You don't have to know what to call it to know when something's wrong.
Something's felt off. Maybe for a while. Maybe a relationship's in crisis.
You don't need to have it figured out before you get in touch.
Call · Text · Email · Contact Form — whatever works for you.
Free 15-minute consultation. No commitment required.
Something has started to feel harder to carry alone, even if you're still managing the outside parts of your life.
You've never been to therapy before, and you're not sure what happens first, what you're supposed to say, or whether your reason is enough.
You know something feels off, but the words for it are still unclear. You don't need a diagnosis before you begin.
Your relationship has reached a point where the same conversation, silence, injury, or crisis keeps coming back.
You're returning to therapy after time away, and you want to start again without having to explain everything perfectly.
Your child, teen, or family is struggling, and you're trying to understand what kind of support might actually fit.
Four steps from first contact to first session.
Reach out
Use the contact form, call, text, or email. A sentence or two about what's going on is enough to start.
Schedule the consultation
Someone from the practice gets back to you to schedule a free 15-minute call with a therapist. This is a scheduling step, not an intake.
Consultation with a therapist
A therapist calls to understand what you're dealing with, sort out fit, and answer questions. You decide after the call whether to begin.
Begin
If you decide to begin, the first session is scheduled. You don't have to arrive with everything figured out.
Accessible doesn't mean standardized.
Willow & Arbor is a clinically supervised therapy practice in Johnson City, Tennessee, offering in-person therapy locally and telehealth across Tennessee. You'll know who you're meeting with before therapy begins. Fees are published. The first step is a free consultation with a therapist. Care happens inside a supervised practice structure with a named therapist, not whoever is available that week.
Different reasons to start. One place to begin.
You don't have to know which kind of therapy fits before reaching out. The consultation helps sort that out.
Individual therapy
For adults carrying anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, relationship patterns, identity questions, life transitions, or emotional overwhelm.
Couples therapy
For relationships where conflict, distance, betrayal, resentment, silence, or the same unresolved conversation keeps returning.
Child and teen therapy
For young people navigating anxiety, mood changes, school stress, identity questions, family strain, social pressure, grief, or behavior concerns.
Family therapy
For communication patterns, parenting strain, transitions, conflict, or stress affecting more than one person.
LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy
For identity, relationships, family stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, and support that doesn't treat identity as the problem.
Telehealth therapy
For online therapy across Tennessee when privacy, safety, and fit make telehealth appropriate.
Therapy approaches used at Willow & Arbor.
Some people begin with a concern. Others begin with a specific therapy approach they've heard about before. Willow & Arbor therapists use a range of evidence-based methods depending on the person, the concern, and what the work actually calls for.
EMDR therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for trauma, PTSD, and experiences that are hard to shift through talk therapy alone.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
CBT for anxiety, depression, unhelpful thought patterns, and developing practical skills for mood and stress.
Dialectical behavior therapy
DBT skills for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness.
Gottman Method
Research-based couples therapy for communication, conflict, connection, and rebuilding trust.
Acceptance and commitment therapy
ACT for anxiety, depression, chronic stress, and building a life aligned with what actually matters to you.
More therapy methods
EFT, narrative therapy, mindfulness, art therapy, and other approaches used at Willow & Arbor.
You'll know exactly who you're seeing.
Before you begin, you'll know your therapist's credentials, their supervision structure, and what they work with. No surprises.
Alynda Worrell-Welch
MS · LPC-Associate · MHSPWorks with individuals, children, teens, and couples on anxiety, depression, identity, disordered eating, and relationship challenges.
Supervised by Dr. Katherine Barteck
Jodie Henderson
MS · LPC-Associate · MHSPWorks with children, teens, and adults on trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and life transitions. EMDR-trained. Military family background.
Supervised by Dr. Katherine Barteck
Dr. Katherine Barteck
Licensed Psychologist · Clinical DirectorProvides clinical supervision and oversight for all Willow & Arbor therapists. Does not see clients through this practice.
Not sure who to start with? The consultation helps sort that out.
Not sure how therapy works, what it costs, or whether you're ready?
These guides answer the practical and emotional questions that come before you're ready to reach out, written from the perspective of this practice.
I think I need to talk to someone
You haven't named what's wrong yet. You just know something is harder than it used to be. That's enough to start.
First steps
What actually happens when you reach out, what the first session looks like, and what to do if you're not sure you're ready.
What therapy costs
What therapy costs at this practice, what private pay means, and how it compares to insurance-based care in Tennessee.
Finding a therapist
How to find a therapist in the Tri-Cities, what credentials mean in Tennessee, and how to make first contact.
Telehealth and format
Online therapy options across Tennessee, and whether you can see a therapist from anywhere in the state.
Browse all starting therapy guides
The full section covers finding a therapist, costs, first sessions, fears about therapy, telehealth, and more.
Starting can feel harder than it looks.
A free 15-minute consultation. Not an intake, not a commitment. A chance to understand whether Willow & Arbor may be an appropriate place to begin.
Once you reach out, we take it from there.
Most of the difficulty in starting is in the deciding. Once you reach out, we take it from there. You ask what you need to ask. We get a sense of what's going on. Then we both decide.
If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you that. Starting in the wrong place doesn't help anyone.