The capital city of Louisiana, Baton Rouge is an area of vigorous economic and population growth. A number of technology and research centers are based there, as well as the campus of Louisiana State University. Historically a meeting point of many cultures, it is a vibrant and culturally diverse city that is also home to a thriving LGBTQ+ community. A wide variety of options in mental health services can be important in any community, but especially for one with the diverse population of Baton Rouge.
When seeking a therapist, Baton Rouge, LA offers more than many smaller cities and rural areas. However, finding the right therapist is often more complicated than simply reaching out to a nearby practice. The efficacy of the therapeutic process often relies on finding the right type of therapy to address your mental health needs. While there are a number of effective evidence-based therapeutic practices in psychology, some are better suited to certain challenges than others. The type of therapist you need may not necessarily be located nearby.
Online therapy with a platform like BetterHelp offers access to over 30,000 professionals in the mental health field, from licensed counselors in play therapy, to certified group psychotherapists that specialize in relationship difficulties. By filling out an online questionnaire, you will be matched with a therapist that meets your individual needs. And because rapport can be such a key factor in success, if for any reason you need to switch therapists, you can do so at no additional cost.
In addition, the effort of scheduling and driving to a therapist's office can impede the counseling process for many individuals. For busy professionals, parents, and students online therapy with BetterHelp makes it easy to schedule and attend sessions from the comfort of their own homes. Others with past trauma in their lives may find it easier to share aspects of their personal life with a counselor over the phone or video chat.
If you live in Baton Rouge and have been thinking about therapy for relationship challenges, managing the stress of working toward your master’s degree, treating depression or other mood disorders, or simply to work on personal growth, BetterHelp makes it simple to get started. Fill out their questionnaire to take that first step on your mental health and wellness journey.

Hendrice Tippit
Hi! Im Drice. I have been in the field for over 12 years and I've enjoyed every moment of it. I am married to a very loving Air Force man and we have three precious fur babies! We also have two sweet “bonus” children!! My hobbies are random because I take interest and find fun in most anything I’m presented with! I love to travel, learn about different cultures and if possible, meet the elders of the land to simply chat and absorb their beautiful energy and knowledge. A few other things that I enjoy are hiking, dining, walking in scenic places, dancing, and TikToking (haha). In Therapy, I find CBT to be most effective but I am very flexible in treatment. I am a natural helper and healer so I aim to effect change in each life that I'm given the opportunity to work with.

Dr. Kimberly Moton
My former principal once described me as a “natural born” teacher. Over the years, I have grown to love the process of acquiring knowledge, researching information, developing presentation policies, implementing programs, and initiating quality improvement initiatives. Because of this, my long-term goal is one affect change on a macro level. However, currently, I am in the process of fulfilling a goal that stems from a lifelong passion of mine that involves working with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness, substance abuse, and intellectual impairments. My overall goal is to assist individuals within this population with maximizing their ability to live, socialize, learn, and work in communities of their choice. To achieve efficient outcomes, it is important for me to develop a strong clinical foundation. This was my rationale for completing the MSW program and engaging in the process to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist. Over the years, I have become extremely efficient in developing, implementing, and providing oversight and monitoring of social policies and programs. As a result, I have obtained a multifunctional leadership skill set that include a copious amount of knowledge that is directly related to mental health and psychiatric programs. This information is valuable to oversee the daily and fiscal operations of programs in a competent manner. My ability to initiate entrepreneurial social-service start-ups and propel them to midsize companies has been proven by my dynamic record of accomplishment. My program development and implementation skills have proven to be valuable on my journey to becoming a self-regulating change agent. This was beneficial when I began the process of opening MHP Human Services, Inc. Past Academic and Professional Experiences My undergraduate studies were in Criminal Justice, which led to the beginning of my career in the human service field. Initially, I worked for the Department of Corrections as a Correctional Officer and later becoming an Intermediate level Probation and Parole Officer. During my tenure as a Probation and Parole Officer, I was promoted to oversee the Drug Treatment Court program. My compassion to serve individuals sparked my decision to further my education in the human service field, which, led to my pursuit to obtain a Master of Arts degree in Elementary Education, which launched my career as a licensed elementary school teacher. The opportunity to work with children from diverse populations with various learning needs was a rewarding experience that caused me to want to work directly with families in their home and community. This prompted me to obtain part-time employment as a paraprofessional and later a qualified professional. Eventually, this opportunity led to my first entrepreneurial endeavor, A+ Absolute Care, Inc. This private agency provided outpatient and community-based services to children, adolescents, and adults with mental illnesses, substance abuse disorders, and intellectual impairments. As a business owner, it was a necessary for me to acquire knowledge of business and accounting practices, which led to my obtaining a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and later Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. The combination of education and experience allowed me to develop and implement policies, procedures, programs, business, strategic, and risk management plans for the purpose of operating a business and meeting local, state, and national accreditation standards. Unfortunately, I soon learned that a solid foundation of business practices and principles was not enough to ensure that the individuals that I served were receiving quality treatment and yielding positive outcomes. To ensure quality assurance and improvement for the services that my agency was providing it was important for me to further my clinical knowledge, which led to my pursuit of a Master is Social Work (MSW). After obtaining my MSW, I began the process to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist. Currently, I am enrolled in a Doctorate in Social Worker (DSW) at University of Southern California. Innovation and Creativity Over the past years, I have been able to develop and implement numerous programs that provide services to individuals from diverse cultures and socio-economic programs. Not only did I develop policies and procedures, implement, monitor, and provide oversight of programs, I also provided direct care and therapeutic services to individuals served. As an African American, female providing service to individuals from cultural backgrounds and ethnicities different from my own it is vital that I incorporate strategies and techniques that promote trust and rapport building. To achieve this, I tailored each individual treatment process and use a variety of evidence -based practices such as Cognitive Behavior, Motivational Interviewing, and Problem Solving techniques to increase treatment effectiveness. Because of the diversity of the population that I provide community-based services, it is pertinent that principles relating to the Ecosystem perspective are implemented. In addition, the treatment planning process has to be individualized, and it is vital that I take into consideration the individual served and his or her environment. When developing the treatment plan, innovation and creativity are necessary for identifying the individual served strengths and use these strengths to empower him or her during the treatment process. In addition, during the treatment process, it is pertinent that I consider psychological and sociological theoretical underpinnings that explain causal factors for social and personal behavior deficits. As mentioned previously, the primary population that I provide services to is individuals with severe and persistent mental illnesses. Many of these individuals experience extreme difficulty coping and managing psychiatric symptoms. Because the psychotic symptoms associated with their illness is often ongoing, it may be difficult to motivate individuals to comply with treatment recommendations, medication regimens, or tasks to meet their daily needs. Because the outcome of treatment non-compliance can be severe, as a clinician I have to engage in strategies and techniques that are innovative and creative to develop a positive rapport and find ways to motivate the individual to adhere to treatment recommendations. This often requires me to use a team approach and collaborate with other stakeholders, natural and professional supports to encourage the individual to engage in goal-oriented tasks. In addition, because of the needs of individuals within population change consistently, engaging in ongoing symptom monitoring and management of individuals within this population is also important. Because as these individuals need changes, so does the need for clinicians to use creative and innovative strategies to motivate compliance increases. Individuals with SMPI also experience crisis at increase and frequent rates, which is another reason to employ creative and innovative techniques during the crisis response and de-escalation process. Communicate with Key Stakeholders Another task that I frequently engage in is communication and collaboration with stakeholders. These individuals include the individual served, natural and professional supports, licensed professionals, case managers, surveyors that provide oversight and monitoring, and members of the community. As a clinician, it is instrumental for me to provide case management services to individuals that I serve to assist them with improving functioning in various life domains and as a preventive measure. One way to achieve this is to collaborate with community agencies and external resources, which strengthens the individual served treatment outcomes. Often alternate treatment providers including natural, professional, and community resources are needed to achieve positive outcomes. This also requires me to engage in activities to coordinate collaborative preventive efforts by contacting these agencies and linking the individual served to alternative treatment resources. As a result of ongoing collaboration with alternate resources, the I am able to develop community partnerships with internal and external resources. Lead and Manage Teams In the past and in my current position, my leadership skills have allowed me to conceive and execute goal-driven strategies that create a branded platform for growth. I led three agencies from start-up mental health to serving a multi-facet population that provides an array of services to individuals diagnosed with mental health and developmental disabilities in multiple locations throughout the state. The leadership role required me to spearhead continuous process improvements across all specialized services, human resources, and administration. The outcome of processes yielded an increase in revenue, improved quality metrics, improved profit margin, reduced costs, and increased net profit of service-delivery operations for all agencies. My skill set includes the following: Strategy/Mission & Vision Planning Organizational Design Grant Writing, Oversight, and Implementation Financial Risk Management Structured Finance & Securitized Debt Service Delivery Architecture Quality Assurance and Improvement Corporate Compliance Business & Service Delivery Development Human Resource and Staff Development New Service Launch Collaborate with Communities and Professional Networks As a clinician and business owner, it is vital that I build strong community partnerships with other professionals and members of the community. My agency provides residential and outpatient services to individuals with SMPI. Because of this, I communicate daily with members of the professional community to ensure that individuals that I serve are receiving the most clinically effective service. Also, my agency is licensed by the state, therefore; I receive ongoing auditing and monitoring from local and state entities. These organizations include Department of Social Services, pharmacy, psychiatrist, hospitals, inpatient psychiatric facilities, law enforcement, fire marshal, code enforcement, and other entities. Professional Interest I have spent my entire professional career, which spans over 20 years working in the human service field. My professional goals involve advocating and developing policies and programs that will provide adequate residential services and outpatient treatment to individuals with SPMI. Long-term goals that I have developed involve affecting change from various levels.

Karen Medlock
My name is Karen Medlock. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in both Texas and Louisiana. I have two Masters' Degrees, one in Social Work and one in Theology. I take a holistic approach with my clients. I have worked with all age groups, from three years old all the way in the eighties. Yes, I have been around awhile. I have teaching certifications in Michigan and taught Kindergarten through twelfth grade. The experiences I had as a teacher were tremendous and very helpful in my therapeutic relationships with adolescents and teenagers. I enjoy working with all age groups and totally enjoy diversity in culture, race and sexual orientation. I ran and did sexual offender treatment with male adult offenders at Norton Correctional Center in Norton, Kansas, which gave me a great magnitude of skills in addiction treatment, running groups and providing psycho-social classes in multitudes of topics. I would have to say working with inmates in state prisons is very rewarding for me because I can now view them as people with problems from the past that have never been dealt with for the most part. Also, I have much experience in helping people work through trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, including the severe panic attacks that occur. I have worked extensively with grief and loss. I am very excited to be a part of Better Help because it is a way for people who need help to access me at various times via text, phone or video. It is a good medium for all those who are a bit shy to meet in person (or aren't ready) or have tight schedules. I am very excited to work with you! I am quite a laid-back therapist, and always respond to where you are in your life-path. We all are on personal life journeys...let's use this time to explore and traverse new worlds and paths! I will help you develop your strengths and accompany you on your journey.

Heather Simmons
I am a mental health counselor licensed in Louisiana with over 5 years of experience working as a LPC. I worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, behavior issues and ADHD. I would have to describe my counseling style as being warm and passionate. I love to provide great counseling skills which includes being patience, a good listener, being knowledgeable, and having/showing empathy . I believe in treating anyone with respect, providing unconditional positive regards and demonstrating high fidelity services. My approach combines cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, interpersonal, group and cognitive therapy, I feel as a counselor my duty is to ensure and use counseling methods to help people manage and overcome mental and emotional issues.

Ciarra Waters-Mullen
I am licensed in Louisiana with 5+ years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & depression. I also have experience working with concentration, memory and focus (ADHD). I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process. Additional Area of Expertise: Sport Counseling/Psychology, Athlete Life Coach

Portia Morrison
I am licensed in Louisiana with 16 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients in different age groups, including adolescents and teens, with stress and anxiety, coping with addictions, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I also have experience working with depression. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

Denise Smith Baril
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Florida and Louisiana with 3 years of professional work experience with individuals, couples, families, and groups. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, coping with grief and loss, parenting issues, & coping with life changes. I believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

Kara Levine
My name is Kara, and I am licensed clinical social worker in Louisiana. I graduated from Tulane University with my Masters in Social Work with a concentration in disaster mental health. I am privileged that you would consider me to be your therapist. Over the past decade, my area of focus has been working with children, adolescents, adults dealing with grief and trauma. I have also had the unique privilege to help with children with chronic and terminal illness cope with their diseases. An illness in one family member impacts all family members, I utilize evidence-based interventions to help you deal with whatever is causing issues in your day-to-day life. We live this life once, and I want to help you get back to living your best life. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started! This is a team effort, and together, I hope we can make an impactful difference.

Marian O'Quin
I am licensed in Louisiana with 26 years of professional social work experience. I worked in a medical hospital setting assisting with case management and all ages of patients from pre-term to elderly. Some issues I was proficient in were abuse, mental health, medical ethics, grief and dying, understanding how illnesses affect the mind and body and the family system. I later worked for the Veterans' Health Care System in the Out-Patient Mental Health Clinic. I am evidenced based trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression and in Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD. I also treated Veterans with anger management concerns. I treated men and women Veterans from the Korean War to the most recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. My patients and Veterans stated I was patient, kind, compassionate, friendly, dedicated and knowledgeable in my areas of treatment. I loved working with the patients and Veterans and I look forward to assisting you with your treatment and providing you with skills and tools to help you cope with your concerns. I also mentored other social workers so that could obtain their social work license. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

Amy Hillman
I am licensed in Louisiana with 6 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress, anxiety, anger management, motivation, self esteem, confidence, & depression. I also have experience working with coping with life changes. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.
Find a therapist serving clients in Louisiana
Types of therapists available to clients in Baton Rouge
Understanding the type of therapy you'd like to search for is crucial before finding a therapist or psychologist. Be sure to narrow your search for therapists in Baton Rouge that can offer psychodynamic therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), talk therapy, group therapy, marriage and family therapy for individuals or couples, or couples therapy depending on your needs.
Licensed therapists & mental health professionals available through BetterHelp's online platform
Mental health therapists in Baton Rouge available through BetterHelp are accredited to help individuals and couples. Baton Rouge therapists' credentials can include licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), and clinician or doctor of psychology (PsyD). Regardless of their licensure, Baton Rouge therapists are trained in any type of therapy in the Baton Rouge region and in the state of Louisiana.
How a therapist can help you destress, manage your emotions, and guide you towards the life you want
Therapists in Baton Rouge can help clients in improving healthy relationships, communication skills, working through life transitions, couples challenges, managing a mood disorder, improving coping skills, self help tips, offer life coaching, family life, or change in negative thinking patterns. A therapist in Baton Rouge may also provide a safe place and validation for clients experiencing emotional pain, or that simply want a psychological assessment.