Sergio Villarreal

I work with adults, couples, and families who are navigating a verity of issues particularly dealing with suicide ideation, trauma, couple's counseling, and challenges of military and Veteran life. I understand how reaching out for help can feel overwhelming, especially when carrying disturbing memories.

My clinical focus is on Veteran's and family issues, Trauma, and Suicide ideation and treatment (VTS). I help clients work through hyper-vigilance, intrusive memories, guilt, shame, and the sense of disconnection due to violence or chronic stress.

As a certified Spanish-speaking counselor, I also work with clients from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Having traveled to more than 25 countries I pay close attention to how culture, language, faith, and family values shape your experience of suffering and healing. This allows us to tailor the work so it fits who you are—not just your diagnosis.

My perspective as a therapist is also informed by my own history of seeking counseling for trauma, military stress, and suicidal thoughts. Sitting on the other side of the room taught me how vulnerable it can feel to tell your story. That experience keeps me grounded, practical, and compassionate in every session.

My background includes 38 years of marriage, a father and grandfather, all inform my understanding of long-term relationships, parenting, and multigenerational family dynamics. I am a retired Army Major with experience in Special Operations and counter-drug operations, including advisory roles in hostile environments in Colombia and Afghanistan. I have published on military topics and am a songwriter and recording artist of Spanish/English Catholic music, with three albums released on over 150 platforms—creative work that often resonates with clients who draw on spirituality, music, or faith as part of their healing process.

I know that seeking therapy can feel uncertain, especially if you are not sure what approach will actually help. When we first meet, my focus is on getting to know you—your story, your symptoms, your values, and what and how you want your life to be different—so that we can shape a plan that truly fits you, rather than forcing you into a one-size-fits-all model.

Instead of starting with a rigid theory, I let your unique situation guide the counseling approach we choose together. Your patterns of thoughts, emotions, relationships, and past experiences help us decide what combination of methods is most likely to reduce your distress and move you toward your goals.

My primary clinical tools come from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic therapy, and Narrative therapy. CBT helps you notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors so you can feel more in control of your mood and choices. Psychodynamic and Narrative approaches help you understand how past experiences and the stories you hold about yourself continue to shape your current life, relationships, and sense of identity.

For clients who are open to it, I can also integrate religious and spiritual perspectives into the work. This may include exploring how your faith, beliefs, and spiritual practices can support resilience, meaning, and hope, allowing us to address healing on all levels—mind, body, and spirit.

When you schedule a free 15‐minute consultation with me, my first priority is to help you feel safe, heard, and not alone in what you are going through. In that brief time, I invite you to share what hurts most right now—what is weighing on your heart, and what anxiety, sadness, or stress has brought you to consider counseling.

In ongoing sessions, you can expect me to be fully present, listen closely, and respond with empathy and honesty. I ask thoughtful, sometimes challenging questions to help you explore your thoughts, feelings, and patterns.

To make sure you feel understood, I regularly reflect back, summarize, and clarify what I am hearing, so you can “hear your own story” and decide what feels most important to focus on. As we continue, we gradually work at deeper levels—looking at underlying beliefs, emotions, and experiences—to uncover new perspectives, options, and solutions.

Together, we then translate these insights into practical plans and specific steps you can take between sessions. The goal is to help you adapt, make meaningful changes, and move toward a life that feels more balanced, hopeful, and aligned with your values.