Dana Bushong

Here's what I want you to know before you even book: I spent 25 years in public high schools watching teenagers navigate some of the hardest seasons of their lives — and I never once got tired of it. That's not something you can fake. I genuinely like teenagers. I understand how they think, what they're carrying, and why it's hard to trust an adult enough to actually talk.

I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas and trained in EMDR, which means I work with trauma, anxiety, and stress in ways that go deeper than just talking about feelings. I'm direct. I'll be honest with you. And I'm also pretty fun to be around, which matters when you're sitting across from someone for an hour every week.

I see clients via telehealth across all of Texas, with a private office — The Counseling Cottage at Taylor — opening for in-person sessions in late August 2026.

Therapy with me is a conversation, not a lecture. I pull from solution-focused approaches and EMDR because I want clients to actually feel different — not just understand why they feel the way they do.

With teens especially, I meet them where they are. That might mean talking about what happened in third period before we ever get to the "real" stuff — because that's how trust gets built. I'm trained to notice what's happening underneath the surface, and I'll name it gently but directly.

For parents who join sessions or book for their kids: I'll always keep you in the loop on how things are going while protecting your teen's ability to speak freely. That balance is something I've spent years getting right.

The first session is a get-to-know-you conversation — no pressure, no clipboard of clinical questions. I want to understand what's going on in your life right now, what's been hard, and what you're hoping will feel different.

By the end of it, you'll know whether we're a good fit. I'll give you my honest read of what I think is going on and what I'd recommend for next steps.