Leah Alviar , LPC

Leah Alviar is a licensed professional counselor and an experienced educator whose work blends clinical practice with academic leadership. She holds a Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership - a doctoral degree focused on systems and leadership in educational settings - an M.A. in Counseling - a master’s degree preparing clinicians for therapeutic work - and a B.S. in Generic Special Education - a bachelor’s degree in special education. In addition to her LPC credential, she is a certified professional school counselor and brings more than 22 years of counseling experience to her practice.

Leah has served in leadership roles across local, regional, and state counseling organizations, authored publications, presented at conferences, and worked as an editor for doctoral dissertations. In her current role she is a Senior Director at the University of the Incarnate Word and teaches graduate counseling courses while also contributing to undergraduate preparation across universities. Her prior positions include Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, instructional designer, adjunct professor for an M.A. in Counseling program, Director of Field Experience, assistant professor of education at Our Lady of the Lake University, and professional school counselor in several San Antonio ISDs. She has taught university students in both online and face-to-face formats for over 15 years and has authored and delivered courses at undergraduate and graduate levels for more than 17 years.

Clinically, Leah’s approach is humanistic, solution-focused, and client-centered, with thoughtful integration of cognitive behavioral techniques where appropriate. She has worked with people experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, communication difficulties, parenting and family challenges, grief, career planning, self-esteem issues, and major life transitions. Leah views the counselor as a guide and facilitator who adapts strategies to each person’s unique needs and goals. Outside of her professional life she is married to her high school sweetheart and they have three sons; the family enjoys fishing, outdoor activities, reading, travel, and movies. For self-care Leah pursues ultrarunning, reading, skydiving, and quilting.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Leah integrates client-centered therapy, which emphasizes empathy, active listening, and working at the client’s pace to build insight and self-directed change; this approach is often helpful for people facing relationship challenges, self-esteem concerns, and major life transitions. She also uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a practical method that identifies unhelpful thoughts and patterns and works to replace them with more adaptive thinking and coping skills - a useful option for anxiety, stress, and mood-related concerns. Additionally, Leah employs solution-focused therapy when appropriate, concentrating on strengths, goals, and small steps that lead to measurable progress in a shorter time frame.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Leah works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting strategies as therapy progresses to ensure a good fit. This collaborative stance helps clients feel involved and respected in planning their care.

Online therapy makes these approaches accessible through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options offer flexibility for scheduling, reduce travel time, and allow continuity of care from different locations. For many people, remote sessions make it easier to prioritize mental health while balancing work, family, and other commitments.