Bringing Therapy Lab to Texas

Texas, here we come!

Over 47 million Americans are experiencing mental illness. And when it comes to statewide prevalence per capita, Texas is ranked #3 in the nation. And while everything may be “bigger in Texas,” the Lone Star State has the least access to mental health services across the board.

Not to mention, a recent study shows Millennials, a population that is known for their engagement with mental health and psychotherapeutic services, are flocking to Texas cities like Austin and Frisco.

Recognizing a great deal of demand and opportunity, we are pleased to introduce Dr. Erin Underbrink, who will lead the charge, helping bring TL’s evidence-based practice to the good people of Texas.

Erin has thoroughly enjoyed living in Texas and soaking up the vibrant culture that the city of Austin has to offer. “I love how active the city is with food, music, and outdoor activities,” she notes. From food trucks to esteemed restaurants, tons of live music, and over 250 parks, Austinites are never at a loss for things to do (US News).

During her time in the state, Erin noticed that “evidence-based practice (EBP) is a primary venue of care here throughout the state.” Therapy Lab would offer another opportunity for folks to engage in EBP and Erin “could see many in this community enjoying [it].”

“[Therapy Lab] is structured within the science of what will be helpful for people, but also flexible in allowing people to choose and have some ownership of their treatment.”  

-Dr. Erin Underbrink

The cultural diversity across different Texan cities (i.e., Austin, Waco, Frisco, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, etc.) lends toward a great variance in demographic, as well as therapeutic need. Underbrink states that each population will be well served by Therapy Lab’s model as it will “allow people in each community to receive evidence-based treatment, tailored to their own specific needs.” From the looks of it, Texas and Therapy Lab are a match made in heaven.

Read the full interview with Erin below.

What are your pronouns?

She/Her/Hers

Outside of your work as a psychologist, what are your interests?

I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, playing soccer on my co-ed soccer team, and traveling to mountains/oceans (when we can safely do so!)

How do you take care of yourself?

I take self-care time very seriously, including taking meaningful breaks and spending time relaxing or having fun without working. I am also a big advocate of asking for help when I start to feel overwhelmed; whether that’s help with a task, consulting, or even just help relaxing. I find it important to have protected alone time as well, I like to spend this catching up on reading, Netflix, or exercising.

What’s a book you frequently recommend?

As an avid reader, I have shelves of books to recommend! Psychology books: I like any book by Martin Seligman, I frequently refer Your Defiant Child for parenting as well as Parenting A Child Who Has Intense Emotions. Two of my favorite books are The Phantom Tollbooth and A Monster Calls (warning on this one, it’s sad). Currently, I’m down a rabbit hole of rock climbing/adventure books and reading Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer.

What inspired you to enter the field of mental health?

I found myself constantly curious about why people do the things they do, why we are the way we are, or why we become stuck in certain patterns of behavior. Through my curiosity, I also discovered a desire to help intervene. Then, it was a spiral where the more I learned, the more interested I became not only in the reasons we exhibit certain behaviors but the ways we can change, adapt or grow. I was drawn to people's resilience and wanted to help others live satisfying, meaningful lives.

How would you describe your approach to therapy?

As an evidence-based practitioner I find myself constantly starting with the science: what’s going on, what is the evidence for why, and what does the science suggest will help. Then, within evidence-based manuals or treatment modalities, I strive to be an authentic teammate, helping each client grow towards living a more fulfilling and effective life.  

What do you love most about working with clients?

I find it so rewarding to be involved in people’s grit, resilience, and growth. I love watching clients identify and use their own skills, motivation, and strength and then seeing the resulting increased meaningful living.

How does science influence your work as a therapist?

Science is the foundation of my practice. I take what each client brings to the table, consult the science and evidence, and then collaborate with my client to identify the best evidence-based plan. This makes so much sense to me because the science suggests it will work! As a clinician, I only want to provide skills and tools that I know have science to suggest they will actually help.

What are you most passionate about within the mental health landscape?

I think a constant challenge is creating a wider spread of access to evidence-based care. This includes training professionals in evidence-based care as well as educating communities about the importance of science. I would love to be involved in more culturally diverse treatments and providing care to communities that would otherwise have not had access. I also have a specific passion for working with kids and parents.

What do you wish more people knew about therapy?

I wish we could continue to reduce the stigma that you have to be at “rock bottom” or in the severe struggle before seeking treatment. Therapy can be a growth process where you can start in a good place and grow to a better place. In general, I wish people knew to ask for a sliding scale fee, and most importantly, I wish people were more aware of evidence-based treatments and to seek evidence-based providers.

How do you see mental health care changing over the next 5-10 years?

I think the COVID pandemic is going to act as a catalyst for significant changes in virtual therapy. Many clinicians who had never done teletherapy before are now completely remote, myself included (for the time being). While this provides some challenges, it has also opened so many doors for access in rural communities in a way we didn’t have before. I also think we are going to see a more structured plan or program-based therapy where clients are more aware of what they are signing up for at the start (i.e., Therapy Lab set up). Another direction I hope we see more of is evidence-based care embedded in systems like healthcare clinics (Integrated Care Models) and businesses, but I’d also love to see more evidence-based providers embedded in schools.