1. Which therapist do I need?

GOODNESS OF FIT

While experience matters a great deal, research shows that the right fit is just as important in successful outcomes.  Unlike other professions where the delivery of a service can be very standardized, therapists bring personality, temperament and personal life experience into the session.  We understand you may want to get to know your therapist a little before deciding who you are going to see so we offer free phone or Zoom consultations.  Please take us up on that!

REVIEWS:  OVER 50 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS

Over the last several years consumers have come to expect honest reviews from clients or customers of professionals we are seeking to hire.  Unlike other professions, we deal with vulnerable people in a confidential relationship and therefore must only accept reviews that are completely anonymous to ensure no client ever feels obligated to leave a good review.  The reviews you read on this site were not solicited by the therapist but were voluntarily and anonymously submitted through a third party website such as Google, FullSlate or Healthgrades.

Hunaina Akbar,  Relationship Specialist

I work with individuals, couples and families struggling with relationship disconnection and/or conflict.  My training is in relational science whether that be a romantic relationship or familial relationship.  It’s true that growth and healing is not a straight or easy path. It can get uncomfortable and messy, but that is the cost of relational happiness.  Anything worth having will cost you something.  It has been said that the quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life, so why wouldn’t you work on the most significant contributor to a life well lived?

My goal as a therapist is to provide a safe and encouraging space to help you in your life journey. I’ve been known to ask tough questions and push just a little.  I find my clients appreciate my direct, but warm approach.  Helping people grow and heal is my passion. Everyone deserves a life they love, filled with people they love.

       “Hunaina is great! She brings a certain comfort to the sessions that makes me feel like I have known her forever. We have been tapping into emotions and past trauma that I didn’t realize was there. I have already implemented some of the coping tools we have discussed and have seen great improvement within myself with just the few sessions I’ve had. She has also helped me focus on holding myself more accountable for doing the work to get better. I look forward to our sessions.” 

I easily connect with individuals from multicultural backgrounds having been raised in a minority/immigrant household. Together, we will make sure you receive the help you are wanting as well as the peace of mind you need.  Please use the form below to reach out with questions or to schedule an intake call where you can get all of your questions answered.

Christina Levin, Licensed MFT

Relationships are wonderful and messy! They fill us up with love and jab with pain. There is no getting away from the highs and the lows. As I listen to couples telling their stories, it really strikes me how unequipped we are as humans in cultivating healthy relationships with ourselves and others.

Caregivers sometimes had no clue about how to foster a secure attachment with you and their own partners. You might have learned to hide in complacency to avoid your caregivers’ discontent. Maybe defensiveness or rebelliousness became your only ally to avoid feeling judged and shamed by your parents. Understandable. Human. The bad news is that according to research on relational intelligence these and many other unexamined maladaptive habits tend to poison and slowly erode the fabric of our adult relationships over time.

The good news is that the damage can be acknowledged and healed. Relational skills are totally trainable. Together we’ll look into a mirror and explore how you create your own hurt. We’ll look at it without making it your or your partner’s or your parents’ fault. We’ll meet your blind spots with compassion. I’ll help your partner to do the same. If you are coming by yourself, you’ll see more clearly what’s in your control.

Christina is an empathetic and caring therapist that has helped me tremendously in understanding my and my husbands strengths and issues. I would recommend her highly to anyone looking for a science-based approach to counseling. ” -anonymous 5 Star review 

Insight, empathy and capacity to accept and nurture each others’ differences is a skillset with a science behind it. It takes practice like any other skill building – be it a new language, a craft, new profession or bigger muscle.

You might be moving at a different pace. Your motivation might differ. If you come with a dilemma of whether to stay or go, we’ll take an honest look at what’s underneath the pull and push and see what’s in your control to accept or change.  I also work with challenges that couples experience when wanting to explore and/or strengthen consensual non-monogamy or polyamory format.

I’ve trained in many different models of therapy and continue to deepen my understanding of what “mental health” actually means. Having said all that, your story is unique. And I am as human as you are. I will not have all the answers but I promise to create a space where you will feel heard, understood and given honest feedback. I will always want to hear your feedback, too.

If you would like to discuss your situation, share your goals for therapy and see if we’ll be a good match, contact me at Christina@houstonrelationshipinstitute.com or (281) 560-3230.  I also speak fluent Russian.

Tyler Hodges, Licensed MFT

Being parents, raising a teen, and growing up can be difficult. We all know what it was like being a teenager, and maybe now you’re here because you’re  experiencing what it’s like to raise a teenager. While some of the emotions we run into parenting or being a teen hasn’t changed, the world has certainly thrown us some curveballs over the past few years. This has left parents having to cope with new challenges that are harder to navigate than what many of us experienced growing up ourselves.

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I have worked with parents and teens extensively to bridge that ever increasing chasm. I love to help both parents and teens, either individually or together, to help them develop into the best versions of themselves. I’ve always had an interest in helping families get through the growing pains. Whether it be from family conflict, mental health challenges, social issues, or just parenting in difficult situations, I am trained to assist you in creating a healthier family environment.

I have trained in multiple models of therapy, but I’m partial to the tools developed from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy which can help both parties gain knowledge on how to successfully manage/cope with their daily lives. Using these strategies I apply the best tools necessary for my clients so that they receive individualized help. No family is the same and I want to be cognizant of the varying differences each family will bring to the table.

My hope is to help empower and challenge my clients to work together to find a peace they may not have experienced in a long time. Humans are complex and diverse. This can be especially apparent when helping bridge the generational gap in family systems. Therapy will require effort and a willingness to confront unhealthy patterns. However, I will be there to walk with you in this journey as we figure out where we need to go.  I’m happy to answer any questions you may have via email at Tyler@houstonrelationshipinstitute.com.

Gina Wilkerson Watson, LMFT-S, Clinical Director (Not accepting new clients)

 For many years I have been helping couples have healthier relationships, explore the goals they each have for their marriage and make painful decisions about whether to stay or go.  There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to couples therapy and be skeptical of anyone who says there is.

In the initial stages of working with couples, I speak to each of you, one-on-one, to get an unfiltered story of what you’ve been experiencing in your relationship.  I stay open minded, knowing that this is your point of view, therefore, your reality.  Hearing from each of you separately helps me to quickly formulate a picture of why you may be stuck or struggling.  When we all meet together in a joint session, I will give you frank feedback and some recommendations for how best to proceed.

When one partner has a foot out the door, we may begin with exploring this ambivalence.  I often find that ambivalence is a product of years of trying to be happy and finally becoming resigned when nothing ever changes.  This doesn’t mean things can’t change or can’t get better.  It simply means that there are forces working against you in the form of blind spots, resentment or complacency.  We will dive deep into the forces that are preventing you from getting the relationship you want.  But be prepared that you will have to take an honest look at yourself and make needed changes before you can expect your partner to do the same.  I don’t agree with the statement that “marriage is hard work” but I do believe it requires constant effort, just like parenting, education, sports, your career and friendships.  You will only get out of it what you put into it.

Unfortunately, I have limited availability to take on new couples which is why I have trained and supervise the talented therapists you will read about on this page.  I consult on all of their cases and make sure they are following the same treatment plan that I use with my existing clients.  I can promise you will be in good hands!