We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars
- Oscar Wilde
In-person (North and South Locations), Telehealth
Adults, Teens, Youth
Offers in-person sessions on Wednesday, and Thursday at our South Location and Tuesdays at our North location
Ryan Candito, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Professional Profile
Ryan is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. She spent several years working at a psychiatric hospital where she specialized in trauma and suicidality. Ryan went on to work as a school-based therapist for adolescent survivors of violent crimes and as an individual therapist. She also worked in a community setting with adolescents and adults in the LGBTQIA+ community and with those coping with relationship and sexual issues.
Ryan is trained in EMDR and has experience teaching Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Ryan got her undergraduate degree in photography and enjoys working with people doing portrait photography. Some of her interests are reading, meditation, thrifting, and exploring the vegetarian food scene in Austin.
Specialties
Attachment
Crisis Intervention
DBT
Depression
EMDR
Internal Family Systems
Insomnia
LGBTQIA+
Perfectionism
Sex/Relationships
Somatic Experiencing
Substance
Trauma
Insurance
Aetna, Cigna, Oscar, Optum, Oxford, Sana, United, Private Pay / Self Pay
Welcome
I’m so glad you’re here. The world can seem like an overwhelming place and making the choice to seek help is an incredibly powerful one. I became a therapist because I care about making a difference and I believe in the resiliency of the human spirit. I know therapy can seem daunting, but I will work with you to make the process of opening up into a rewarding journey of profound self-discovery.
How I Work
Therapy is about you and your needs and I will honor your process. I am here to guide you in self-reflection and offer a new perspective. I always want to make sure you feel safe to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The brave act of being vulnerable can be transformative and I will always be here to honor your truth without judgment.
Many times in therapy, a journey can look like first building a therapeutic relationship and developing coping skills and healthy habits. Next we look at where you’d like to start, either with the past or the present. We can process trauma and grief or work on things you’d like to change in your life, or both. You lead the way.
You might have questions about how to make meaning in your life. Meaning and passion are vital to happiness and fulfillment. Therapy can also be a place to explore your identity and values, to look at who you are and who you want to become. I care about creating a safe space for everyone to explore all aspects of their identity including gender, sexuality, race, etc. and any oppression experienced.
Some of the ways that I support your growth are through client centered therapy and trauma informed care, such as with EMDR, IFS, DBT, and Somatic Experiencing. I also use mindfulness-based strategies and insight-oriented approaches.
Meaning and passion are vital to happiness and fulfillment. Therapy can also be a place to explore your identity and values, to look at who you are and who you want to become.
Therapist Spotlight
What made you decide to become a counselor?
The world always seemed like such a big difficult place to me. I knew from the time that I
was little that I wanted to do something to at least make the world a little softer and
brighter. I tried volunteering, mentoring, and making documentaries, but nothing seemed
quite right. Working with people had always been my passion and I decided to go back to
school to become a therapist because I always believed in the quote, “Helping one person
might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person.”
If you could teach the world one skill or technique to improve their lives, what would it be?
Emotion regulation. I think there are a lot of things we miss out on growing up, especially
when we grow up in homes that aren’t ideal. But one vital skill that most people never
learn is how to manage emotions. The average person walking down the street doesn’t
know what to do if they feel panic, rage, or loneliness. When you start to learn that
emotions are just signals from your body and how to interpret them, then you can
understand your emotions better. Once you understand your emotions, you can begin to
cope with them effectively, and honestly that can feel like a superpower.
Have you personally been in counseling and if so, what did you learn about yourself?
Yes, I know just what it’s like to feel vulnerable and sit on the other side of the office. I
learned that no one is immune from struggle and breaking down the idea of perfection as
the ideal standard is very powerful. I also learned that just giving voice to my own truth is
very freeing.
If you could recommend one book to all your clients, what would it be?
Clarity and Connection by Yung Pueblo. It is a beautifully relatable book about healing,
relationships, and our connection with ourselves.
Who is your ideal client?
I love working with clients who are ready to do the work. Sometimes therapy can be
difficult and uncomfortable. I’ll always hang in there with you if you are ready. Know that
sometimes, with your consent, I might offer you a perspective or a solution that could be
difficult to hear. But I will always be kind, and I won’t push you if you aren’t ready.
What inspires you to help others?
I have so much privilege and have been given so much in my life, I wouldn’t feel right if I
didn’t give back and help others on their journey.
How do you personally practice self-care?
I say “no”. If I don’t want to do something, I’m honest. I always show up for myself. I also
make sure to unplug and take time away from social media to be in the world doing things
that I love.
If you are hosting a dinner party, who are the 3 people you would invite and why?
Yung Pueblo, because he is the most beautiful, insightful author I’ve ever read. I think he
could teach me how to live life in a more authentic and meaningful way. Brené Brown,
because she is an amazing woman who, through her work, has taught me so much about
courage, vulnerability, and authenticity. It would be amazing to meet such an accomplished
woman who could elevate my understanding of how to be such a strong fearless woman.
Third, I would invite Jónsi, from Sigur Rós, because no matter where I am when I hear his
music, I feel like I am at home. I think someone who understands humanity in this way
would be indescribable to meet.
How do you relate to Mindfulness? How do you incorporate it in your sessions?
To me, mindfulness is about present moment awareness with curiosity and without
judgment. The value of this is learning to get out of our heads and live in the moment. A
way I like to get into mindfulness is with grounding work, where we focus on noticing the
present moment by focusing on the five senses. Additionally, if a client has never tried
meditation before, often we can try a short meditation together and discuss the experience.