Dr. Alan Lipps

I am a Texas-licensed therapist (Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Master Social Worker) who specializes in compassionate, trauma-informed care for adults with complex life experiences. I work with individuals who carry the effects of trauma, including developmental trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as related concerns such as anxiety, panic, hypervigilance, depression, shame, moral injury, grief, and loss.

Many of the people I work with are not “broken,” but burdened—by experiences that overwhelmed their nervous system, disrupted attachment, or shaped deep patterns of self-doubt and vigilance. My approach is grounded in helping clients feel safe, understood, and respected while gently building skills for emotional regulation, self-compassion, and meaningful connection.

I am certified in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and integrate DBT skills with trauma-informed, attachment-aware, and somatic principles. I also hold a Certificate of Completion in Traumatic Stress Studies from the Trauma Research Foundation. Therapy with me is collaborative and paced, with careful attention to both emotional and physiological safety.

I am a Christian and value faith as a source of meaning and resilience; however, I do not proselytize or impose beliefs. Clients of all backgrounds, beliefs, and identities are welcome. When faith is important to you, it can be thoughtfully integrated into therapy; when it is not, therapy remains fully respectful and clinically focused.

If you are seeking a therapist who understands trauma deeply and approaches healing with patience, dignity, and compassion, I would be honored to work with you.

My approach to therapy is collaborative, trauma-informed, and paced with careful attention to emotional and nervous system safety. I understand that many symptoms—such as anxiety, hypervigilance, shame, or emotional shutdown—are not personal failures, but adaptive responses to overwhelming experiences.

I integrate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills with trauma-informed and attachment-aware principles, helping clients develop practical tools for emotional regulation while also addressing deeper patterns shaped by trauma and loss. Sessions often include learning skills, increasing self-compassion, and gently exploring experiences at a pace that feels manageable and respectful.

Therapy with me is not about forcing change or reliving trauma before you are ready. Instead, we focus on building stability, increasing choice, and restoring a sense of agency and meaning. I view healing as a process that unfolds over time through safety, understanding, and consistent support.

The first session is focused on helping you feel comfortable, understood, and respected. We will begin by discussing what brings you to therapy and what you hope might change, at a pace that feels manageable for you. There is no pressure to share more than you are ready to share.

I will ask questions to better understand your history, current stressors, and how symptoms such as anxiety, hypervigilance, low mood, or emotional overwhelm may be affecting your life. We will also talk about what has helped—or not helped—in the past. Throughout the session, attention is given to emotional and nervous system safety.

You can expect a collaborative conversation rather than an interrogation or a forced retelling of painful experiences. For some clients, the first session may include learning a simple grounding or emotion-regulation strategy; for others, it may simply be a space to be heard and to clarify next steps.

By the end of the session, we will discuss goals for therapy and what ongoing work together might look like. My aim is for you to leave the first session with a clearer sense of direction, increased understanding of your experiences, and a sense of whether this feels like a good therapeutic fit.