Avery Neal, PhD, LPC

The conversation around women’s mental health has grown recently, partly thanks to a wider acceptance of therapy’s useful insights. “There’s more awareness now than ever before,” said Dr. Avery Neal, psychotherapist and founder of Women’s Therapy Clinic in The Woodlands. Terms from the therapist’s lexicon, like “gaslighting,” have even gone mainstream in the last few years. But there’s gleaning information about narcissism and attachment styles from pop culture, and then there’s talking to a professional. One is tailored to your healing.

Through her clinic in The Woodlands, Dr. Neal and her team of therapists focus on women’s individual therapy for anxiety, depression, postpartum depression, life transitions, relationship issues, divorce recovery, emotional abuse, self-esteem and depression. And yes, narcissism and attachment styles are examined. “We’ve seen and heard it all, in a way,” said Dr. Neal, whose 12-year-old practice welcomes women with open arms and a dedication to non-judgment. In short, no woman need feel self-conscious in the office.

Dr. Neal works alongside psychiatrist Dr. Peter Berndt, a former family physician, and Cara Helmrich, a Harvard graduate with her master’s degree in counseling, who specializes in helping clients overcome obstacles to purpose and fulfillment. Each therapist tailors their approach to individual client needs based on a variety of techniques and methods. “We try to look at the whole picture, including the root cause, traumas, childhood experiences and how they may influence relationships and current circumstances,” said the founder.