Ben Kinsey, LCSW

Sep. 26

(He/Him/His)

3-8 Years | 9-12 Years | 13-18 Years | 18+  |  Family

I have worked with children and families in many different contexts: Summer camps, schools, foster care and children's shelters, hospitals, medical clinics, and private therapy. I've worked with teens, toddlers, and everyone in between. I can tell you one thing for certain: there is no handbook for the challenges and hardship you and your child are facing, both in and outside your relationship with one another. The goal in my room is to give your child the tools to cope with and navigate through any troubles they may be wrestling with, and with the family's support, empower them to use those same tools in the future.

I use an eclectic approach to therapy, based on the needs of the child and their family to work toward their goals of treatment. I practice Child-Centered Play Therapy with toddlers and younger children, and employ Cognitive-Behavioral, Dialectical-Behavioral, Systems and Existential approaches with adolescents and teens. In any case, the trust and rapport between my clients and myself is the most important aspect of what I do; I believe the most powerful motivator for growth and change is through relationships.

I connect particularly well with young people who have been diagnosed with ADHD, as I grew up with ADHD myself. I find that having lived through the turbulence of an ADHD adolescence gives me a clearer perspective on what my clients are feeling. This experience helps me to give guidance to parents of children with ADHD as well. At Austin Children's Shelter, I spent a lot of time building rapport with teens. During that time, I found that many teens have such an untapped capacity for self-reflection and change even amidst emotional turmoil. Watching teens discover their own ability to reflect and put things in perspective is very rewarding. My approach to therapy very much focuses on a child's strengths, as well as helping them to remove the barriers keeping them from actualizing those strengths. Therefore, my approach with each child (and parent) varies to accommodate their needs and goals.

I am a native Austinite, and I love my city. I graduated from St. Edwards University with a B.S. in Psychology, and graduated from the University of Texas with a M.S. in Social Work.

BEN IS PARTICULARLY WELL-SUITED TO SUPPORT FAMILIES:

With young people who have been diagnosed with ADHD
Who appreciate the fact that Ben not only has the professional acumen to support your child, but also has personal experience of navigating adolescence after being diagnosed with ADHD himself
Who like the notion that Ben’s approach to therapy is very much focused on a child’s strengths and working to remove barriers that keep them from actualizing those strengths

BEN WORKS AT SPICEWOOD OFFICE LOCATION AND OFFERS VIRTUAL SESSIONS. ALL SESSIONS ARE 45 MINUTES UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. HIS RATES ARE THE FOLLOWING:

Individual Session $170
Initial Consult, Parent Consult, Parent Coaching $195
Family Session $215

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION:

ADHD
Adoption
Anger Management
Anxiety
Behavioral Issues
Career Counseling
Coping Skills
Depression
Divorce
Grief

Learning Disabilities
LGBTQIA+
Parenting
Peer Relationships
Relationship Issues
School Issues
Self Esteem
Sports Performance
Stress
Substance Abuse
Video Game Addiction

BEN’S FAVORITES:

Favorite board game: Splendor! No one knows it, but everyone should!
Favorite ice cream flavor: Coffee
Favorite animal: Blue Whale
Favorite children’s book: The Little Prince
Favorite color: Periwinkle (partly because of the name)
Favorite place in Austin: Lady Bird Lake
Favorite holiday: Christmastime
I feel happiest when: I have a day with a slow cup of coffee, a delicious meal, and a nice blend of productivity and relaxation.
If I had a superpower it would be: Teleportation!
Place I feel most safe/calm/comfortable: Mustang Island in Port Aransas, Texas