Mackenzie Preston, LCSW
EMDR trained therapist
Accepting new Medicare Part B, Curative, Lucent Health, SANA Benefits and private pay clients
Coming soon! Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Health Care (UMR, Optum, GEHA, Oscar) Aetna, Cigna (Evernorth), and Baylor Scott and White.
My background
Iam a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Texas I earned my Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Master of Social Work from Texas Christian University. Throughout my career I have worked in inpatient and residential mental health treatment, outpatient counseling, and community-based services. I have worked with children, adolescents, adults, and families navigating mental health challenges, eating disorders, substance use, self-harm and trauma.
I draw from a variety of therapeutic approaches, including EMDR, CBT, DBT, ACT, motivational interviewing, play therapy, and sand tray techniques. I hold certification in CBT-TF and I am an EMDR trained therapist. My work with eating disorders is informed by CEDS (Certified Eating Disorders Specialist) principles, emphasizing compassionate, individualized, and multidisciplinary care.
My view on counseling
I believe in the importance of both compassion and accountability. Therapy should be a place where you can be fully yourself while also being gently challenged to grow. I offer a space that makes room for where you are right now and pushes you toward meaningful change.
My therapeutic style is rooted in empathy, creativity, authenticity, and connection. I believe that healing does not have to look perfect, and that meaningful change happens Through trust, collaboration, and a willingness to take things one step at a time.
My specialties
Trauma
Eating disorders and disordered eating
Anxiety and depression
Self-harm
Behavioral concerns
LGBTQIA+ affirming
Life changes and identity development
Serving children (ages 6 and up), teens and adults
Contact Me
Email: Mackenzie@salyercounseling.com
The changing of the seasons can be a beautiful experience to witness in nature, yet, with the weather shift can come the shift in mood.
The risk of self-harm and suicide in teens stems from mental health conditions, natural impulsivity, personal history, and environmental or social stressors.
Child-Centered Play Therapy connects you with your child and can unlock a new level of understanding emotions they may not be able to verbalize. In other words, your child's play patterns can be a second language to understand them.
Noticing an emotion doesn’t make it bigger.
That might sound counterintuitive. People often avoid naming their feelings because they’re worried it will amplify them: If I focus on this emotion, won’t that make me spiral? But the opposite is true. Awareness separates the emotional experience from the story you tell yourself. It gives you more choice about the role the emotion will play in your experience.
Have you ever noticed how two people can walk through the same situation and come away with completely different stories? The difference usually comes down to one thing: emotion.
If emotions sometimes feel inconvenient (or downright overwhelming) you’re not alone. Many people wish they could turn them off altogether. Wouldn’t life be easier without anxiety before a big meeting, frustration in traffic, or sadness after a loss?
One of the most meaningful elements of the Willow Method is the idea of soft power. Soft power is a kind of healing influence that does not force or pressure. It works slowly, with steadiness and care. It is the kind of presence that helps the nervous system learn that connection is safe.
Insight can be illuminating, but insight alone rarely transforms a life. Many people understand their patterns with incredible clarity. They can name their triggers, their attachment wounds, and the ways they self-protect. Yet change remains out of reach. This is because insight requires an internal foundation to take root.
The Willow Method is built upon a practice I call emotional bending. The phrase might sound poetic, but it reflects a real process supported by trauma research and neuroscience.
Healing is often misunderstood as a kind of bracing. Many people believe they need to toughen up, tighten their grip, or push harder. Yet the research on resilience paints a much gentler picture. Systems that stay flexible tend to recover more completely. Rigid systems fracture under pressure, while flexible ones adapt and repair (Bonanno, 2004).
Religious trauma can shape how you see yourself, your relationships, and your sense of safety. Many people describe lingering guilt, shame, fear, or a feeling of being disconnected from their true identity (Therapist.com, n.d.). Healing is absolutely possible.
Healing from religious trauma can feel overwhelming because the messages were often woven into daily life. Many people carry shame, guilt, or fear long after stepping away. The good news is that healing is possible, and there are practical tools that help you reclaim your voice, your body, and your sense of self (Therapist.com, n.d.).
Religion often shapes more than beliefs. For many, it becomes the foundation of identity, relationships, and a sense of safety. When that foundation is rooted in fear, shame, or control, it can leave deep imprints on how we relate to others and how we see ourselves (Counseling Today, 2022).
For many people, growing up in purity culture meant being taught that their worth was tied to their sexual “purity.” You may have heard phrases like “True love waits” or been warned that even thinking about sex was sinful. In some communities, young people signed pledges, wore rings, or attended events that reinforced the message that their value depended on staying “pure” until marriage (Samantha, 2021).
Leaving a faith tradition or beginning to question long-held beliefs can feel like standing on shifting ground. One moment you may feel relief and freedom, the next you may feel grief, guilt, or fear. This process is often called deconstruction—taking apart the beliefs you were given so you can see what still fits and what no longer does (LifeSpring Counseling, n.d.).
When most people hear the word trauma, they think of car accidents, war, or natural disasters. What often gets overlooked is that trauma can also come from belief systems and communities of faith. If you grew up in an environment where fear, shame, or rigid rules shaped how you thought, felt, or behaved, you may carry wounds that are every bit as real (Therapist.com, n.d.).
Anxiety can feel like an ever-present hum in the background of life — something that doesn’t just consume your mind, but your body as well. It might feel like a tight chest, a racing mind, and a sense of ominous foreboding or dread. While many can experience anxiety on its own, it can commonly be rooted in unresolved trauma.
I often receive questions from clients like, "How do I give myself the best chance of seeing progress? What can I do to help ensure my treatment is fruitful? How do I begin to see change?" To which, I usually respond by explaining that this very question reflects a mindset that will be incredibly supportive for growth as it shows an understanding of your active role in the process.
You might be able to imagine what it feels like as an anxious stream of thoughts loops around in your head. Maybe your chest feels tight, your breath gets shallow, and suddenly the room feels a few degrees warmer. You may think “It’s just anxiety- I don’t need to worry about this” yet, the cycle continues. What if the key to stopping the loop isn’t more thinking—but more feeling?
A licensed clinical social worker with a wealth of experience, Alexia Eller, LCSW, uses her background in trauma recovery and mental health to inspire and educate through her writing. Her work with diverse populations provides the foundation for the insights shared in this blog along with training in EMDR and ART.
If you have heard of both Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), you may wonder whether they are similar or how they differ.
Trauma treatment is most effective when addressing conners with both body and mind. Learn is a list of practices you can use to strengthen your mind-body connection outside of therapy.
With years of experience supporting individuals facing trauma, mental health challenges, and substance use concerns, Alexia Eller, LCSW, uses her expertise to guide readers toward healing. Her work with first responders and victims of crime provides a unique perspective that shines through in her blogs.
As a licensed clinical social worker, Alexia Eller, LCSW, has dedicated her career to helping individuals heal from trauma and navigate mental health challenges. Her extensive work with first responders and crime survivors gives her blogs a unique perspective on resilience and growth.
Fear is a double edged sword, having an impact on the human behaviors and mental health; it can serve as important to adapt to circumstances but also can be misplaced and create maladaptive consequences regarding decision making (5). Managing the fear of the unknown can be an everyday struggle, sometimes we don’t know which way to turn or how to cope with it. However there are several effective strategies to cope with it. The fear of uncertainty can create feelings of anxiety and discomfort, but it's possible to build resilience and develop healthier ways to approach it.
Do you ever feel like you lack sleep and that it is fueling your anxiety in several ways? A lack of sleep can significantly fuel anxiety in several ways. Grasping for mental clarity while your mind is teetering on no sleep and the precipice of panic can cause major stress.
Polyvagal Theory is a psychological and physiological framework developed by Dr. Stephen Porges that focuses on the role of the vagus nerve in regulating the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and its impact on emotional and social behavior. It emphasizes how the body's physiological states affect our ability to connect, respond to stress, and maintain overall health.
Being a parent can come with various ins and outs that can be predicted and some can be curveballs. When it comes to teens, they experience a wide variety of emotions on a daily and weekly basis with circumstances that impact their thoughts and actions. Encouraging emotional awareness in teens as a parent is crucial for helping them understand and manage their feelings, build empathy, and improve their relationships. (3)
Recognizing trauma responses in everyday life can be an important step in understanding how past traumatic experiences affect present behaviors, emotions, and interactions. Often trauma responses can be subconscious and manifest in different ways, depending on the type of trauma and how the individual copes. Understanding how they can show up subtly or in more overt ways, can be a crucial part of healing.
