Question 1

Why choose Real Talk?

Accepted Answer

• Minutes, not days: our clinical team is ready to respond to your inquiry within minutes on weekdays or hours on evenings/weekends. 
 • Same-week appointments available: we keep weekly slots dedicated to new patients. Always.
 • Clinical matching: our clinical team personally reviews inquiries and matches patients with the right therapist for their specific needs.
 • Stability and experience: our psychologists have been with Real Talk for years. 
 • A teaching practice: We serve as a training site for new clinicians, maintaining the academic standards of a teaching practice.
 • Truly multilingual: We offer therapy in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Farsi. Our team represents multiple countries and cultures. 
​

Question 2

What makes Real Talk different?

Accepted Answer

We are an insurance-based, multilingual, multicultural team of Ph.D.-level psychologists who see therapy as disciplined work. We provide in-depth psychotherapy in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Farsi. We offer in person sessions in Houston and online sessions across Texas and beyond, supporting people navigating complex emotional histories, LGBTQ+ identities, nontraditional relationships, cross-cultural questions, crises, and experiences that require long-term, highly specialized clinical attention.

We're also structured to be unusually responsive:
 • Our clinical team responds to inquiries within minutes on weekdays or hours on evenings/weekends
 • We keep same-week appointments available for new patients—always
 • Our clinical director personally matches patients with the right therapist (no algorithms)

Question 3

​Do you accept insurance?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We are in-network with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare/Optum, and Oscar. As soon as you complete your intake paperwork, our team will verify your benefits and walk you through what your coverage includes, how much each session would cost, if anything, and allow you to make an informed decision before your first session.

Question 4

What services does Real Talk Clinical Psychology offer?

Accepted Answer

Real Talk provides depth-oriented psychotherapy with Ph.D.-level psychologists, in person at our Houston office and online anywhere in Texas and across states. People begin therapy with us for many reasons: anxiety, low mood, trauma, grief, burnout, relationship challenges, identity questions, and major life transitions. We treat them as starting points for serious, deep therapeutic work.

Question 5

How soon can I start therapy?

Accepted Answer

You'll receive a response from our clinical team within minutes on weekdays or hours on evenings and weekends, and will be offered your first session with a licensed psychologist within one week. If you prefer a specific therapist who's fully booked, we'll provide an approximate timeline and immediate alternatives based on your needs and availability.

Question 6

How do I get started?

Accepted Answer

Three simple steps:

1) Reach out: Fill out our brief contact form or call our office at 832-583-7373.

2) Clinical guidance on fit: Our clinical director personally reviews your inquiry and helps choose the psychologist best suited to your needs. You’ll then select a time that works for you.

3) Complete intake: Fill out a quick 3-5 minute intake.

We’ll verify your insurance and confirm your first session.
That’s it. You’re ready to start.

Question 7

​​How do I know which therapist is right for me?

Accepted Answer

Reach out and let us help. Our clinical director personally reviews every inquiry and matches you with the clinician who best fits your needs. No algorithms or automated systems, just personalized clinical judgment. You won't be left guessing.

Question 8

Is therapy at Real Talk online or in person?

Accepted Answer

Therapy at Real Talk can be online, in person, or a combination of both. We offer secure telehealth therapy across Texas and other states, as well as in-person sessions at our Houston office near the Galleria area. Some patients prefer to stay in one format, while others move between online and in-person sessions as their needs and schedules shift.

Question 9

Why should I choose a PhD-level team?

Accepted Answer

Ph.D.- and Psy.D.-level psychologists complete extensive training, including five to seven years of doctoral education, a full-time predoctoral internship, and one to two years of supervised postdoctoral practice. This depth of training is especially relevant in complex clinical situations, where diagnostic clarity, ethical judgment, and in-depth, nuanced treatment are essential.

Question 10

Do you work with children, teens, and couples?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Some of our psychologists have specialized training in child and adolescent therapy, while others specialize in couples and family therapy. Availability for these services is more limited, as we reserve them for clinicians with specific expertise.

Question 11

​Do you provide assessments or legal documents?

Accepted Answer

No. We offer psychotherapy only. We do not provide evaluations, assessments, letters, or documentation for school, work, disability, immigration, legal, or court purposes.

Question 12

Do you prescribe medication?

Accepted Answer

No. Real Talk therapists do not prescribe or manage medication. If psychiatric care is needed, we coordinate care with psychiatrists and can help you connect with an appropriate provider.

Question 13

What if I need immediate help?

Accepted Answer

If you are experiencing an ongoing crisis or have immediate safety concerns, therapy is not the right first step. Please call 988 or go to the nearest emergency room. Once you are safe, we can help you think about ongoing care.

Question 14

Do you offer evening or morning appointments?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Real Talk offers early-morning and evening therapy appointments, both online and in person.

Question 15

Is online therapy in Texas the same as in-person?

Accepted Answer

Online therapy is provided by the same team of licensed psychologists in Texas and follows the same clinical standards as in-person care. Many patients choose online or hybrid sessions for flexibility and privacy.

Question 16

​Can I switch therapists later?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If at any point a different fit is needed, we help coordinate a transition to a clinician who better matches your goals, within or outside Real Talk. This is a routine part of care, and you won’t be left to manage it on your own.

Question 17

What does it mean to be a PhD-level training site?

Accepted Answer

Our senior psychologists are actively involved in training and supervising emerging clinicians, and no one works in isolation. Clinical work is supported through ongoing supervision and case consultation, meaning your care benefits from collective clinical thinking rather than a single perspective. 
This depth of training allows us to work with complex concerns, including trauma, cultural transitions, and relationship difficulties that go beyond communication skills alone. While practices with this level of specialization are often out of network, we accept major insurance plans.

Question 18

How long does therapy typically take?

Accepted Answer

This depends on what you’re hoping to work on. Some people come to therapy for focused work around a specific concern, which may last a few months. Others benefit from longer-term therapy to address deeper or long-standing patterns, which can take more time.
We’re honest about this from the start: meaningful change often unfolds gradually. We won’t rush the process, and we won’t keep you in therapy longer than is clinically necessary.

Question 19

I've tried therapy before and it didn't help. Will this be different?

Accepted Answer

Many people have experiences with therapy that focus primarily on symptom relief or short-term coping strategies. While that can be helpful, it doesn’t always address the deeper patterns or personal histories that tend to repeat over time. At Real Talk, we work with both what’s happening now and what may be underneath it. This kind of work often takes longer, but it aims to create more lasting and meaningful change.
Another important difference is how we approach fit. Your initial matching is handled by our clinical director, who considers your concerns and connects you with a clinician whose expertise and experience align with what you’re facing. You don’t have to choose a therapist on your own or rely on instinct alone. We take fit seriously, because it matters for the work to go anywhere.

Ph.D.-level, multilingual psychotherapy in Houston.
Covered by insurance.

Therapy At Real Talk: How We Work

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Ph.D.-level, multilingual psychotherapy in Houston. Covered by insurance.