About Joshua Ruiz

I became a counselor because I know what it's like to struggle.

People have been opening up to me for as long as I can remember, and that's very meaningful to me.

Your feelings are real and deserve to be understood. Never dismissed. I've been there, when it seemed like few people understood and fewer were willing to sit with me in the uncomfortable feelings. But when you find someone who can go there with you, it can make all the difference.

Professional License
LPC-Associate #101473
Supervised By
Dr. Kevin Fall, LPC-S #13958
Sessions
In person in South Austin
and online across Texas
01 Who I am

I've sat on both sides of this room.

As the client

I've spent years in therapy myself, and some of the most meaningful changes in my life came from having someone who listened, challenged me when I needed it, and helped me make sense of things that felt confusing.

That experience shapes the kind of counselor I am.

As the counselor

I know how vulnerable it can feel to tell someone what's really going on, especially if you've spent a long time trying to handle everything on your own.

I'm here to listen and understand. We will work together to promote your personal growth and help you move toward your goals.

It's okay to come to counseling with a lot of uncertainty. We all face uncertainty together.

02 My approach

You know yourself better than anyone else.

Counseling isn't about someone telling you how to live your life. My job is to understand how you've learned to navigate the world, help you notice patterns you might not see on your own, and work with you to figure out what fits your life.

Sometimes

that means talking about what's happening today.

Sometimes

it means looking at where those patterns started.

Sometimes

it means trying something different between sessions and seeing what happens.

There isn't one strategy that works for everyone, so I don't believe there should be one approach to counseling either.

03 Talking about
the past

Blaming your childhood isn't enough.

What happened probably wasn't fair, especially to that child. You were protecting yourself, reaching for what you needed, and making it through difficult situations.

The question isn't whether those strategies were right or wrong. The question is whether they're still helping you today.

If they are

We'll build on the strategies you have that work.

We'll highlight your strengths, build them up, and make adjustments along the way.

If they aren't

We'll find something that fits.

Something that suits the life you have now, instead of the life you had then.

I know how vulnerable it can feel to tell someone what's really going on.
04 My background

A lifelong Texan, and an Austinite for over ten years.

  • Undergraduate

    B.A. Psychology

    The University of Texas at Austin.

  • Graduate

    M.A. Professional Counseling

    Texas State University.

  • Clinical experience

    Individuals, families, and group therapy

    I have experience working with people arrested for domestic violence. I believe we all have the chance to change when we put in the effort.

  • Now

    Private Practice

    I provide individual counseling to adults.

A space where you can be yourself

I welcome clients of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

LGBTQIA+ Ally

Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and feel understood in counseling. My goal is to create a space where you can be honest about your experiences without worrying about being judged, or needing to explain why your identity matters.

Feeling understood is an important part of counseling, and I want every client who walks through my door to know they're welcome here.

05 What working
with me is like

I probably won't have the perfect thing to say every session.

01

Sometimes I'll ask a question that catches you off guard.

02

Sometimes we'll spend an entire session trying to understand one feeling, or one conversation that keeps replaying in your mind.

03

Sometimes I'll suggest trying something different before we meet again.

04

And sometimes we'll realize together that something we tried wasn't helpful. That's okay.

The real work is consistent effort, like walking down the road one step at a time. You won't be walking alone. It's about paying attention, learning what works for you, and continuing to build from there.

I also want you to know that if something isn't working, I hope you'll tell me. Maybe I misunderstood something. Maybe something isn't fitting. Those conversations matter. They're often good practice for having honest conversations for the rest of your life, too.

You don't have to know exactly what to say before contacting me.

If you're wondering whether counseling might be helpful, that's enough. You can schedule online, call, email, or send a secure message. Whatever feels easiest. We can start a conversation about whether I'm the right fit to help.