Melanie Mahanger, MA, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Isolation
Loneliness
Depression
Lack of genuine social connection
Alone or Lonely?
Loneliness, a complicated emotion that typically occurs when one’s needs for social contact are not met, may be described as a feeling of emptiness. A person may be lonely when alone, but the state of being alone does not create loneliness.
With loneliness a person may have the belief that one has no choice in the matter and their feelings will never change. When one’s social needs and desires go consistently unfulfilled, feelings of loneliness may become chronic and debilitating and lead to a decline in mental health.
Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and substance dependency are found to be a common outcome of unaddressed loneliness. In our current social environment we can isolate each other with our dependency on technology.
Therapy is a way to challenge and modify any thought patterns or perceptions that are associated with or contribute to loneliness, such as a perceived lack of control over life or social situations. We can acknowledge that all humans need social contact and learn to show compassion for ourselves and others that struggle.
GOOD PRACTICE
Lockhart Clients
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I am licensed in Texas and can legally only practice in Texas even if I see you online. At different periods of time, I have lived in Austin or Lockhart since 2006 and see clients from the surrounding area. Two years ago, I became a full-time resident of Lockhart and aim to provide therapy to the surrounding Lockhart area community. It is expensive, time consuming and stressful to have to travel to other cities for therapy. At the moment I am only taking on new clients, for individual adult therapy, that live in the area. I would like to soon transition to offering sessions in person, but will always be available online.
A healthy body and a healthy mind
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Due to the health risks associated with Covid 19, I have changed the way I choose to see my clients. At the moment I do not offer in person counseling. Instead online therapy has shown to be a healthy, convenient alternative. I hope to soon offer in person sessions as well. Out of respect for the health of my other clients and their families I will require my clients to be vaccinated. If you are not vaccinated I prefer to meet with you online. Due to the easy transmissibility of the newest variant I will wear a mask and ask my clients to do the same. Check for updates on the website for in-person availability.
No Surprises Act
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Under the law, health care providers need to give clients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.
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You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services.
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You can ask your healthcare provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service, or at any time during treatment.
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If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
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For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, or how to dispute a bill, see your Estimate, or visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
Payment
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My fee for services is $130. If you would like to use insurance, I take Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. In some instances your group may not accept me as a provider. In order to avoid confusion please check with your insurance before contacting me for services. I take debit/credit cards as a form of payment.
Melanie Mahanger, MA, LPC
Psychotherapist
In 2006, I graduated with my B.S. in Psychology at Loyola University New Orleans. In 2011, I completed my M.A. in Professional Counseling at Texas State University. In July of 2018, I received my license as a LPC and I now practice in Lockhart, Texas.
People that come to me find that I am kind and use my humor to create a calm and relaxed space. I encourage them to simply tell their story and I listen with empathy and concern. I meet my clients where they are in life and set goals to track progress and reflect on the changes that result. I often reference family systems theory because I believe we all learn patterns in our life based on interactions in our family. I have studied and used Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) which informs my overall approach. Using strength based, person-centered techniques and mindfulness gives me the opportunity to work with people in life transitions, people with relationship issues, anxiety, depression and also LGBTQ+ individuals. (Previous name: Melanie Rabalais, MA, LPC)
