Marissa Friedman Gilbert, LCSW, MS
I am passionate about healing practices that support you in creating peace, safety and connection. Wherever you are in the present moment, you are exactly where you need to be. Together, we focus on progress, not perfection.
As a therapist based in Austin, Texas, I offer therapy services to individuals and couples throughout Texas and Virginia for people ready to find relief, heal old wounds, and move forward with more confidence and clarity. If you’ve been searching for a trauma therapist who specializes in EMDR, or you’re just looking for someone to really listen and help you figure out your next steps, I’d be honored to support you.
Healing Starts Here
Life can leave us carrying more than we know how to hold — fear after a medical trauma or cancer diagnosis, daily frustration of chronic illness or pain, wounds from the past coming full circle or unprepared life transitions like parenting your parents.
I help people like you find a sense of safety in your body, clarity in your mind, and connection to yourself and others. You are not alone – even when your mind tells you otherwise. Together, we create space for healing, hope, and growth.
Chronic Illness & Pain
When your body feels like it’s working against you, life can feel heavy, lonely, and exhausting.
Trauma & PTSD
When pain comes from events or relationships that hurt instead of help, healing can feel complicated.
Medical Trauma
When medical care leaves you feeling powerless, it can be hard to trust yourself — or the system — again.
Addiction
When drugs, alcohol or unhealthy behaviors become your solution, you lose connections with what matters most in life.
Grief
When you're mourning a loved one or the loss of a version of yourself, we hold space for the complexity of grief and help you move through it with compassion and meaning.
Couples Therapy
When you want to strengthen your partnership with your significant other or family member, or navigate challenges together.
Discover a Personalized Solution
One size does not fit all when it comes to developing a roadmap to healing.
I specialize in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), a well-researched, evidence-based therapy that helps you process distressing memories and experiences by targeting the root causes of emotional dysregulation. The focus is to adapt EMDR to where you are right now — whether you’re working through long-term trauma, recent stressors, or dual-diagnosis concerns.
Individual Therapy
In individual therapy, we will meet for a 50 minute session. These sessions are great for ongoing support, checking in, and making steady progress over time.
Safe, supportive therapy sessions designed around specific goals for couples or family members.
EMDR Intensive Therapy
A condensed, focused therapy format where we work in one or more extended sessions over a relatively short timeframe to process trauma targets more quickly than weekly sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a question or concerned that is not answered below, feel free to contact me.
How long until I feel progress?
It depends. Every person and every trauma and experience is different. Some people feel relief after a few months, others may work longer to fully heal and integrate their experiences. Together, we’ll regularly review your goals and progress.
How much is a session and do you accept insurance?
We are an in-network provider for Aetna in the State of Texas. Click on View all questions to learn more about verifying your insurance deductible and co-pay per session.
For cash pay clients, I charge $160 for each 50-minute individual therapy session, and $200 for each 50-minute couples therapy session.
Which therapy approaches do you use?
I focus on approaches that help you heal at a deeper level — beyond just “talking about it.” I draw from evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches, including:
Parts Work / Internal Family System (IFS)-Inspired Techniques
Somatic and Mindfulness-Based Practices
Attachment-Based Therapy
Questions? Let's Chat!
Schedule Your First Free Consultation
Let’s discuss your journey over a complimentary 15-minute conversation.