MY STORY
MY STORY BEGAN LONG BEFORE I BECAME A THERAPIST.
I came to the United States from Mexico with my family when I was nine years old. Growing up between two cultures and navigating so many changes at a young age shaped my appreciation for resilience, family, connection, and the importance of feeling truly seen and understood.
Even in junior high, I noticed that people naturally felt comfortable opening up to me. Then, in high school, I took a psychology class and couldn’t get enough of it. That was when I knew this was the field I wanted to pursue.
High school was also when I experienced one of the greatest losses of my life, losing my dad to cancer. Much of that healing came later in adulthood as I did my own therapy, and that experience continues to influence how I show up for my clients today.
In 2017, I took a leap of faith and opened Vanessa Pate Counseling, PLLC, my private practice in The Woodlands.
A WHOLE PERSON, NOT A DIAGNOSIS.
Therapy doesn’t look the same for everyone. I see each client as a whole person, not simply a diagnosis or the issue that brought them in. Emotional health is connected to so many parts of life, so together we look at what’s happening emotionally, physically, relationally, and in your environment.
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TRAUMA-INFORMED
Safety comes first. We move at a pace that feels right for you, and every session is collaborative.
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MIND & BODY
Somatic tools and nervous system regulation help your body feel safe again. Brainspotting can reach what talking alone sometimes can’t.
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THE ROOTS
Inner child work gently explores early experiences that still shape how you think, feel and relate today.
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PRACTICAL TOOLS
Evidence-based skills, including CBT, that you can use in daily life: at home, at work and at school.
THE ROAD HERE
a few milestones- AGE 9 Came to the United States from Mexico with my family.
- HIGH SCHOOL A psychology class, and I knew this was my field.
- 2008 BA in Psychology, University of Houston.
- 2012 M.S. in Counseling, University of Houston–Clear Lake.
- 2017 Opened Vanessa Pate Counseling, PLLC in The Woodlands.
- TODAY Children, teens, adults and parents, in English and Spanish, in person and virtually across Texas.
PARENTING FROM
THE INSIDE OUT
I love working with parents, especially moms, in individual therapy. A lot of that work involves helping them understand and heal some of their own childhood experiences.
When parents understand their own triggers and become more regulated themselves, they are often better able to show up calmly and intentionally for their children.
Motherhood has shaped me in ways I never could have learned from a textbook. As a business owner, therapist, and mom of three, I’ve had to learn that I can’t pour from an empty cup. Parents need support too.
BOOK A SESSION
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMMIGRATION EVALUATIONS
This work is especially close to my heart because I immigrated to the United States from Mexico as a child. Being able to combine my professional training, bilingual background, and personal connection to the immigrant experience is something I am incredibly proud to offer.
HOW EVALUATIONS WORKA TRUSTED LOCAL NETWORK
I value community and collaboration. When you need additional support, I can connect you with trusted professionals in The Woodlands and surrounding areas: a psychiatrist, a physician, another specialized therapist, or another community resource.
Outside the office
- MY THREE KIDS
- DANCING
- TRAVELING
- WORKING OUT
- SUNNY DAYS OUTSIDE
- MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS
- FAITH
“Happiness isn’t about everything being perfect. For me, it’s about connection, being present, continuing to grow, and being grateful.”