Leah Alviar, LPC

Leah Alviar brings more than two decades of counseling and educational leadership experience to her practice. She holds a Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership from the University of the Incarnate Word, a master of arts degree in Counseling from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a bachelor of science in Generic Special Education from Our Lady of the Lake University. Leah is a Licensed Professional Counselor - LPC - and a certified professional school counselor, and she combines those roles with academic work and administrative leadership.

Her professional background includes serving as a Senior Director at the University of the Incarnate Word and teaching graduate counseling courses as well as undergraduate preparatory classes at multiple universities. She has previously led a Center for Teaching Excellence, worked as an instructional designer, served as director of field experience, been an adjunct professor in an M.A. in Counseling program, and worked as an assistant professor of education. Earlier in her career she worked as a professional school counselor in several independent school districts in San Antonio.

Leah has presented at local, state, and national conferences, served as an editor for doctoral dissertations, and published work in her field. She has extensive experience teaching both online and face-to-face, having authored and taught undergraduate and graduate courses for many years. Clinically, Leah has supported people dealing with anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, communication and relationship challenges, parenting and family crises, grief and loss, career planning, self-esteem and life transitions. She describes her approach as solution-focused and client-centered, integrating humanistic principles with cognitive behavior therapy techniques and adapting strategies to each person’s needs.

Outside of work she has been married to her high school sweetheart for nearly 25 years and is a mother of three sons. Her personal interests include fishing, outdoor activities, reading, travel, and family movie nights, and she values active self-care through ultrarunning, reading, skydiving, and quilting.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Leah draws from client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and solution-focused therapy to tailor care to each person. Client-centered therapy emphasizes empathy and collaboration, helping people explore their values and priorities while the therapist acts as a supportive guide; it is useful for building self-esteem and navigating life changes. CBT focuses on identifying patterns of thought and behavior and teaching practical skills to reduce anxiety, manage stress, and address mood concerns. Solution-focused therapy concentrates on goals and actionable steps, helping clients move quickly toward specific changes when coping with relationship problems, career decisions, or transitional periods.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Leah works with each person to understand their needs, goals, and preferences, then adjusts techniques over time to find the best fit rather than prescribing a single method upfront.

Online therapy options such as video sessions, phone appointments, live chat, and text-based messaging make it easier to fit counseling into a busy life. These formats provide flexibility in scheduling, allow consistent access to licensed professionals from different locations within Texas, and make it possible to continue care through life changes and shifting responsibilities.