Meet lisa osborn, lcsw

You’ve tried doing it all. Let’s talk about doing it differently.

I’m an Austin-based therapist specializing in anxiety, EMDR for millennial women.

I want you to truly hear this:

Seeking help doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you. It means you’re ready for something different.

My background

First things first - I don’t have it all figured out.
I know what it’s like to feel lost, over it, and tired of pretending everything’s fine. To prioritize other people’s needs and personal achievements over understanding who I really am and what I need.

I’ve moved cities multiple times, ended relationships I thought I’d never recover from, managed chronic illness, am learning my place in the child-free space, worked through panic attacks and intense anxiety, and unraveled a crap ton of “shoulds” along the way. My path’s been anything but linear, and honestly? That’s what makes me good at this.

I’ve really had to learn the value in slowing down (sometimes the hard way) and building trust in myself, on my own terms. I value honesty, curiosity, humor, and doing the kind of deep, real work that actually changes things. This means showing up for the things that scare the sh*t out of you…

…and I invite you to do the same.

My clients are some of the most thoughtful, self-aware, strong (yet tired), hilarious humans I know. If that’s you, I’d be honored to sit with you as you begin to learn how to truly experience yourself, your life, and create something that feels a little more like yours.

How I work

You don’t need to be fixed. You need to be heard.

I strive to create a therapy space that doesn’t feel weird or too “clinical” (but maybe a little awkward sometimes, but in a good way!). I lead with authenticity and realness as a way to create a relaxed environment and a space of trust.

I’m relationship-based and goal-oriented. That means I’ll laugh at your jokes, be genuinely interested in the joys, messiness and weird little details of your life, while also gently call out the patterns that might be holding you back. I fully support "gossip time” (I am a reality tv junkie after all), but also believe making sure the work stays meaningful. Your time, energy, and feelings matter.

There will probably be tears. There will definitely be moments of “WTF am I doing?” And there will absolutely be moments of magic - you know, when do the scary thing anyway, or when something from your past finally clicks and you think, “Okay… that makes sense now.” Those are the moments that make it all worth it.

My core values

🌈 I welcome all and am affirming of those in the LGTBQIA+ community. 🌈

01
autonomy

You are an expert on yourself and I respect your ability to follow your intuition about what you need and your right to make your own choices.

02
humor + playfulness

Laughter and humor is always welcome in both the joyful moments and the moments that are challenging and uncomfortable. I love to laugh!

03
curiosity

I strive to look at situations, thoughts, feelings and behaviors with curiosity rather than judgment. Let’s sit in it for a second and search for meaning and messages.

Therapy with me is

Human first and relational

A place to fully experience your emotions

A holistic, strengths-based approach

An exploration of how the past may be effecting the present

Therapy with me is not

A quick or easy fix

One-size-fits-all

Pathologizing or intellectualizing

The same boring coping skills you can Google

specializing in:

Anxiety

EMDR

Therapy for Women

My credentials

    • Ongoing EMDR consultation for certification

    • EMDR with Complex Trauma with Thomas Zimmerman

    • 4 Blinks Flash with Thomas Zimmerman

    • Cognitive Behavior Institute - Exposure and Response Therapy for OCD, 4-Day Intensive

    • EMDR Consulting - EMDR Basic Training, 5-day Intensive

    • Developmentally Appropriate Ways of Using EMDR Therapy with Children and Adolescents with Ana Gomez, 3-day intensive

    • Impact of Childhood Trauma with Eliana Gil

    • Unlearning Racism and Promoting Social Justice Among Therapists

    • Telehealth for Mental Health Professionals

    • Intuitive Eating

    • Master of Science in Clinical Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin, 2009

    • Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 2007

    • EMDRIA

outside the therapy room:

In addition to all the therapy things, I’m also a highly sensitive introvert, a free spirit at heart, a lover of a good time, and a little scrappy. I’m mom to two fat orange tabby cats, and a proud daughter, sister, aunt, partner, and friend.

I love “old lady” things like gardening, reading, going for walks, and quilting—but I also like to think I’m a little hip (right?) with my love of dancing in the kitchen, riding my bike, listening to podcasts, and collecting sneakers.

I genuinely love vegetables (truly), but I also make plenty of space for queso and Little Debbie’s. I find cheap thrills in walking through thrift stores and adding to my growing collections: books, funky coffee mugs, flower art, vintage Pyrex, kitschy figurines, and tattoos.

I’m constantly working on some kind of project, learning something new, dancing in the streets of New Orleans, or daydreaming about finally learning how to play the steel guitar.

Find out who you are and do it on purpose.

- Dolly Parton

Schedule a consult

Schedule a consult