01 · Who Prof. works with

Prof. works with stress, Anxiety, relationship issues and self esteem

Prof. lists 11 specialisms and 13 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Prof. chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Prof.'s own words

What Prof. says about the work

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

I am pleased that you have selected BetterHelp and reached out to me as you begin your counseling journey. My name is Vanessa, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona, Oklahoma, and Texas. I have more than 12 years of professional counseling experience and hold a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working with children, adolescents, young adults, adults, and older adults with a variety of emotional, relational, and life concerns.

As a Christian counselor, I believe that true healing involves caring for the whole person-mind, body, and spirit. My counseling approach is grounded in biblical Christian principles and the Word of God, while also incorporating therapeutic modalities that are clinically appropriate and responsive to your individual needs. My goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where faith and professional counseling can work together to encourage healing, growth, and meaningful change.

I have experience helping clients navigate anxiety and stress, depression, relationship concerns, motivation, self-esteem, confidence, life transitions, and other personal challenges. My clinical approach incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and trauma-focused approaches, along with other therapeutic interventions as appropriate. I believe that counseling should be collaborative and individualized rather than a one-size-fits-all process.

My faith is an important part of who I am as a counselor. I am passionate about helping individuals discover hope, healing, identity, purpose, and strength through their relationship with God and the truth of His Word. When appropriate and desired by the client, I integrate Scripture and biblical principles into the counseling process while also utilizing therapeutic interventions that support emotional and psychological well-being.

I believe you are the expert on your own story. You bring strengths, experiences, values, and abilities into counseling that can become important resources for your healing and growth. My role is to walk alongside you, provide professional guidance, help you understand the challenges you are facing, and support you as you work toward the changes you desire.

Taking the first step toward therapy requires courage. I am glad you have taken that step, and I look forward to walking alongside you as you pursue healing, growth, and a deeper understanding of yourself and your faith.

Prof. Vanessa Costello, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Prof. works

The 4 approaches Prof. lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Prof. lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Prof.'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 Prof. runs a session.

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.

The Gottman Method

A couples approach built on decades of observational research into what distinguishes relationships that last. Structured and assessment-led: it maps friendship, conflict and shared meaning, then works on the specific mechanics of how the two of you argue.

Motivational InterviewingMI

A way of talking about change with somebody who is genuinely in two minds about it. The therapist does not argue for the change; they help you say your own reasons out loud, which is the part that predicts whether it happens. Common around substance use and health behaviour.

Trauma-Focused TherapyTF-CBT · trauma-informed

CBT adapted for people whose difficulty is rooted in a frightening or overwhelming event. Pacing is the point: safety and stabilisation come first, the memory itself is approached gradually and only when you are ready, and the aim is that recalling it stops hijacking the present.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Prof. 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 Prof.'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 Prof. at this point.

2. Naming Prof. specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Prof. 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 Prof..

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

2 questions worth asking Prof.

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

• “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.

• “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

LPC

Licensed in

Oklahoma

Licence

AZ LPC LPC-22536, OK LPC LPC06311

Licence number

LPC06311

Licence expires

30 Jun 2027

NPI

1841628617

Years in practice

10

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Accepted

Listed since

9 Jun 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Prof.'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 Prof.. 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.

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