McKenzie Koester, LPC, NCC

Hi! Welcome to my page. My name is McKenzie, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, as well as a National Certified Counselor. I received my Masters of Science Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The University of Texas at San Antonio. 

I believe that one of the most important choices you have when seeking counseling is choosing a therapist that feels like a good fit to you. The therapeutic relationship is the most important aspect of counseling, which is why I am invested in getting to know each of my clients. I make it my goal to create a warm and welcoming environment where my clients feel at ease knowing they are safe and valued.

I focus on helping people that feel as though they are living on “auto-pilot”, or in a constant state of anxiety. I help them shift to living in the present moment, experiencing peace, and creating the life they desire. My clients can expect to work through and release what has been weighing them down, so they are able to be present in their life and live as their most authentic selves. I help my clients deepen their relationship and trust within themselves by helping them become more familiar with their internal world, and learning how to navigate the struggles they are facing. This helps my clients have a happier and healthier relationship with themselves and others, leading to a more balanced and harmonious life (internally and externally). 

Through my own personal experiences in therapy, I have learned that I have a passion for education on a variety of topics and treatments. I recognize that treatment responses and effectiveness can vary from person to person. I also acknowledge that everyone has different preferences, which is why I strive to learn multiple treatment modalities. 

I will help you understand what’s happening in your brain when “XYZ” is happening, “Why” it’s happening, and I will try and help you figure out where it came from if that is something that you are wanting to explore. I will talk you through different treatment approaches and help you make an informed decision on how you would like to work through whatever brings you to counseling.

The majority of my experience is with helping clients who have anxiety, depression,grief, and a trauma history. I utilize different evidence-based modalities with my clients, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS).  Evidence-based simply refers to the fact that there has been a lot of research saying that this treatment approach does work. I am trained in EMDR and am a Level 1 trained IFS Therapist. I think it is important for my clients to have a voice in what they need from each session. For that reason, I use a client centered approach, meaning I will usually come to the session prepared with an activity or topic to discuss, and my clients get a choice to decide if that aligns with what they are needing that day. 

I am committed to maintaining up-to-date on recent research to ensure I am helping clients with evidenced-based practices to the best of my ability. Starting in August of 2023, I will be training with the Trauma Research Foundation for a Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies. This training is a 32-week training led by Bessel van derKolk (Author of “The Body Keeps the Score”) and 25 other trauma experts.

I work with individuals 18 and older and I am LGBTQ-affirming.  If you have questions and want to chat on the phone before making a decision on working with me, that’s great! Reach out and we can set something up. 

I am currently accepting clients both in-person and through telehealth. Clients may schedule by calling (210) 376-1314 or emailing Info@EvergreenCounselingSA.com

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For current clients or new clients that would like a phone consultation: You may contact McKenzie directly by calling 210-792-0948 or emailing McKenzie@EvergreenCounselingSA.com. Email is the preferred method to reach McKenzie.

**All therapists, with the exception of Amy Kipp, are independent therapists contracted to provide services to clients of Evergreen Counseling SA, PLLC. Independent practitioners are not employees of Evergreen Counseling SA, PLLC.