Chris Gilliland

Qualifications & Experience

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Texas with a Master’s of Social Work from Texas State University and a Bachelor’s of Social Work from University of Texas at Austin.

With more than 16 years of mental health experience, I have also completed numerous trainings on a variety of treatments for issues including grief, emotional abuse, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm, trauma in children, attachment issues, and much more. In my career, I have spent time in a variety of fields, including non-profits, hospitals, medical care, teaching (12 years), and social work and mental health settings.

My Call to Christian Counseling

My interest in serving and supporting others began in high school, which led to an undergraduate degree in Social Work. Over the course of my career, each role I’ve held has seemed to be alongside some individual or group in crisis. Whether adults, young adults, or children and families, it was my responsibility in some way to help them and offer support and guidance. Some roles were related to my job at the time, but others were voluntary. It became clear to me that my care for others and the gifts the Lord gave me seem to be best used in this way. I know from personal experience that it can be hard to find a balance between your spiritual life and Christian walk while dealing with very human problems. I also know that God doesn’t want us frustrated and confused, and His Word provides answers.

More About Me / On a Personal Note

I like to take trips with my family and spend most of my time away from work with them. We are also very involved in our local church. I enjoy astronomy, including reading about it, and I have my own telescope. The resolution isn’t great, but I can get some nice views of the moon.

Areas of Expertise / Specialties

• Abandonment and Neglect
• ADHD
• Anger Management
• Anxiety
• Chemical Dependency
• Counseling for Children
• Counseling for Teens
• Depression
• Family Counseling
• Grief and Loss
• Individual Counseling
• Online Counseling
• Personal Development
• Play Therapy (children/pre-teens/teens)
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Spiritual Development and Coaching
• Trauma

Anxiety

Anxiety can be described as runaway worry, and people often cannot even pinpoint a particular cause, issue, or event that they are anxious about. We will spend time taking a slow, intentional, step-by-step look at the series of events that precede someone landing in a state of irrational anxiety. What events or thoughts are behind it? Is high anxiety a reasonable response? Then, we will practice some strategies to disconnect this anxiety response. You will find that you can do something about it and avoid the worry and exhaustion that anxiety often causes. Most of the things we worry about never actually happen. If we internalize this, we can short-circuit the worry/anxiety mechanism.

* An important point to consider is that there are times when conditions like anxiety may have a physiological component and may require other treatments, which we can discuss if needed.

Depression

If you were asked how much time and energy you have spent being depressed or trying to talk yourself out of being depressed, what would you say? The answer for many people is simply “too much.” Depression can come from several different sources. Sometimes it is a reasonable, rational response to difficult or even tragic events in our lives. Other times, the source can be more challenging to identify and, therefore, more challenging to figure out and strategize for. Whatever your situation, we will review some history of your life, family, and significant events, and will seek resources that you can access to help you begin to climb out of this low point of depression. The good news is that it can change and improve; we just have to do the work to get you there.

* An important point to consider is that there are times when conditions like depression may have a physiological component and may require other treatments, which we can discuss if needed.

Counseling for Children

Communication is based on language, and communicating with children is a skill. Children express themselves in a variety of ways: open, honest talking; behavior (positive or negative); play; art; music; and other ways, as well. Our time together will include everyone involved: parents/families and children, probably in various modes of therapy. The goals of our meetings could include better understanding your children, helping them manage emotions and feelings, improving problem behavior, and finding ways to build strong relationships within your family. What is he or she saying? And, how can we make this work for your family? Individual and family sessions are usually part of this process.

Counseling for Teens

One of the first steps in talking with teenagers is reassuring both the teen and the family that I am here to help. Caring parents are very concerned for their teen(s), and teens may feel they are in the spotlight, misunderstood, or unsure about their situation or circumstances. The process of building trust and talking about the family history that brought them to this point will include identifying the expectations of the family members. What does everyone want for their family to get along and support each other? What does this look like, and what role does each family member play in it? Individual and family sessions are usually part of this process.

Individual Counseling

There is something almost “magical” about talking to someone about the issues we struggle with. It helps to get things “out of our heads” and “into the light.” A distinguishing factor about talking to a counselor is that they have experience with these issues and the patterns that can cause some people to struggle. It follows, then, that an experienced, trained counselor can help you see these same patterns in your life and make a plan with you about where they may have come from and how to respond to them in a way that supports your well-being. I look forward to helping you through your particular circumstances.

Sessions: I offer 53-minute sessions. Sessions can be held more than once per week, weekly, or every other week. Scheduling options are discussed in greater detail during your Risk-Free Initial Session.

Availability (by office location):

• Richardson – Tuesdays and Fridays
• Online Counseling – Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays

Fees: I offer a Risk-Free Initial Session for individuals looking to pursue counseling with me. Please note that there is a fee for the Risk-Free Initial Session as it is a clinical hour and reimbursable to most insurance companies, but if you choose not to reschedule and continue therapy after the initial session, the entire fee for the session will be waived. For ongoing treatment, the full fee per session is required at the time of service.

Insurance: As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), most insurance companies will reimburse for a portion of my services (as an Out-of-Network Provider). Please consult with your insurance provider as to whether they specifically cover children, teens, and adult individuals.

Receipts/Statements: In the event you require a printed or digital receipt, I will provide receipts for personal use, insurance reimbursement, Flex Spending Accounts (FSA), and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).

Payment options: Cash, Check, or Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, & American Express). A fee of up to 4% per transaction may be added for credit card payments.