David House

Telehealth/Videoconferencing Scope:

Even though David House’s LPC license allows him to provide counseling anywhere in the great State of Texas, David is limiting the scope of clients he works with to the greater Houston, Sugar Land and Katy areas. Working with clients via HIPPA compliant videoconferencing (i.e., Zoom) is the only way he facilitates therapy at this time. Working with clients within the scope of the greater Houston area will allow in-person sessions when that is desirable and possible in the near future.

I have practiced professional counseling since September 1997 when I joined Houston Baptist University (HBU) in their counseling center and later became Director of Counseling Services. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) as well as an LPC Supervisor (LPC-S).

I attended SHSU and received my Bachelor of Science in 1996 from HBU where I double majored in Psychology and Christianity achieving Magna Cum Laude honors. I earned my Master of Arts in Psychology also from HBU in 1999 where I achieved Summa Cum Laude honors.

I believe that effective therapy happens within an authentic therapeutic relationship, and that it isn’t the job of the therapist to make change happen but to create the relational environment where desired change is highly likely to occur. Clients will experientially discover—not just intellectually understand—the insights, meaning, purposes, and identities that are at the root of their persisting “unwanted”, “problematic” symptoms. My goal is to facilitate the conditions where clients will not only begin temporarily “feeling better” (state change), but will also experience enduring freedom and “being better” (trait change).

My counseling experience has primarily focused on working with older adolescents, young and older adult populations in individual and group formats. I have considerable experience working with clients on: depression, stress and time management, study and test-taking skills, assertiveness and boundaries, low-to-no-self-esteem, and learning disabilities. However, I have extensive training and specialized in working with clients who experience: panic disorder, phobias, performance/social anxiety, generalized anxiety/worry, trauma and PTSD from experiences such as abandonment, neglect, survivors of date and stranger rape, childhood physical and sexual abuse, managing intense affect such as toxic guilt and shame, rage and anger management, men’s issues, and substance addictions such as alcohol and drug addictions, as well as non-substance or process/behavioral addictions like pathological gambling, food/overeating addiction, and pornography and sex addictions.

I am a Certified EMDR Therapist through the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA), and, in addition, I am an approved EMDRIA Consultant so I can consult with EMDR therapists who need practica hours towards their Level I and II qualifications as well those who want to pursue certification in EMDR. I am also a Certified Etiotropic Trauma Management Counselor from the Trauma Resolution Therapist (TRT) Institute. Not only is EMDR a first choice therapy for treating PTSD and trauma, EMDR has also been demonstrated to be effective with: panic disorders or “anxiety attacks”, social/performance anxiety, phobias, and substance and process/behavioral addictions like sex/porn addiction. I also have advanced training integrating Somatic Psychotherapy and body work with EMDR Therapy. Since the language of our nervous system is the language of sensation, our felt-knowings or felt-thoughts, being closely attuned, tracking sensation and knowing how to naturally work with the body’s way of communicating is a key part of stimulating and releasing our bodies natural, God-designed healing processes.

Lastly, I hold a certification as a Certified Clinical Sexual Addiction Specialist through the International Association of Certified Sex Addiction Specialists (IACSAS) as well as I am a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) through the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP). Much of my experience as well as clinical training is aligned with, applies and integrates the 12 Steps principles and practices from Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Sex Addicts Anonymous, etc. I also have extensive experience working with people who have addictions but refuse to or prefer to not utilize any of the 12 Step fellowships, so I look forward to tailoring and individualizing our work together in ways independent of benefiting from the 12 Steps and traditions.

Even though I grew up in a Christian home, I strayed. The Lord God wonderfully orchestrated giving me a new life apart from alcohol and drug addiction at the age of 22. Two Scriptures I ask you to consider meditating upon are: Lamentations 3:1-32 and Isaiah 35.

If you believe my style and skill sets are a good match for the challenges you are facing, then I encourage you to consider calling and making an appointment with me at your earliest opportunity.

My wonderful wife, Stephanie, and I are both native Houstonians. We both enjoy activities such as: mountain climbing and backpacking, camping and hiking, cycling, and snow skiing.