Start With Whatever Feels Heaviest

Individual counseling with licensed counselors in Scottsdale or by telehealth across Arizona, for whatever you are carrying. Bring your faith in if you want to, or leave it out.

In person in Scottsdale · Telehealth across Arizona · Licensed clinicians

Person With Outstretched Arms On Desert Rocks At Sunset

Maybe you’ve been carrying this longer than you meant to

Most people do not arrive with a diagnosis. They arrive with a week, or a year, that has gotten too heavy. You might recognize some of this:

  • Worry that follows you to bed and is waiting when you wake up
  • A low, flat season that has lasted longer than a bad week
  • Grief that other people seem to expect you to be past by now
  • Something that happened years ago that still steers how you react today
  • A habit you started to cope that no longer feels like a choice

You do not have to have it figured out to reach out. Doubts about whether counseling will help are common, and worth saying out loud.

What it’s like to sit down with an Ezra counselor

Individual counseling is time set aside for you: one person, one counselor. The practice takes its name from the Bible: Ezra means help, to come alongside.

In your first sessions, your counselor learns your history, what you have already tried, and what you want to be different. Together you build a treatment plan around your goals. Your counselor will be honest with you, without sugarcoating, at a pace that feels right for you.

Therapist Mandie
Mandy Higginbotham, LPC — owner of Ezra Counseling.

Start with the part that sounds most like you

Pick the one that sounds closest. Each link opens a page about that concern, and you can always tell the team you are not sure which fits.

Anxiety

Constant worry, a restless body, or dread that follows you into the night.

Depression

A low, flat stretch that has lasted longer than a bad week.

Trauma

Something from the past that still shapes how you react today.

Abuse

Working through harm someone else did to you, at your own pace.

Boundaries

Learning to say no, ask for space, and stop over-giving.

Confidence and self-agency

Trusting your own judgment and making decisions without second-guessing every one.

Self-esteem and self-doubt

A harsh inner voice and a habit of doubting your worth.

Life transitions

A move, a job change, a loss, or a season that no longer feels like your life.

Mental health, in general

A place to start when something feels off and you cannot name it yet.

Motherhood and postpartum

Pregnancy, postpartum, and early motherhood, including worry and mood changes after a baby.

Parenting

For parents who feel overwhelmed, unsure, or stretched thin.

Performance pressure

The pressure to perform, and the fear of falling short.

Strain in close relationships

Working through relationship struggles on your own, without your partner in the room.

Unhealthy coping and addiction

Substances or habits you started to cope with and no longer feel in control of.

Your faith, on your terms

Ezra is a Christian counseling practice, and your faith is welcome in the room. You do not have to be a Christian to come. If you want it, you can talk about God, your convictions, and your questions, and prayer or Scripture can be included when you ask. If you would rather keep your sessions focused on clinical goals, that choice is respected. You set your preference at the start, and you can change it at any time. Faith is never imposed, and it is never a substitute for clinical treatment. You can read more on the Christian counseling page.

Real therapy, from licensed counselors

Ezra’s counselors are licensed clinicians, or pre-licensed therapists working under clinical supervision. This is psychotherapy. It is not Bible study, spiritual direction, or a pastor’s advice, and it does not replace medical care.

Meet the counselors who see individuals

Read full profiles, or filter by concern and availability on the About page. Each profile lists the approaches and formats that counselor offers.

Alexa Hyzdu

Alexa Hyzdu

Licensed Professional Counselor

Denise Aguilera

Denise Aguilera

Licensed Associate Counselor

Gentry Bruchhauser

Gentry Bruchhauser

Licensed Associate Counselor

Heather Curran

Heather Curran

Pre-Licensed Therapist

Irene Jacobs

Irene Jacobs

Licensed Professional Counselor

Jacqueline Wastal

Jacqueline Wastal

Licensed Associate Counselor

Kerry Troyer

Kerry Troyer

Licensed Professional Counselor

Loretta White

Loretta White

Licensed Professional Counselor

Mandy Higginbotham

Mandy Higginbotham

Owner/Clinical Director | LPC

Adults here, with other doors for teens and couples

This page is for adults who want counseling on their own. If you are looking for support for a child or teen, see children and teen counseling. If you and a partner want to come in together, see couples and marriage counseling. If you are not sure which fits, ask when you reach out and the team will help you find the right counselor.

What happens after you reach out

You do not need to know which counselor to ask for. Here is how it works:

  1. 01
    Reach out

    Schedule online, call (480) 448-2466, or send a question through the contact page. If you use the form, the team replies within 24 to 48 hours.

  2. 02
    Talk it through

    Your free consultation lasts 20 minutes, at no charge and with no obligation, and is scheduled through SimplePractice.

  3. 03
    Find your fit

    Together you identify the counselor whose experience and availability fit your needs.

  4. 04
    Begin counseling

    In your first session, you and your counselor start building your plan.

In Scottsdale, or from your own living room

Ezra’s office is in North Scottsdale, off the 101 near Frank Lloyd Wright and Redfield. If you live elsewhere in Arizona, or your week makes the drive hard, you can meet by secure telehealth. Each profile lists the formats that counselor offers.

Questions people ask before the first call

Is what I say in counseling confidential?

Yes, with a few legal exceptions. Counselors must report abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult, and they will contact family or emergency services if someone is at risk of harming themselves or others. Therapists under supervision may consult their supervisor, and that consultation is also kept confidential.

Do I have to be a Christian?

No. Ezra is a Christian counseling practice and your faith is welcome, but you do not have to be a Christian to come. You decide how much of your faith belongs in your sessions.

Is this real therapy?

Yes. Your counselor is a licensed clinician, or a pre-licensed therapist working under clinical supervision.

Which concern should I pick?

Pick the closest one, or none. Many people come with more than one thing going on. Tell the team what has been hardest and they will help you find a counselor who fits.

What does counseling cost, and do you take insurance?

Fees vary by counselor. Current payment and insurance information is on the Providers & Policies page.

What if my counselor is not the right fit?

Tell the team. They will help you find someone who fits better, even if that person works outside Ezra.

When you’re ready, we’re here

You do not need the right words or a tidy story. You only need to take the next step.

If you are in crisis, call or text 988. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.