Licensed Professional Counselor TriïŹections 830-431-2290
Kimberly W. Hoggatt
JD,MA, LPC-S, LMHC
DivergenceCounseling.com
âWhereWeary Weirdos and Anti-Heroes Find Healingâ
HowThe List Is Made
Using an onlinesurvey, SanAntonioMagazinesolicited peer nominationsfromlicensed mental health professionalsinthe greaterSan Antonioarea, asking them to nominate up to threementalhealth professionalstheywould trustwith theirfamilyâs or theirown mental health
To ensure thenominationprocess is verified andpeer-based,fullcontact informationwas requestedand professionalswereasked to limit theirnominations to professionalswithwhom theyâveworkedorwitnessedinpractice.
SanAntonio Magazine andour verified data partners then talliedthe nominationsand finalized ourlistof63 mental health professionals, ensuring that allnominatorsand nominees have an active license.The listwas then reviewed by third-partyfact-checkers
Kimberly WattsHoggatt, JD,MA, LPC-S, LMHC is aNeuro-Spicy, Gifted counselor,serving clients in-person in San Antonio and virtually throughout Texas. She wearsmanyhatsasa counselor, educator, supervisor,speaker,entrepreneur, and soon to be author of Weary Weirdos: AGifted GalsâGuide to Authentic Living. She lovesworking with high-achieving, nerdy,wonderfullyweird folx struggling with burnout,identity, andexistentialangst.Her practice, DivergenceCounseling, is neurodivergentand LGBTQ+ affirming. If youhavefound previous therapyboring, ineffective, or constricting, letâsco-createspacefor youatDivergence.
Mental health professionalsdonot andcannotpay to be apartofthe list, as it is editorialcontent.Werecognize that many amazingprofessionals arenot included on this listand this is only a samplingofthe arrayoftalentedprofessionalsinour city
We encourageall consumerstodo theirown research before selectinga practitioner
Allrightsreserved. No commercial useofthe informationinthislistmay be made withoutwrittenpermission from SanAntonio Magazine.Ifyou see an errorinthe informationlisted, please contacteditor@sanantonio mag.com.
MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS: Congratulations! If youâdliketo displaythisaccomplishmentwitha plaque,pleasevisit ourofficial store: sanantoniomag.com/plaques.
Anastacia Granado is adedicated mentalhealth counselor passionateabout helping individuals discover their inner strength. As the founder of Bloom &ThriveTherapy, she specializes in treating anxiety disorders, particularly OCD,using evidence-based approaches likeExposureResponse Prevention and CognitiveBehavioral Therapy. While Anastacia workswith clients ages 10 and up,she focuses on supporting preteens,teens, and young adults, as well as women of all ages, as theynavigate anxiety,and all of lifeâsmanychallenges. Herapproach is rooted in building resilienceand equipping clients with the tools they need to overcome obstacles, grow,and ïŹndlasting peace.
Prioritizing Mental Health
Whytaking abreak couldbeyour bestcareer move
BY CATHYBUSSEWITZ ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK âHer firstpanic attack came at acompanywide meeting, rightbeforeher scheduledpresentation.CarolinaLasso hadgiven many similar talksabout hermarketing teamâs accomplishments. When hernamewas calledthistime, shecouldnâtspeak.
âI felt aknotinmythroat,â Lassosaid. âMy head,itfeltlikeitwas inside abubble. I couldnât hear,I couldnât see, anditfeltlikean eternity.Itwas just afew seconds, butitwas so profound and, in away,earth-shattering.â
Lasso wasstrugglingafter across-country move followedbya divorce. Herbosssuggested amentalhealthleave,a possibilityshe didnât know existed. Sheworried whether taking time offwould affect howher team viewed herorcosther apromotion,but in the endshe did.
âIâm thankful forthatopportunitytotake
thetimetoheal,âLasso,43, said.âMany peoplefeel guilty when they take aleave of absencewhenitâsmentalhealth-related. Thereissomeextra weight that we carry on ourshoulders,asifithad been ourfault.â
Despitea fear of repercussions, more adults arerecognizing that stepping back from work to deal with emotionalburdens or psychologicalconditionsthatget in theway of theirlives is anecessary choice,one that a growingnumberofemployers recognize.
ComPsych Corp., aproviderofemployee mental health programs andabsence managementservices, encourages itsbusiness clientsto make thewell-beingofworkers a priority before individualsget to abreaking pointand to have processesfor thosewho requireleavesofabsence
âSince thestart of theCOVID-19pandemic, collectivelyweâve just been in this constant stateofturmoil,âJenniferBirdsall, thesenior clinical director at ComPysch,said. âWejust have hadthisbarrage of change andun-
certainty.â
Depression,anxiety andadjustmentdisorder, whichinvolvesexcessive reactionsto stress, were thetop threediagnoses of employees whotook mental health leaves the past twoyears amongclientsofAlight,a Chicago-basedtechnologycompany that administersleavesand benefits foremployers
Structuring aleave
Amentalhealthleave canlastweeksor months.Insomecases,workers getapproval to work areduced schedule or to take short periodsoftimeoff when needed,using an approach calledâintermittent leave.â
At most U.S. organizationswith50or more employees,peoplecan requestleaves throughthe Family andMedical LeaveAct
Thefederal lawentitlesworkers with serious health conditions to paid or unpaid leaves of up to12 weeks, dependingonstate andlocal laws.Someemployers requirepeopletouse sick days or vacation days to continue receivinga paycheck.For longer leaves,workers can access short-term disabilityplans if their employer offers one.
Lassoâs leavelastedsix months,and included therapyand travel to Indiafor additional treatment. Shereturnedtoher jobbut decidedafter ayeartoleave forgood.She later
launched abusinesstotrain people on fosteringa more humane work culture.
Amentalhealthleave is ânot only OK,but it canreally unlock newpossibilitiesoncewe have thetimetodothe work âtherapy, medication,whateveritisâ andhaveenough distance from work to be able to reconnect with ourselves,âLasso said
Talking openly aboutstruggles
Asocialstigmaaroundmentalhealthchallenges causes many people to avoidseeking treatmentorrequestinga leaveofabsence
Newton Cheng, director of health andperformanceatGoogle,hopes to change that by sharinghis ownstruggles
Hisfirst self-disclosurehappenedduring thepandemic, when aseniormanager invited employees to sharehow they were doing. When it washis turn,Cheng startedcrying. He explainedhewas strugglingtoliveup to hisexpectationsofhimself as afatherand didnât know howtoturnthingsaround.
âItwas just totally horrifyingtomebecause, one, Ihad just criedinfront of my co-workers andI wasdefinitelytaughtasa professional âand as aman âyou do notdo that,â Chengrecalled. âAnd then,two,I had neverreally articulatedand said outloud thosewords.I hadnât even allowedmyselfto thinkthat. Butnow theyâreout thereand I hadtofacethem.â
Colleaguesresponded by relaying their ownstruggles,but Chengâsdifficultiescontinued. By February 2021,hecouldnâtget outof bedbecause he felt paralyzedbydread,he said.A therapistsaidhewas showingsymptoms of majordepression andanxiety
âI just realized,âIâmstrugglinga lotand this goes pretty deep.I donâtthink Ican keep just putting duct tape on this.I probably need to take some leave,ââ Chengrecalled. He announcedto200 people at aconference that he plannedtotakementalhealth leave.
âItwas likea fireworksshow,âCheng said âTheyâre like, âWow,I canâtbelieve he didthat.â Then they forgot aboutme. Butthe tone was set. It waslikeâOh,thisiswhatweâre doing. Let me talk aboutwhatâsgoing on with me,too.ââ
Take the time you need
While balancingclassesand afull-time job during herlastyearofcollege,Rosalie Mae beganstrugglingtoget outofbed andcrying uncontrollably. Yetshe felt likeshe hadâto keep it togetherâtoavoid burdeningher colleaguesatthe University of Utah bookstore, whereMae worked as an accounting clerk. Then shefound herselfcallinga suicide hotline. âOnceitreached that point, Iknew, especially at theurgingofmyhusband,we need to do somethingmore,âMae,24, said In hercase, that meanttakinga five-week
work leavetoput herhealthand well-being first. Sherecommendsthe same forothers.
âTakinga mental health leaveisnot necessarily acure-all, butitisimportant to give yourself abreak andallowyourselftoregroup, make aplanofhow to proceed andtakethe stepstoworktowards feelingbetter,âMae said
Telling managers andcolleagues
Before broachingthe subjectofa mental health leavewitha manager, consider the workplaceculture andthe strength of your professional relationships, Chengsaid. He recalls saying,âFormyhealthand well-being, andthe sake of my family andwhatâsbestfor thebusiness, theleast riskything formetodo is to go on leavesoon.â
Individualswho suspectanunsympathetic receptioncan simply say, âI need to go on medicalleave.I need time to recover,âhe advised.
Thereâsalsonolegal or ethicalrequirement to tell everyone youworkwiththe nature of your leave.
âYourco-workersdonât need to know why,âsaidSethTurner, co-founder of AbsenceSoft, aleave andaccommodation managementsolutions provider.âThey just need to know,âIâmgoing to be here at this time,and Iâmgoing to be gone at this time,and Iâll be back.â â
CertiïŹed in Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy
