Flo Bates
Hi! You can call me Flo, I am a LPC and I received my masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and bachelor of arts in Psychology from Texas A&M University-Commerce now known as East Texas A&M. I am the mom of a gremlin, I mean toddler and an XL fur baby. As a therapist my main focus is to take your jumbled thoughts and streamline them.
I am funny, and I don't say that in a toot my own horn way, but in a way that I want you to feel comfortable being yourself, and humor is a great way to break the ice.
I have experience with kids and adults, from 5 to 65 ranging in a variety of treatment areas. I did a lot of my ground work in mental health hospitals and outpatient PHP/IOP, but my passion is individual counseling. We can laugh, we can cry, we can have dark humor, but most importantly together, we will create some sort of Peace of Mind.
First session
I start many therapy sessions with "what's up with ya", "how ya doing?", and my personal favorite "talk to me", so expect me to allow you to guide the therapy sessions, AFTER we do your intake assessment.
Strengths
I am funny, and I don't say that in a toot my own horn way, but in a way that I want you to feel comfortable being yourself, and humor is a great way to break the ice. I take great pride in building rapport because where there is trust there is room for growth.
Ideal clients
In my years of experience working with clients, I have had a gravity towards clients struggling with self-esteem that can be trauma induced, from childhood, parents, bullying, understanding their diagnosis, and a variety of other underlying issues. The ideal client for me as a clinician is a client who is ready to do the work, I provide homework and follow up with you on meeting your goals. I will be a cheerleader for you even when progress may seem small.
Treatment methods
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I have utilized Person-Centered therapy since beginning my therapy journey in 2017. Although I dabble in other methods as needed, I believe the client is the expert in their own life and I am there to help with navigation.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
What therapist doesn't utilize CBT at some point? The goal is to give you the tools you need for emotional regulation, and CBT helps tremendously with that.
Location
Virtual sessions