Spero · Latin for “I hope”
Hope is not a mood. It is something we build together.
Online counseling for teens and adults across Texas, in a warm, non-judgmental space.
Who I Work With
You might be closer to one of these stories than you think.
Andrea
The mother who is holding everything together
You got everyone out the door again. Lunches, forms, the appointment you rescheduled twice — and somewhere in there, your own name stopped appearing on the list. You are snapping at people you love and apologizing in your head all day. You do not want to be talked out of your life. You want one hour a week where someone asks how you are and waits for the real answer.
Jordan
The college student running on empty
The semester started fine, and then it did not. You are reading the same paragraph four times, you are awake at 3 a.m. scrolling, and you have started skipping the class you used to like. Everyone says these are the best years of your life, which only makes it lonelier. You are not failing. You are carrying more than your schedule admits, without anything to put it down on.
Elena
The young adult carrying something old
On paper you are doing well — the job, the apartment, the friends who would vouch for you. But a certain tone of voice still empties your stomach, and you keep people at a distance you cannot explain. You have never said the whole thing out loud to anyone. You are not looking to relive it. You want it to stop steering, so the life you built actually feels like yours.
These are fictitious names and scenarios used only to illustrate real-life situations.
Spero is Latin for “I hope.” Hope here is something we build, not something you are told to feel.
Marisa Ybarra, LPC
What I Offer
You are in control of your own therapeutic process.
I will not hand you a script for your life. I will listen, ask direct questions, and give you honest feedback — then we build practical wellness strategies that fit the week you actually have. Cognitive behavioral therapy for the thoughts that loop, a solution-focused lens for what comes next, and proactive, stress-reducing care so you are not always meeting yourself at the breaking point.
Start Here
What Brings You Here?
Pick whatever is closest to your week. Marisa answers in her own words.
Choose whatever is closest — pick as many as fit. There are no wrong answers here.
Hi, I'm Marisa
Ten years a provider, specializing in CBT, client-centered and solution-focused therapy, with eight years of ABA experience from working in a school before private practice. I have a specific passion for teenagers, college students and overwhelmed mothers. I have always been the one friends turned to for honest feedback — and I believe a positive mindset can change your perspective on any situation.
“For about a year and a half, Marisa has been an enormous aid in my life!”
If You Have Never Done This Before
What a First Month Looks Like
Not knowing what happens is the real barrier for most people. Here is the whole thing, start to rhythm.
Step 1 · Day one
The free consultation
You send a short message and we set up a brief call. There is no intake form to survive first, and you do not have to arrive with your story organized. Marisa will ask what is going on, what you are hoping changes, and answer whatever you want to ask about how she works.
- About fifteen minutes, by phone or video
- No charge, and no obligation to book
- Fees and scheduling are confirmed on this call
- If she is not the right fit, she will say so and point you somewhere better
You do not have to arrive sure of anything. Coming to the door is enough to start.
Before You Book
One Quick Check
All sessions are held by secure video, and a counselor can only see clients in the states where they hold a license. Marisa is licensed in Texas.
Can Marisa See Me?
Counseling licenses are state by state. Choose where you will physically be sitting during sessions — the answer updates as you pick.
Yes
Marisa can work with you.
She is licensed in Texas and every session is held by secure video, so you can meet from home, a parked car, or a quiet room on campus. The next step is a free consultation.
Book a free consultationThere Is Room for You Here
The first step is a free consultation — a short, no-pressure conversation about what you are carrying and whether we are a good fit.