L A V E L D A
N A Y L O R
LMFT-S/COACH
She/Her/Hers
L A V E L D A
N A Y L O R
LMFT-S/COACH
She/Her/Hers
TEXAS THERAPIST
GLOBAL RELATIONSHIP COACH
MFT SUPERVISOR
at
©BeginAnywhereLLC
"No time like the present to work sh!t out"
-Beastie Boys
SPECIALITIES
Things I work with especially well.
Relationship Help
partner conflict
polyamory
boundaries
communication
divorce/ breakup
intimacy issues
codependency
trust building
dating anxietyattachment styletrauma bondinginfidelitykinky identified
Treatment ApproachesEclectic ApproachCBT (Cognitive Behavioral)Systems TheoryFeminist PerspectiveNeuroscience InformedExperiential TherapyExistentialismAttachment TheoryEmotion FocusedTrauma Informed
LGTBQ+ Support
questioning sexuality
partners therapy
sexual identity
queer culture
coming out
gender identity
gender transition
gender dyshporia
transition planning
gender roles
family rejection
Adult Giftedness
neuro-divergence
chronic cynicism
twice- exceptional
perfectionism
multipotentiality
under-achievement
low belongingness
chronic boredom
empathic overwhelm
high sensitivity (HSP)
over-excitability
moral outrage
Mood Dysregulation
depression
anxiety
phobias
compulsions
bipolar
borderline
suicidality
explosiveness
impulsivity
panic attacks
intrusive thoughts
mood swings
LMFT Supervisioncollaborative
integrative
growth mindset
.existentialism
case conceptualization
career planning
private practice
business goals
work boundaries
avoiding Burnout
exploring a niche
REGISTRATION PORTAL
*ALL SESSIONS ARE CURRENTLY VIRTUAL*
Ready to begin?
As a virtual private pay therapist, I am to make getting started as easy is possible. To onboard, simply enter the client portal below and create a profile. You will fill out all forms online, which are designed to address most client questions and concerns.
Once registered in the client portal, you can create a journal, manage billing, schedule sessions, send chats, access your forms, and work towards your therapy goals all online.
Virtual sessions will be held in the portal or via Psychology Today's Sessions platform. If you prefer a different platform, you may provide a link to therapist prior to each session.
CO$T OF SERVICES
PRACTICE RATE $125/HOUR
You will be charged $125 per hour for coaching or therapy, as that is the practice rate. If you are unable to pay the practice rate and dont have insurance, you may request a reduced rate of $85 or $100 per hour (first session is $125). In the interest of supporting therapists wishing to do their own therapy work, I also offer a special rate for students studying mental health fields and mental health professionals ($75 with documentation). Free cancellation 24 hours prior to session, late cancel and same day cancellation or no shows are full fee. NOW ACCEPTING AETNA INSURANCE (must register through Headway, as they manage the billing). See below...
PAYMENT OPTIONS
Fees for services are due at the time of service. Currently accepting Out Of Pocket payments via PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, debit/credit, HSA accepted. Receipts and super bills are available for personal filing /reimbursement purposes upon request for Out of Network filings.Accepted Insurance Companies
Aetna (now)
Oscar Health (Jan 2023)
UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH (2023)
OON out of network (2023)
LEGAL FEES
Fees for services related to mental health legal/medical support (i.e., letters, court appearances, etc.) requested by clients are $300/hour, rush documentation of less than one week are an additional 35% of total invoice. Written consent is required for release of information, documents requested can be mailed for $15 via USPS. EXPERT WITNESS as an LMFT in TX on the behalf of legal council is $300 an hour, billed monthly to requesting entity. ESA letters are $100, Transition Letters are $200. Ou of Pocket only for all legal services.LOW COST THERAPY OPTION
If you are looking for LOWER COST therapy than what I offer in my own practice, I am also supervisor to up and coming Marriage and Family Therapists working towards full licensure. I have established a Virtual Therapy Practice called Begin Anywhere LLC, click here to learn more about services we offer. Feel free to email BEGIN ANYWHERE LLC to get in touch about immediate openings and lower rates per session, use form below.
A P P R O A C H E S
How I roll ...
My preferred theoretical perspectives are grounded in philosophy, psychology, neuroscience research, empowerment coaching perspectives, and systems theory. Each of these lenses helps me see mental health issues in complex (rather than reductive) ways. and enable me to formulate sensitive treatment plans for the struggles of life.
But at heart I am, an existentialist, I believe we experience life in two distinct ways: BEING (internal) and DOING (external) --these two worlds influence each other but the Being world is an entirely private and unique experience. Therefore, it is important to explore and organize this space in ways that help you cope with the absurdity of having to juggle these two parallel worlds, especially when the external world is often shitty. So how are we going to do that?
YOU LIVE IN YOUR MIND, SO BE MIND-FULL.
I often use Mindfulness techniques early on in the therapy process to increase access to your cognitive resources. better manage your emotions, and acknowledge any trauma or issues showing up for you. Therapeutic MINDFULNESS from a secular perspective is directing our attention to the present moment with a nonjudgmental gaze: what am I thinking? what is my body doing? what happened right before I felt that?
With practice, mindfulness can lead to new ideas about yourself and help you create more change in your life by increasing your cognitive resources, guiding your behavior, and increasing your overall wellness. I like to say "We cannot controlthe world, but we can curate our minds."
EXISTENTIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Long Term Change
I find existentialism most critical to integrating our experiences and making lasting change, but it can take some time to arrive at its usefulness in the therapy process (unless you have already had therapy, then we might just dive right in).
Existential ideas relies on self awareness (that mindfulness comes in handy here) and the search for meaning—in treatment, this means centering more on Self rather than Symptom.
By exploring yourself, you can redefine your relationship with self and other, explore your unique internal life, reshape your narratives, make more authentic decisions and better represent yourself in the world.
We can take what we learn about you and turn that into actionable goals, which is critical because inert knowledge doe not have much impact on your life. Once you know, then do!!
"Your responses to the events of life are more important than the events themselves."
– Virginia Satir
EXPERIENTIAL THERAPY
How Change Happens...
I also really like learning by doing--I know that I only have you for an hour at a time and the rest of your life does not work the way therapy does, so I want to create REAL TIME LEARNING with you in our sessions whenever possible. Therefore I use tools and techniques in session meant to provoke an immediate change in your process. And I will teach them to you!
My favorite experiential techniques are those created by Virginia Satir, like family sculpting, defensive postures, leveling, acceptance of differences, belief challenging, cultural awareness, and creativity in response to chaos. She posited that we can become fixed and closed in the status quo. Then when something enters our life we can't cope with in the same old way, we fall into chaos-- this is when most people seek therapy. The good news is we are more open to new ideas when we fall into chaos. Therefore, therapy in the Satir manner is seeking together that transformational idea that relieves your chaos.
Once we find the important tools for where you are in your journey, we usually have to keep working on them until it feels natural to you. And then we have to integrate across tools to reveal the matrix that is how the brain works underneath all that STUFF IN YOUR MIND. It might entail a mind blown emoji or two. :)
“Therapy is not a conversation; it's an experience.”
– Dr. Harry Aponte
ATTACHMENT THEORY
This is a critical addition to my work, especially with neurodivergent folks, because our attachment style so deeply impacts our relationship experiences across the lifespan.
When we feel safe and understood, we can regulate our internal experience better because we have a secure attachment. In adulthood, this translates to being self-confident, trusting, and hopeful, with an ability to embrace and manage conflict, respond to intimacy opportunities, and navigate the ups and downs of relationships without too much personalizing. Do you find this hard to understand?
If you struggle to regulate your emotions around social interactions and have difficulty maintaining stable relationships in adulthood, you may have an insecure attachment style and attachment based therapy can help you repair some attachment injuries.
Working on attachment improves our ability to tolerate external stress, create closeness, better understand our own emotions and the feelings of others, We are better able to self regulate in the present when our needs from the past have been met.
– Dr. Harry Aponte
MODALITIES
What treatment modality is best for you?
virtual therapy
all sessions currently virtual
Virtual therapy (video, phone, and/or chat) is an effective alternative to in-person therapy a for just about anyone: people who are comfortable with technology, have mobility issues, or are busy and dealing with time constraints. For such people, research shows outcomes of virtual therapy are not significantly different from in person therapy regardless of reason for attending or therapeutic approach. However, virtual therapy is NOT a good fit for small children, technology challenged, or actively suicidal clients. If you cannot find privacy for 45 minutes, virtual video/phone sessions may not work for you as confidentiality and privacy are critical components of therapy. HIPPA platforms offered for virtual video sessions are Client Portal, Psychology Today, and Zoom (if client initiated).
individual therapy
just for you
This modality focuses on the issues that a single client of any age brings to treatment: From chronic difficulties to challenging life events, even to just needing a listener - someone who doesn't judge and who can help generate new perspectives. Good candidates include just about anyone feeling stuck and unsatisfied with life, but examples are those struggling with a diagnosis, experiencing a life change, grief/loss, mood difficulties, etc. For this modality, I generally use a combination of systemic ideas, cognitive tools, and existential therapies to support your therapy goals. I also offer relationship coaching that targets issues specific to dating and/or parenting in a modern world.
partner therapy
plus a significant other(s)
This modality focuses on issues that occur between intimately connected persons. Issues range from poor communication to infidelity. Symptoms are identified within relationship characteristics, not an individual. Good candidates are partners who have more negative than positive interaction, trust issues, relationship stress or dissatisfaction, escalating conflict, poor communication, withdrawal from each other, separation talks, etc. For this modality, I generally use a combination of systemic ideas, attachment-focused dialogues, and cognitive behavioral tools to support your therapy goals.
family therapy
more than partners
This modality focuses on the issues within a family system - members of our primary support group. Issues in families range from parental concerns, to life cycle changes, to family conflict. Symptoms are identified within the context of the family and treatment focuses on addressing family functioning as a whole, instead of on a single person and that person's issues. Good candidates include families with a high degree of conflict, regular/repetitive stress, ongoing developmental or health issues, families experiencing change, divorce, struggling with diagnosis , etc. For this modality, I generally use a combination of systemic psychoeducation, experiential, and cognitive behavioral tools to support group goals.
group therapy
more than you and yours
This modality focuses on a singular, common issue and works off of the relational dynamics between people. Coping and interpersonal functioning can be improved by participating in such a group; through the sharing of struggles and common goals, group members share ideas and develop a sense of cohesiveness, often realizing they are not alone, which creates feelings of universality and renewed connection to humanity.
ABOUT ME
I am a Queer Identified, Poly Positive, Neuro-divergent, Kinky Affirming Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Supervisor. I am currently downsizing my life and becoming a digital nomad since I am explusively virtual. My stance as a therapist is reflective of my life experiences and personal identity, authentic, eclectic, and empowering. Normalizing mental health strugggles and making therapy accessible is foundational to my practice---I want you to feel welcome to explore and be yourself openly, without judgment, to find your wounds and heal your inner life, all from the comfort of your own environment. I love getting to see my clients in their own habitats, and meet their pets, I think I learn so much more than I would in an office setting. And you can see a glimpse of my habitat as well!****
{EVEN MY SWEET DOGGO GUS IS INVOLVED}
I like to teach my clients therapeutic techniques that foster self acceptance, provoke new awarenesses, and stimulate relationship development so that you feel more grounded. But the goal for me as therapist is always to help you reach your own wellness goals so that you can live your best life and become your own therapist.
LICENSE INFORMATION
LMFT Supervisor 202002
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist's of all designations are licensed by the Texas State Board ofExaminers of Marriage and Family Therapists. If at any time you wish to verify a license of, or make a complaint please contact the governing board:
Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council
333 Guadalupe St., Ste. 3-900Austin, Texas 78701
Investigations/Complaints 24-hour, toll-free system
(800) 821-3205/ Main Line (512) 305-7700
SOCIAL MEDIA
R E C O M M E N D E D
media we like...
P U B L I C A T I O N S
Naylor, Lavelda (2022) Gifted Adults:: Can I get a refund? Presented at the Graduate School of the University of Birmingham, UK.
Naylor, Lavelda (2018) GT Adults Issues and Interventions. Presented at monthly meeting of Texas Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. (See presentation here)
Naylor, Lavelda (2015). Sexpectations: Communicating About Expectations for Sex Partners in Relationships. Presented at The Sexology Institute, San Antonio, TX.
Naylor, Lavelda, & Wilson, Amy (2013). Social Media Boundaries for Mental Health Professionals. Presented to Family Service Association, San Antonio, TX. http://laveldanaylor.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/social-media-use-as-a-mental-health-professional/
Naylor, Lavelda, & Wilson, Amy (2013). Modern Parenting Perspectives for Mental Health Professionals. Presented to Family Service Association, San Antonio, TX.
Pillow, D., Naylor, L., & Malone, G. (2012). Beliefs Regarding Stimulant Medication Effects Among College Students with a History of Past or Current Usage. Journal of Attention Disorder, DOI:10.1177/1087054712459755
Naylor, L., Stanley, E., & Wicha, N. (2012). Cognitive and neural correlates of the bilingual Stroop effect: Evidence from behavior and event-related potentials.Frontiers in Cognition,3, 81. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00081
David R. Pillow, Glenn P. Malone, Lavelda Bradley (Naylor), & Cristina Cadena (2010). Beliefs Regarding Stimulant Medication Effects Predict Patterns of Use in college Students. Presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Boston, MA.
(Naylor) Bradley, L., Stanely, E., & Wicha, N. Y.Y. (2009). De Colores: An ERP study of cross-language interference using a bilingual color-Stroop task. Presented at the annual meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco, CA.
Bradley, L. & Pillow, D. (2009).
Pillow, D. & (Naylor) Bradley, L. (2008). Predicting Stimulant Medication Use in College Students with AD/HD. Presented at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association, San Antonio, TX.
(Naylor) Bradley, L. & Pillow, D. (2008). Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior to ADHD Medication Endpoints. Poster presented at the Spring Research Conference of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts, the University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX. Awarded 3rd Place research prize.
(Naylor) Bradley, L. & Pillow, D. (2008). Investigating AD/HD Medication Endpoints. Slide presentation at the 22cd annual meeting of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Salisbury, MA.
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