenticity,

warmth, and a sense of humor. Alex is supervised by Candice Holloway, LPC-S.

  • Specialty: Gender/sexual identity | Trauma | Relationship issues | Grief

  • Email: alex@vadacounseling.com

  • Website: vadacounseling.com/alex

  • Rates: $100 for 50-minute session; offers sliding scale (lower fee) if needed. Alex also

    offers free consultations and support letters for gender-affirming care.

    Does not accept insurance but can provide a superbill for out-of-network

    reimbursement

  • Availability: Virtual or In-person.

SABIRA AHMED, LPC-ASSOCIATE, she/her

Sabira is a Bangladeshi-American, queer, cisgender therapist dedicated to building a therapeutic environment that encourages authenticity, transparency, and compassion. She believes people can take charge of their journey to healing and recovery; she aims to empower them to develop toolkits to be able to navigate daily struggles and lived experiences.

It can be quite intimidating to discuss recovery and change when so many of the issues we face are predisposed and out of our control. Though we cannot change these systemic factors and past traumas, it is possible to identify the root of our problems and develop healthy coping strategies through effective counseling.

Sabira is supervised by Candice Holloway, LPC-S.

  • Specialty: LGBTQ+ therapy | Neurodivergence | Women of color | Trauma (child abuse, sexual assault, intimate partner violence)

  • Email: sabira@vadacounseling.com

  • Website: vadacounseling.com/sabira

  • Rates: $120 for 50-minute individual session; offers sliding scale (lower fee) if needed.

    Sabira accepts Cigna/Evernorth insurance

    Sabira offers free consultations/ support letters for gender-affirming care.

  • Availability: Virtual Appointments only!

HADLEY SWARTZ, LPC-Associate, she/her

Hadley is a white, queer therapist living in Houston, TX. Her work focuses on adult

individuals and couples seeking out therapy for a variety of reasons, including direct and

intergenerational trauma, climate distress, mood disorders, relationship problems,

neurodivergence, and LGBTQ+ issues.

She uses an eclectic therapeutic framework that’s feminist, narrative, and existential.

This means instead of giving advice or telling you how to live your life, her role is to be a

sounding board and supporter alongside you as you delve deeper. She has advanced

training in Emotion-Focused Therapy and the Gottman method of couples counseling

and is currently pursuing training in climate psychology.

When she’s not at work, she enjoys taking care of her garden, making art, re-watching

her favorite tv shows, playing video games, and spending time with her dog (Mama) and

cat (Dorothy).

Hadley is supervised by Candice Holloway, LPC-S.

  • Specialty: LGBTQ+ therapy | Neurodivergence | Climate distress | Trauma |

    Depression and anxiety

  • Email: hadley@vadacounseling.com

  • Website: vadacounseling.com/hadley

  • Rates: $120 for 50-minute individual session, $175 for a couples session; offers sliding

    scale (lower fee) if needed.

    Hadley accepts Cigna/Evernorth insurance

    Hadley also offers free consultations and support letters for gender-affirming care.

  • Availability: Virtual or In-person.

FAITH NORTHERN, GRADUATE STUDENT INTERN, she/her

Faith is a Black, queer therapist in Houston, Texas.

“The stories we tell ourselves are very important and often they are stories that others have told us or placed on us”. Faith believes there is power in taking back our story and living the truth that aligns with the core of who we are. She believes that you as the client are the expert of your life and she gets to be a part of empowering you with the tools you need to navigate hardships and struggles.

Faith creates a space that is safe for all marginalized communities. She is committed to being culturally informed and sensitive to the ways that marginalization impacts different aspects of life. She is also committed to creating a safe space for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women of color, and queer couples with many different issues including racial and religious trauma.

Please reach out if you have been looking for someone who is ready to be your biggest cheerleader as you make decisions for your life that might be hard. Also if you have been looking for some queer & black representation in the therapist’s chair you got it!

Faith is supervised by Candice Holloway, LPC-S.

  • Specialty: LGBTQ+ therapy | BIPOC therapy | Trauma | Couples therapy

  • Email: faith@vadacounseling.com

  • Website: vadacounseling.com/faith

  • Rates: $50 for a 50-minute session; offers sliding scale (lower fee) if needed.

    Faith accepts insurance

  • Availability: Virtual or In-person.

Additional Resources