Dr. Betsy Puentes, LMFT, LPC
Texas · 46 years in practice
Dr. Betsy Puentes uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy alongside practical methods to help people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and life changes.
License and registration
- LPC, Texas
- 4607 · expires August 2026
- LMFT, Texas
- 3948 · expires September 2027
- NPI
- 1821868118 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 46
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.
About Betsy
Dr. Betsy Puentes uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy alongside practical methods to help people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and life changes. She brings 46 years of clinical experience and holds a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology and a Master’s in Clinical Psychology.
Dr. Puentes is licensed as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas. She frames the first step as a courageous choice and works with each person to build on their strengths.
Background and approach
In sessions she listens for what matters most and helps people notice patterns that keep problems going. Her work often mixes Emotionally-Focused Therapy with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to match the problem at hand. That combination helps with mood, motivation, self-esteem, and managing difficult feelings.
Dr. Puentes also addresses a wide range of concerns such as relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, addictions, anger, and issues related to aging, caregiving, and chronic illness. She helps people who face attachment or abandonment fears, codependency, control issues, and communication breakdowns.
Practical skills and clearer understanding are typical outcomes of her work together with clients. Sessions are conversational and aim to make progress in manageable steps. She respects each person’s story and invites collaboration on goals and next steps.
Work may include tracking thoughts and behaviors, practicing new responses, and naming emotions so they lose some of their power. Dr. Puentes provides care in English and is based in Texas.
She combines long experience with a straightforward style to help people move toward a more satisfying life.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Betsy lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Anger management
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Immigration issues
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Visually impaired
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Betsy names
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Imago Relationship Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How EFT, ACT, and CBT translate to online care
Emotionally-Focused Therapy helps people identify and name underlying emotions and then use that understanding to change unhelpful interaction patterns. It is useful when strong feelings or repeated relationship cycles get in the way of feeling safe or connected. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on helping people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck, and then take action toward what matters most. It often helps with anxiety, stress, and motivation. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at how thoughts and behaviors influence mood and offers concrete exercises to test and change those patterns. CBT is commonly used for anxiety, depression, and problem-solving.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with a person about their goals and preferences, try tools from different methods, and adjust the plan as needed. This keeps sessions collaborative and focused on what actually helps the client feel better and function more effectively.
Online therapy offers several practical benefits. Video calls let people see nonverbal cues and do deeper conversations. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging are useful for shorter check-ins, homework feedback, or keeping momentum between sessions. These options make scheduling more flexible and help therapy fit into busy lives.
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Questions people ask
What concerns does she address?
She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, career issues, coping with life changes, addictions, relationship struggles, trauma and anger among other areas.
What kind of therapy style should I expect?
Her approach is collaborative and practical, using Emotionally-Focused Therapy with methods from ACT and CBT to help people understand feelings and change unhelpful patterns.
What is her background and experience?
She holds a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology and a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and has 46 years of professional experience working in mental health.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is licensed in Texas as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and practices from Texas.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are offered?
She works online using video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs.
How are fees and payments handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.
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