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Our Story:
Atascosa Counseling & Consultation Services (ACCS) was founded in 2022 by Megan Garcia, who grew up right here in Pleasanton. When Megan was in high school, she was guided by her caring counselor, Mrs. Sandra Poth. Mrs. Poth’s kindness and support helped Megan realize how important it is to have someone you can trust during hard times.
When Megan saw that the property at 704 Bensdale was for sale, she knew it would be the perfect place for a counseling office. Over the years, the building had been a church, a home, a special events venue, and even a boutique. Many people in town have happy memories from visiting it. The property is also just a few houses away from Mrs. Poth’s former family home, which makes it feel even more special.
Megan often heard from her mother that finding local counseling services in Pleasanton had been difficult for a long time. She wanted to give back to the community that supported her during her own teen years. By opening ACCS, Megan made it easier for teens and adults in the area to get help without having to travel all the way to San Antonio.
Mission & Core Values:
Our mission at Atascosa Counseling & Consultation Services is simple: we want to bring hope and healing closer to home. We believe that everyone in Pleasanton and the surrounding areas should have access to caring, professional therapy. Our team is guided by a few key values that shape how we work each day:
Compassion: We treat every person with kindness, warmth, and understanding.
Integrity: We do the right thing, even when no one is watching, and hold ourselves to high professional standards.
Community: We understand how important it is to feel connected in a small town, so we work to build trust with our neighbors.
Respect: We honor the dignity and privacy of every client, making sure each person feels safe and heard.
Stigma-Free Care: We stand against the harmful beliefs that keep people from getting help. Our goal is to create a welcoming space, free of judgment, where everyone can find the support they need.
By focusing on these values, we hope to create a place where people feel comfortable turning to for the help they need—right here in the heart of Atascosa County.
Our Approach to Therapy:
At Atascosa Counseling & Consultation Services, we use a variety of methods to help people find the best path to healing and growth. Our main focus is on solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), which helps you look at your own strengths, learn from past successes, and build a plan for a more hopeful future. Instead of staying stuck on problems, SFBT encourages you to set goals, recognize possibilities, and take steps toward a better life.
We also use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). CBT helps you see how changing your thoughts can improve the way you feel and act. DBT is helpful for learning new skills to manage stress, handle strong emotions, and build healthier relationships.
Each member of our team brings special training, which may include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for working through trauma, the Gottman Method for couples counseling, or positive psychology for focusing on your strengths and well-being. This wide range of tools lets us create a plan that fits your needs.
We understand that privacy matters, especially in a small town. That’s why we offer parking that’s hidden from the street, so you can come and go with ease and peace of mind.
Why Choose Atascosa Counseling & Consultation Services:
Atascosa Counseling & Consultation Services is more than just a therapy office. We’re currently one of the only mental health group practices in town, which means you have access to a whole team of caring, skilled professionals in one convenient location. Our team members work together to give you well-rounded care, drawing on different approaches and specialties to find the best fit for your needs.
We believe that true healing comes from looking at the whole person. By pooling our skills and knowledge, we can support you through many different challenges—whether you’re dealing with anxiety, trauma, relationship concerns, or life changes. You also won’t have to travel to multiple locations to get the help you need; our group practice provides a wide range of therapy options under one roof.
Above all, we’re proud to serve our local community. We understand the unique experiences and challenges of living in Pleasanton and the surrounding areas. Here, you’ll find a caring environment and friendly faces who want to see you succeed. When you choose Atascosa Counseling & Consultation Services, you’re choosing a local team committed to helping you thrive—right here, close to home.
Serving Atascosa County and Beyond:
We feel honored to support people from Pleasanton, Jourdanton, Poteet, Charlotte, Leming, Three Rivers, and even the southside of San Antonio. We know traveling for mental health care can be tough, so we offer telehealth sessions that let you get help from the comfort of your own home. For those who prefer to meet in person, we provide evening sessions most weekdays, along with Saturday morning and afternoon appointments, and morning and afternoon sessions Monday through Thursday. Our goal is to make getting the care you need as easy and flexible as possible.
We also value community connections. We work closely with Safer Path, our local domestic violence shelter, to support those dealing with crisis and trauma. Our practice is LGBTQ+ friendly, and some members of our staff are neurodiverse, which allows us to bring different viewpoints and experiences to the work we do. No matter who you are or what you’re facing, we’re here to help you find a path toward healing and hope.
Our Community Involvement:
We believe a healthier community benefits everyone, and we work hard to live out our mission by staying involved in local groups and activities. As proud members of both the Community Crisis Response Team and the Sexual Assault Response Team, we help plan for emergencies and support survivors when they need it most. We also take part in mental health fairs put on by Pleasanton ISD and Poteet ISD, so families and students can learn about resources and tools for emotional well-being.
Beyond these efforts, we love cheering on the next generation by sponsoring various sports teams, since sports can foster teamwork, confidence, and a sense of belonging. We also accept donations from “community angels,” who give anonymously to help cover copays or session fees for people who need financial help. This kind of kindness allows us to remove barriers to therapy, staying true to our mission of offering stigma-free care and real hope for everyone in our hometown.
By standing up for mental health through these activities, we believe we’re making the entire community stronger—one person, one family, and one sports team at a time.
Client Experiences:
Below are four sample client experiences to help you imagine what it’s like to receive care at Atascosa Counseling & Consultation Services. All names and details are made up to protect privacy.
Adult (Age 37)
“After struggling with anxiety for years, I decided to try therapy at ACCS. I was nervous at first, but my counselor made me feel safe and understood. Using CBT, I learned how to replace negative thoughts with more positive ones. Now I’m able to handle stress at work and home without feeling overwhelmed.”
Couple (Early 30s)
“We came to counseling because we were arguing almost every day. Our therapist used the Gottman Method, which helped us see the root of our problems and practice better communication skills. After a few weeks, we noticed less tension at home and a stronger sense of teamwork in our relationship.”
Parent (Age 45)
“As a mom of two, I felt guilty for not knowing how to help my children deal with their worries. At ACCS, I discovered solution-focused therapy techniques that let me build on our family’s strengths. Now, I feel more confident helping my kids overcome challenges, and our home life is calmer.”
Teen (Age 17)
“My grades started slipping because I was feeling down all the time. I was scared to talk about it, but my therapist at ACCS understood what I was going through. We used DBT skills to handle emotions and stress. Little by little, I learned to cope with anxiety and started feeling happier at school and with my friends.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Therapy
1. Therapy Is An Investment In Your Present And Your Future.
Therapy isn’t just for the treatment of mental illness. It can be used to increase your mental wellness too. For example, some people go to counseling to work on their self-esteem, strengthen their communication methods, improve parenting skills, or increase their career satisfaction (we have short-term coaching services for these topics as well).
2. The First Session Will Be Different From Your Other Sessions.
There will be paperwork- be sure to review it and ask any questions about policies. Honesty about why you’re seeking counseling is essential- don’t be afraid to talk about anything. You won’t be judged, and chances are, your reason for coming may be more common than you realize.
3. Keeping Your Appointments Is Essential
Even when you feel you have nothing to talk about, show up for your appointments. If you know you’ll have to miss an appointment, be sure to say something more than 24 hours in advance; if not, you’ll be charged a fee, and someone else who could have used that slot misses a chance at getting better. Arriving on time ensures that you have access to your entire session; the timer starts at the scheduled time to respect the time of the clinician and clients in the slot after yours. However, you should still come if you're running late....you've paid for the time after all, and some therapy is better than none!
4. Patient Confidentiality Has A Few Limits
Anything you say during your sessions is kept confidential unless you are going to harm yourself or others or if child/elder abuse is suspected. Your therapist is unlikely to acknowledge you in public unless you approach them first; this is for your privacy and to maintain your confidentiality.
5. You May Feel Worse Before You Begin To Feel Better.
There will be times when you discuss hard topics and possibly subjects you’ve avoided, which may make you feel uncomfortable and want to quit. Let your counselor know when these moments arise, and they can help you through it; you’ll be glad you worked it out in the long run! Also keep in mind that lasting change takes time...think of it like highway construction....sometimes it's tough, but in the end, it's worth it.
6. Therapy Eventually Comes To An End, Which Is Good.
You’ll develop goals in therapy, and when those are achieved, it’s time for the sessions to end. There should be a final session where you review your progress and skills you’ve learned and come to the point of closure with your therapist. If you haven’t met your goals but have decided to stop coming, that’s ok; let your therapist know ahead of time, so they don’t worry about you. They can also refer you to another provider if you need one. Either way, the ultimate goal is to send you off happier and healthier than when you started. Some clients choose to schedule sessions quarterly throughout the year, just to check in and maintain their wellness; let your clinician know if that's your intention. Clients who do not schedule a session for 30+ days are welcome to return, but are not considered current and may need to sign up on the waitlist based on availability.
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