Get to Know Teal
Therapist in Austin, TX
Teal Jackson-Mappus, LCSW
Pronouns: She/Her
Hi! I'm Teal, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Texas and Colorado. My clinical expertise is built on years of experience in working in child welfare, education, and therapy settings.
Are you curious about yourself and ready for change? If you're feeling stuck despite self-awareness and a desire for growth, I'm here to help. My approach thrives on talk centered therapy approaches, with a strong focus on attachment and relationships. As an LGBTQIA+ affirming, trauma-informed, and body-positive provider, I create a safe space where you can feel accepted and loved as your truest self. I understand the impact of past experiences on your present and future, and I'm committed to helping you navigate your journey with compassion and understanding, regardless of your intersectional identities.
I’m passionate about finding creative ways to move forward to build safer, healthier lives. There’s more than a dozen good ways to get something done, and together we will figure out which ones work best for you.
Through our work, you'll process past experiences, develop new skills, and cultivate greater self-acceptance and care. My goal is to help you move beyond feeling stuck and into a life where you feel empowered and fulfilled.
Together, we'll explore creative ways to increase the love you have for yourself and find a sense of acceptance.
I provide online counseling for residents of Texas, Colorado, and Wisconsin.
I provide in office counseling in Austin, TX
Abuse and Neglect・ Depression・ Bipolar・ Anxiety・ ADHD ・LGBTQIA+ Identity Exploration
Pre-Teens ・ High School Teens ・ College Students ・ Young Adults ・ Adults
How I Help
In our sessions, I serve as your compassionate mirror, reflecting back what I observe to help you gain clarity on your thoughts, actions, values, and beliefs. My role is to create a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore yourself deeply and process your experiences.
Therapy with me is a collaborative journey. We'll work together to determine which therapeutic approaches best suit your needs and goals. I draw from various modalities, tailoring our sessions to what works best for you. Open communication is key in our work together - I welcome your feedback and adjust our approach accordingly, always prioritizing your wellbeing and growth.
My aim is for our sessions to feel like productive conversations with a trusted friend. You can expect compassion, honesty, creativity, and even moments of humor in our interactions. Through our work, you'll gain a clearer picture of your needs and what would make you feel most fulfilled in life. By feeling understood and cared for, you'll learn to undo past harm and cultivate self-love.
Remember, therapy is a partnership. Together, we'll work through what's weighing you down and move towards a more fulfilling life. My commitment is to bring my full self to each session, supporting you with empathy, insight, and a touch of creativity. As we embark on this journey of self-discovery and healing, you'll find a space where you can be your authentic self, explore your challenges, and work towards the life you envision.
Areas of Focus
Our first session together will be pretty open ended, exploring what brought you in. I typically tell people that my overall style is “open and unstructured”, which means that we may start a session by talking about whatever is on your mind that day or something new that has happened, but we will ultimately end up at a deeper understanding of the struggles that brought you here and find new skills to manage it. There’s nothing that you need to bring or prepare, just show up with a willingness to explore your brain and we will take it from there!
In addition to working with those who have experienced abuse, neglect, and attachment traumas, I also provide therapy for those struggling with co-dependency, chronic health problems, and life transitions.
In a world that feels more complicated and hopeless than ever, how do we navigate what is a realistic concern and what is our anxiety holding us back?
I think a big part of therapy is holding space for the grief that surrounds facing very real world issues like climate change, politics, and technological overreach.
Do you find yourself struggling with these thoughts:
How do I feel excited for the future when I am not sure what the future looks like, or if there even is one? Every choice, thought, opinion feels like it carries an ethical dilemma.
How can I think about my own goals when I am so painfully aware of the suffering of others around the world? We have more awareness than ever before, yet we feel powerless to create the world we truly want to live in.
No matter what has you worrying, the fear doesn’t need to run your life.
Whether your anxiety takes the form of panic attacks, feeling completely helpless and out of breath, or you are frozen with indecision ruminating about what to do next, there is a way forward.
We will spend time identifying where your mental energy is going and find ways to feel more in control of yourself and your life. We will develop personalized coping mechanisms tailored to your unique needs. We will build resilience and confidence to face life's challenges.
Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed by worry and dread? Anxiety doesn't have to control your life. Let's work together to talk through what is bothering you and find the path forward to soothe the sense of dread that has taken over your life. I will
hold the space to filter concerns and bring you back to reality and what is actually within your scope of control.
You don't have to face anxiety alone.
Therapy can’t cure ADD, ADHD, or Autism but together we can work on some strategies to make it easier to function in a world that often feels like it was not built for you. Sometimes that means doing things in creative or unconventional ways, but if it works- it works!
Rarely are we working on “just ADHD” together, because so often it is connected with self-esteem struggles, anxiety, and depression.
Growing up with these issues, perhaps you received constant negative feedback about your needs, movements, interests, or ways of thinking. Feeling misunderstood and out of place with others, “why can they seem to do that so easily and I can’t?”
Perhaps you even fell into some struggles self-medicating for these challenges, trying to make yourself fit and function in challenging places that felt otherwise unnatural or unbearable to you.
It’s exhausting to feel like life is a constant struggle and you are always two steps behind.
There's always a lingering anxiety that you are forgetting or neglecting something, perhaps even your own bodily needs and functions. It hits you like a truck at the end of the day when you feel terrible and realize: you didn’t eat today, you’ve had to go pee for the last 3 hours, or sometime in the course of the day you bumped something and got a painful bruise.
At times, there is a big disconnect between your physical needs and experiences and your awareness and ability to meet those needs. Things get done when they suddenly reach an emergency level, which is sometimes a helpful motivation and other times really disrupts your plans, goals, and intentions.
Are you ready to work with a therapist who celebrates neurodiversity and understands your unique way of experiencing the world? Your neurodivergent mind is not something to be "fixed," but a different, valuable way of thinking and being. Let's collaborate to develop strategies that work for you, honor your strengths, and address any challenges you're facing.
Therapy for Trauma
It feels like the fire alarm is going off, smoke is billowing in under the door, and meanwhile everyone else in the room is just sitting unfazed. How do I explain that my spidey senses are tingling about that person, I am so deeply uncomfortable and afraid around them, even though everyone else finds them to be so charming?
Why can I be calm and effective during a crisis, but fall apart while trying to do something “normal” like scheduling a doctor's appointment or cooking breakfast? How do I move forward given everything I’ve been through?
The impacts of trauma feel so isolating. Your entire body is reacting to perceived danger, and sometimes you have no idea why. A switch flips and you go from your kind and rational self to a person you aren’t proud of. No one completely understands why you sometimes feel so much, and other times can't feel anything. You’re tense, sore, and full of stress. At the end of all that alertness you feel totally depleted and unable to do anything. The world feels unpredictable and unsafe.
Therapy is about exploring who you are and why. Together we will figure out how to adjust those reactions to live a more peaceful and functional life.
Living with trauma can feel overwhelming, but within you lies an incredible strength waiting to be unlocked. Your heightened perceptive powers, born from your experiences, are not a burden—they're a testament to your resilience. In our work together, we'll find ways to harness these powers when they serve you and learn to cool them down when they're not helpful.
Are you ready to transform your trauma responses into tools for healing and growth? Let's collaborate to build resilience and reclaim control over your life while creating a sense of safety in your body and environment.
A Bit About Me
I’m an Austin-area native who loves the natural world around me. I enjoy cozy hobbies like crochet, baking, and hanging out with my cats. My dream in life is to have a thriving backyard garden with chickens and fruit trees. I like games with friends, camping trips, and going out for good food.
My Qualifications
MSW in Social Welfare
2021
University of California, Berkeley
Bachelor of Social Work
2019
University of Texas, Austin
License Information
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Texas, 106374
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Colorado, CSW.09930411
Texas Public Complaint
Notification Statement
The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council investigates and prosecutes professional misconduct committed by marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, psychologists, psychological associates, social workers, and licensed specialists in school psychology. Although not every complaint against or dispute with a licensee involves professional misconduct, the Executive Council will provide you with information about how to file a complaint. Please call 1-800-821-3205 for more information
For assistance please contact:
Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council
1801 Congress Ave., Ste. 7.300, Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 305- 7700, or 1-800-821-3205.