How to Find the Right Therapist in Houston for Your Needs
Why Choosing a Black Therapist in Houston Can Make a Difference
When you search for a Black therapist in Houston, you’re not just looking for credentials — you’re looking for someone who understands your culture, your faith, and the unique challenges Black women face in daily life. The single most important factor in the success of therapy, isn’t the credentials of your therapist, but it really is in the level of fit between you and your therapist. If you are uncomfortable with your therapist, you will not be able to open up to her. Just like if your therapist isn’t able to understand all of who you are, she won’t be able to bring in the necessary skills to help you reach your goals.
Representation matters in therapy. You do not want to spend 30 minutes within each session trying to explain your cultural or religious background to your therapist. She should have a basic understanding of who you are. Now of course, things in therapy aren’t cookie cutter, so you also don’t want a therapist who thinks of you as part of a stereotype or who has prejudices against you. A therapist who works with Black women should have a basic understanding of micro aggressions (and of course she should stay away from triggering you). She should also understand the role that generational trauma and negative generational cycles have played in your life. A big part of the work I do is understanding those patterns and helping you break away from them. You should also be able to discuss your family dynamics without having to over explain them to your therapist.
Having some sort of commonality or connection with your therapist helps deepen trust so that you can open up quicker. If you don’t trust your therapist, things will be stalled. Often times, Black women find it easier to open up about issues of faith, family and cultural pressures when they work with a Black therapist who has a strong understanding about these areas of their lives. You do not have to put your values aside when you are in therapy. The Holy Spirit can be in the therapy room too.
Faith and Therapy: How a Black Therapist in Houston Can Support Your Spiritual Walk
For many Christian women, faith is not separate from emotional healing — and working with a Black therapist in Houston who honors your spiritual walk can make therapy feel like an extension of your faith journey. When you go to therapy, you are actually working on your soul. Because your soul is made of up of your mind, your will and your emotions. Because of this, you want to be careful who you are opening yourself up to. Sometimes Christian women shy away from therapy because they do not believe that they can find a therapist who can integrate biblical principles into therapy. This is untrue. Your values guide how you think and what you do, so you should absolutely be able to bring your faith into therapy.
Therapy does not have to conflict with your Christian and biblical beliefs. Rather, a good Christian therapist in Houston should be able to utilize the Bible as a guide in checking your thoughts and emotions. Afterall, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). A skilled therapist can also incorporate prayer. scripture and spiritual reflection when needed. My job is not to indoctrinate you, rather I lead you to scriptures for reflection and test your thoughts against what the Bible says. The Holy Spirit is the one who illuminates concepts and convicts you. A faith-integrated Black therapist in Houston can help women navigate struggles while staying rooted in God. I am able to utilize evidence based approaches as a therapist alongside biblical principles.
Questions to Ask When Searching for a Black Therapist in Houston
Finding the right fit starts with asking the right questions — here are key things to ask when looking for a Black therapist in Houston who understands both your personal and spiritual needs.
Of course, start by asking about her training and professional experience. You want to at least ensure that she is an actual therapist. Feel free to ask for her license number and search it on the licensing board’s website to ensure that she is still in good standing. And if you want to search my license up. My Texas LMFT license number is 204180. My California LMFT license number is 93384.
You can also ask about the therapist’s experience as it pertains to the issue that brought you into therapy. For example, does she have experience working with Highly Sensitive People? What is her approach in working with trauma? What approaches does she use for working with generational trauma or with people who have experienced multiple traumas? Does she specialize in issues such as anxiety, perfectionism, people pleasing or marital stress? Please note that there is no such thing as a therapist who is a Jack of all trades. We are all great at specific issues. No one is amazing at all the things. If a therapist tells you that she can work with every single issue, that’s a red flag. No one is that good. Just like a primary care physician will know when she needs to refer you to a specialist for certain issues.
Next you might also want to ask about the therapist’s approach to integrating faith into sessions. Will sessions feel like a Sunday sermon? Will sessions have an undertone of spirituality or will you be explicitly talking about the word of God? Will it feel like a lecture or will it be a joint discussion? Is there room for prayer and scripture in session or is it that the therapist is a Christian who cannot integrate faith into her work?
You may also ask how she maintains cultural awareness about specific issues that pertain to Black women. Is she aware about things like medical bias? Are you able to speak to her about things like colorism, code switching, some of the issues that face immigrants? Will you be able to talk to her about dreams and others ways that God speaks to you? These are important too.
What to Expect in Your First Session with a Black Therapist in Houston
It is normal to feel a bit nervous when you first start therapy. After all, you are being asked to unpack secrets that you’ve not told anyone. Therapy does leave you feeling a bit vulnerable at the beginning and it is a big ask for you to trust someone whom you’ve never met. I get it. But once you know what to expect from therapy, a Black therapist in Houston can help you feel prepared and supported from day one.
In the first therapy session, you will be continuing to assess whether or not this therapist is the right one for you. Do you like her voice? Do you feel comfortable in her presence or is everything within you telling you to run? Please also listen to your gut. If you don’t feel that this therapist is a great fit for you, it’s okay to say so and not return. Our feelings won’t be hurt. We also want you to find someone who is a great fit for you. I personally love to see people win— whether or not I’m the one who helped them win.
In the first session you will be setting the tone for how much faith you want integrated into the session. Some people want to dig into scriptures and pray. Others just want a light touch. It’s all up to you. You will also be setting goals during this session. What areas are important to touch on are also a collaboration between you and your therapist. A skilled therapist will never force you to address issues that you don’t want to touch on. I typically go over your upbringing, as well as areas that affect your emotional, relational, environmental and occupational health. We’ll go over my practice policies, so that we are both on the same page. You will be talking about your story, what brought you into therapy and what you want your life to look like once therapy is done.
As much as I’m a mental health professional, you are the expert of your life. So we will work together to come up with goals and create a therapy environment that works well for you. I create a personalized plan for each client. Because I am fully aware that humans are unique. No cookie cutter approach for me. Even though there might be a bit of discomfort, you shouldn’t feel the hairs standing at the back of your neck. It should be slight discomfort- not terror.
Finding Healing and Hope with a Black Therapist in Houston Who Understands You
Healing becomes more powerful when you feel understood — and working with a Black therapist in Houston who shares your cultural and faith values can help you walk in hope and confidence. The process of therapy transforms you. The goal is to help you understand yourself better. You get to know the thoughts running through your head, why you think the way you do, how your thoughts are connected to your emotions, how to accept but still manage big emotions, as well as how to improve important relationships around you. The outcome should be stronger boundaries, healthier relationships, relief from anxiety and trauma, as well as a renewed confidence about your life.
Faith and therapy can have a beautiful symbiotic relationship. You get to include the spiritual aspect of your life and use it to guide your thoughts and emotions. It’s importance that you do not struggle alone. After all, Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” You are allowed to use the resources around you so that you can stand solidly on your two feet.
When you work with a Christian therapist in Houston who understands both your faith and your identity, it makes the journey more impactful.
If you’ve been carrying the weight of anxiety, perfectionism, or relationship struggles, you don’t have to walk this journey alone. As a Black therapist in Houston who integrates Christian faith into the healing process, I help women like you find peace, clarity, and strength. Schedule your free consultation for Christian counseling in Houston today and take the first step toward the wholeness God desires for you.
About
My name is Ibinye Osibodu-Onyali. I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist in California and Texas. I help women who are struggling with trauma, anxiety and insomnia. I also help couples learn how to speak each other’s language, date each other again and manage conflict in a non-painful way.
