Austin STRONG: Relationship Building Center

Introducing our new Intern, Nick Bachicha! Nick is our Graduate Level Clinical Intern working on his Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Adler Graduate School. Supervised by Kristal DeSantis, LMFT.

Nick is here for the Spring semester starting 1/9/2023 & will be taking short-term clients at a reduced rate of $25 per session for individuals and $40 for couples.

Contact: [email protected] / 512-887-1003 & visit: https://www.austinstrongrbc.com/meet-nick to learn more!

Nick's Approach:
"Without getting too jargon heavy, I have a interpersonal style of therapy that builds around our genuine connection through empathy, respect, and trust. I also utilize the holistic relationship between mind, body, and environment, as well as grounding techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness, and
meditation.

If we wanted to throw in a few notes of jargon, I would say I have a humanistic style that is person- centered, psychodynamic informed, as well as draws upon many CBT and experiential techniques.

In working with couples, increasing safety, trust, and open communication is foundational in providing a structure for both partners to feel they are understood, respected, and that they have a shared vision they can both belong and contribute to."

About Nick:
One thing about me is I believe all of life is a process, and that we must find our own balance between what we take in and what we push back into the world. In a more tangible example, I love listening to podcasts and lectures, reading non-fiction books, as well as writing songs, poetry, and essays. I have a daily practice of meditation as well as love walking trails with my corgi cattle dog Reggie – they call them “cowboy corgis”.

Although I have a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, I have spent the past decade as a swim coach/instructor to age group swimmers 3-18. Over this time I realized that beyond the races won, the most fulfilling part of my job was both the human connection, and helping those young individuals process and face tough challenges in their lives. I seek to continue this goal in my work here at Austin STRONG: Relationship Building Center."

June 19th, or Juneteenth, is a national holiday in honor of the enslaved people in Corpus Christi, Texas who learned of the end of the Civil War for the first time on June 19th, 1865. Now the holiday marks more than just a celebration of freedom, it’s a day to remember and recognize the historical experiences of Black Americans.

We wanted to take this opportunity to share more about what non-Black allies can do to celebrate the holiday and honor the history of Black Americans and the individuals who worked so hard to make Juneteenth a nationally recognized holiday. Below are a few ideas:

Visit a Black museum or cultural site to learn more about history and culture. The George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center is a local Austin favorite.
Support Black organizations and businesses in the Austin area. Check out this awesome list of restaurants, shops, and services by Do512: https://do512.com/p/black-owned-businesses-in-austin
Share a commitment to learning about the history of enslaved peoples in America over the years and how that influenced the history of America. Some resources are: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/07/ten-books-on-slavery-you-need-to-read-120590/

Read more about what you can do to honor Juneteenth celebrations here: https://www.bustle.com/life/9-actions-non-black-people-should-take-on-juneteenth-22984347

Austin STRONG: Relationship Building Center post for today- More Change Ahead!

Today’s post is Part 2 of a series on Change in a Relationship by ASRBC interns Kaleigh Simental and Gabrielle Gutierrez.

It can be challenging to navigate couples counseling when partners are not on the same page of making changes in the relationship. As Kaleigh shares, “Looking at this from the STRONG Model of Safety, Trust, Respect, Openness, Nurturing, and Generosity, there can be some fundamental disconnects in the relationship when one partner wants a change in the relationship and the other does not see a problem.”

In today’s post, Kaleigh offers some questions couples can incorporate in their conversations to begin to assess the needed changes in front of them and figure out how ready for change each partner is.

Kaleigh writes, "Remember that no matter where you or your partner are in the stages of change, it’s possible to work together to ensure that you both feel safe, heard, and ready for whatever change lies ahead."

Be sure to check out the full post here: https://www.austinstrongrbc.com/post/more-change-ahead !

You can learn more about our team here or book a session with Kaleigh, by visiting www.austinstrongrbc.com/meet-kaleigh !