01 · Who Curtis works with

Curtis works with stress, Anxiety, relationship issues and family conflicts

Curtis lists 18 specialisms and 30 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Curtis chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Curtis's own words

What Curtis says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

Thank you very much for checking here: I hope to be of service to you. My 17+ years of experience includes many years of counseling and listening, across various cultures, ages and personal client needs, with a few years as adjunct professor at Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA: 3 years of work as a patient counselor in a hospital psychiatric unit, and 3 years of practice in a pediatric clinic. My current solo practice is empathetic, accepting and non-judgmental, having also practiced as an EAP (employee counselor) in a very large hospital and city system, in which I was required to see anyone for any situation or issue they may bring to counseling. This unique opportunity provided me with insights and understanding of people beyond my own personal scope of experience. I believe this has made me more sensitive to the needs, hurts and stress of the various clients I serve. I am generally available 6 days a week for appointments, because I really do enjoy my practice and my clients. I am licensed in Louisiana, Oregon and Florida and serve clients in those states, as well as in overseas countries. I am old enough to enjoy my 6 children, 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchild, together with my wife in a delightful sharing relationship. This creates a relaxed, accepting and strong relationship and family foundation for your counseling needs. My personal strengths hopefully convey to you a caring and positive mindset as we work together. My hobbies are sailing, backpacking, snow skiing and cooking (especially apple pies:) (p.s. In fairness to potential Oregon clients, I want to let you know that I am in the Eastern Time Zone, and regretfully, I can only be available to West Coast clients from 6:00/ am until 1:00 pm :( If this is not workable hours for you, you may wish to find another therapist who may have better hours for your schedule. I felt it was only fair to let you know this in advance.) Also..I can open more hours than what shows on the schedule, so if you need a day/time that is not shown, please message me. Hope to hear from you soon!

Curtis Spears, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Curtis works

The 5 approaches Curtis lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Curtis lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Curtis's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Curtis runs a session.

Acceptance and Commitment TherapyACT

Rather than trying to argue a painful thought away, ACT works on loosening its grip and getting on with what matters to you anyway. Sessions spend real time naming your values, then building action around them while difficult feelings are still present.

Client-Centred TherapyPerson-centred · Rogerian

The therapist does not steer toward a technique or a diagnosis. They offer sustained, non-judgemental attention and reflect back what they hear, on the premise that people find their own direction when they are genuinely listened to. Often what people mean by “someone who just gets it”.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Emotionally Focused TherapyEFT

Built for couples and rooted in attachment: the recurring argument is treated as a cycle two people are stuck in rather than as one person's fault. Sessions work to interrupt the cycle and get to what each person is actually asking for underneath it.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Curtis practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Curtis's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Curtis at this point.

2. Naming Curtis specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Curtis is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Curtis.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

4 questions worth asking Curtis

Built from what Curtis actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Curtis's - Curtis has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Client-Centred Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “With 17 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LMHC

Licensed in

Oregon

Licence

FL LMHC MH25766, OR LPC C8585

Licence number

C8585

Licence expires

31 Jan 2027

NPI

1699001602

Years in practice

17

Gender

Male

Languages

English

International clients

Accepted

Listed since

9 Jun 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Curtis's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Curtis. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.