Therapy that starts with what's already working.

I'm Russell Ammons, a solution-focused counselor working with individuals navigating loneliness and the strain of staying grounded in a rapidly changing world.

About

A grounded, direct approach

You don't need someone to tell you everything that's wrong. You need someone who will pay close attention to what's already going right, and help you build on it.

That's the core of how I work. Sessions are conversational, not clinical. I ask a lot of questions, listen closely, and help you get specific about what a better week actually looks like. Most people leave a first session with more clarity than they walked in with.

I have deep roots in this area and a long-standing connection to the people who call it home.

Call (682) 777-0823 for a free 15 minute consultation.

CredentialM.S., LPC-Associate (Texas)

SupervisionCraig Black, M.S., LPC-S, LCDC, CCTP

MembershipsAmerican Counseling Association

LocationsTelehealth statewide (TX) · In-person, Denton County, TX

FormatCash-pay, sliding scale available

Approach

What actually happens in a session

My primary framework is Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, a practical, present and future focused approach built around your own strengths and past successes, not a deep dive into the past.

Solution-focused (primary)

We spend most of our time on what you want to be different and what's already pointing you there. That includes small exceptions, past successes, and concrete next steps, rather than dissecting problems.

Person-centered

You set the pace and the goals. My job is to offer a genuinely warm, non-judgmental space, not to steer you toward my own agenda.

Motivational interviewing

When you're stuck between wanting to change and not being sure you're ready, this helps us work through that pull honestly, without pressure.

Narrative therapy

Sometimes it helps to separate you from the problem you're carrying, and look at the story you've been telling about it, and where there's room to tell a different one.

Focus areas

Who I work with

Loneliness & isolation

Feeling disconnected even when you're surrounded by people, or like the connection you have isn't quite landing.

Loneliness doesn't always look like being alone. It can show up in a full calendar that still feels empty, or a marriage or friend group where you feel unseen. Sessions here often focus on what real connection would actually look like for you, and small ways to move toward it without forcing something that doesn't fit.

Navigating a changing world

Making sense of the anxiety, work, and identity shifts as technology and AI reshape the ground under all of it.

I recognize that many people are trying to make sense of life in a rapidly changing world. Technology and AI are beginning to affect how people think about work, parenting, identity, relationships, anxiety, and the future. That shows up in very ordinary ways: a career shift that no longer feels stable, a role at home or work that's changing shape, or the general sense that the ground rules changed without anyone explaining the new ones. While AI is not the center of my counseling approach, I believe these changes are becoming an important part of the conversations many clients need space to process. My goal is to help clients stay grounded, clear, and connected to what matters as they navigate both personal change and a changing world.

Life transitions

Career changes, relationship shifts, or any stretch where the old way of doing things stopped working.

Transitions can be chosen or forced on you. Either way, we'll focus less on how you got here and more on getting clear about what you actually want on the other side of the change, and the next step toward it.

ADHD

Support for the parts of ADHD that don't show up on a checklist: shame, anxiety, burnout, and strained relationships.

A lot of ADHD support focuses on systems and productivity. That matters, but it's often not the hardest part. I work with adults on the emotional weight that comes with ADHD: the shame from years of being told to try harder, the exhaustion of masking, and the friction it can create in relationships and work. We'll also talk practically about what actually helps you, since generic advice rarely fits.

Shame

The heavy, sticky feeling that something is wrong with you, not just something you did.

Shame convinces you that it's permanent and that everyone can see it. We'll focus on the moments it already loosens its grip a little, and what you notice about yourself in those moments, then build toward what it would look like to carry less of it day to day.

Depression

Low motivation, flat mood, and the sense that nothing is moving.

Depression can make even small tasks feel enormous. Rather than starting with everything that's wrong, we look for whatever is still working, even in a small way, and build from there. The goal isn't a total life overhaul. It's finding a next step that's actually doable.

Not sure your situation fits neatly into one of these? Reach out anyway. Most people's reasons for starting therapy don't sort cleanly into a single category.

Writing

Articles

What Solution-Focused Therapy Actually Looks Like

Most people picture therapy as digging into the past until something explains everything. If you've been putting off getting help because that sounds exhausting, or you've tried it before and felt like you talked a lot without much changing, this works differently.

In session, the question isn't what's wrong or how it started. It's what you actually want, and where pieces of that are already showing up, even in small ways you've stopped noticing. Want your mornings to feel less like a fight? We get specific about what that actually looks like, then find the mornings, even one, when part of that was already true, and build from there.

With a relationship that's strained, same approach: we get specific about what a good moment together would look like, then notice when that's already happened, even rarely, and figure out what made it possible.

No homework you'll fail at. No requirement to relive painful history before we get anywhere. Just steady progress on what you want and what's already working, one specific step at a time.

If you've been stuck wanting things to be different without a clear sense of where to start, that's worth a conversation. A free 15-minute consultation is a low-stakes way to begin.

Russell Ammons is a counselor who helps people find their footing when life changes. He offers therapy by telehealth across Texas, with in-person sessions available in Denton County. Call (682) 777-0823 or visit russellammons.com to learn more.

New Neighbors, New Normal: Why Big Changes Feel So Big

Originally published in the Cross Timbers Gazette

Between the bluebonnets, the horse pastures, and rooftops going up seemingly overnight, southern Denton County is changing fast. Maybe you just moved here. Maybe you've lived here for years and your own neighborhood barely looks familiar. Either way, you're in a life transition, and your brain has opinions about it.

Here's the surprise: change doesn't have to be bad to be stressful. A dream home, a new job, a kid starting a new school: even good change asks your mind to redraw its map. New route to the grocery store. New faces. New "normal." That low hum of tiredness? It's not weakness. It's your brain doing renovations.

Four small things help.

One: anchor one routine. Keep one thing steady, like Saturday coffee or an evening walk, while everything else shifts. Familiarity is a shock absorber.

Two: explore in small bites. Skip the pressure to settle in fast. Try one new thing a week: a park trail, a local coffee shop, a Friday night Argyle Eagles football game.

Three: notice what's working. Ask yourself, what's going better than I expected? Tiny answers count. They point you toward what to do more of.

Four: give it time. Adjustment isn't a straight line. Some weeks feel great, some feel off. Both are normal, and both are part of getting rooted.

And if you've been here for decades, your transition is real too. Watching a familiar place grow can stir up something like homesickness for a town you never left.

Whether you're new or long-rooted, the goal isn't to rush past the change. It's to move through it with a little more kindness toward yourself.

If the off weeks start outnumbering the good ones, or the stress follows you everywhere, that's a great time to talk with a counselor. Reaching out is a strength, not a last resort.

If you're navigating a move, a new job, or any big shift right now, this is exactly the kind of thing I work with clients on. See more under life transitions.

By Russell Ammons, M.S., LPC-Associate, supervised by Craig Black, LPC-S.

New articles are added here every couple of weeks.

Sessions

How we'll meet

Telehealth

Available anywhere in Texas. Sessions run about 50 minutes over a secure video platform, with no commute and no waiting room.

In person

Available at New Hope Wellness Center in Sanger, TX, for clients who prefer face-to-face sessions or a mix of both.

Investment

Fees

This practice is cash-pay and does not bill insurance directly. If your plan offers out-of-network benefits, I can provide documentation you can submit for possible reimbursement. Sessions are also typically eligible for payment or reimbursement through FSA and HSA accounts.

Session type	Length	Fee
Individual session	50 minutes	$100
Sliding scale	50 minutes	$65 to $100

A limited number of sliding-scale spots are available based on income, in four tiers. Ask about availability during your free 15 minute consultation.

Your rights

Good Faith Estimate

Beginning January 1, 2022, you have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate explaining how much your care is expected to cost.

If you don't have insurance, or you aren't planning to use your insurance, healthcare providers are required to give you an estimate of the expected cost of your medical items and services, including psychotherapy, before you receive them.

This includes a written estimate of the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services, along with related costs such as tests, medications, equipment, or facility fees where applicable.

You can ask your provider, or any provider you're considering, for a written Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service, and again at least one business day before your appointment.

If your final bill is $400 or more above your Good Faith Estimate, you have the right to dispute it. Keep a copy of your estimate for your records.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit cms.gov/nosurprises.

Licensure

Supervision & disclosure

Russell Ammons, M.S., LPC-Associate, is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate in the state of Texas, practicing under the supervision of Craig Black, M.S., LPC-S, LCDC, CCTP, license number 72223. Craig Black can be reached at (214) 699-9016 or craig@craigblackcounseling.com.

As an LPC-Associate, all clinical work is performed under the supervision of a Board-approved LPC-Supervisor, in accordance with the Texas Administrative Code.

Contact

Start with a consultation

A free 15 minute phone or video consultation is the easiest way to find out if we're a good fit before your first full session. No cost, no obligation.

Call (682) 777-0823 to schedule your free consultation.

Email russell@ammons.com

Email isn't a fully secure channel. Please avoid sharing sensitive health details until we've started working together.

Phone (682) 777-0823

In-person location New Hope Wellness Center · Sanger, TX

This site is not monitored for emergencies. If you're in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or call 911.