01 · Who Richard works with

Richard works with stress, Anxiety, relationship issues and grief

Richard lists 12 specialisms and 34 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Richard chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Richard's own words

What Richard says about the work

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

Hello,

Let me introduce myself, my name is Richard Orona and I can help you obtain the changes you are looking to make. My years of experience have allowed me to develop a personal appreciation for focusing on what is important in life. For me, that is nurturing my family and passing on the appreciation that allows my four children to find out what is important in their lives, to work towards their goals, and above all to enjoy the journey!

I have worked in various counseling agencies and in private practice. I have been able to see success in my counseling practice with individuals, families and couples. (Please read the reviews of clients that I have worked with here on this site). I have always enjoyed the process of counseling and the opportunity to help people enhance their lives. I am committed to providing proven and research based counseling services for a wide range of concerns and problems. I have successfully helped people cope with depression, stress and anxiety, relationship issues and methods to improve self-esteem. My approach incorporates assessing the concern and locating practical strategies to resolve the issue. I am focused on helping the client adopt skills for self-development and maintaining success. I have earned a Master's of Art in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Master's of Science in Psychology with a specialty in Behavioral Medicine.

The approach that I use is a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Brief Solution Focused Therapy. It is important to A) focus on finding solutions to the concerns that are confronting the client and B) helping the person locate and change the thought processes guiding the problematic behavior. If the thought processes are altered then the new behavior is not far behind. I strive to help clients locate the change they are seeking. I believe counseling is an effective method to learn new behaviors, new thought processes, and new ways to be successful in personal and professional settings.

I look forward to working with you locate the solutions you are seeking.

Richard Orona, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Richard works

The 6 approaches Richard lists, in plain English

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

Attachment-Based Therapy

Reads present-day relationship difficulty through the lens of how safety and closeness were learned early on. The therapeutic relationship itself is treated as part of the work, because it is where the pattern tends to show up first.

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.

Narrative Therapy

Treats the story you tell about your life as something that can be examined and retold rather than as the plain facts. Separates the person from the problem - “the anxiety” rather than “your anxiety” - to make room for the parts the current story leaves out.

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

Richard 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 Richard'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 Richard at this point.

2. Naming Richard specifically

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

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

3 questions worth asking Richard

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

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Attachment-Based 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.

• “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

Texas

Licence

TX LPC 63047

Licence number

63047

Licence expires

31 Mar 2028

NPI

1689989121

Years in practice

13

Gender

Male

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Richard'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 Richard. 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.