Finding a therapist
Best Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Therapists in San Antonio (2026)
Therapists in and around San Antonio whose own websites describe work with emotional abuse, manipulation and coercive control, and what to look for when you choose one.
Disclosure: this guide is published by The Denning Center, and Jim Denning, MA, LPC, is listed first because it is his practice's website. That placement is not a claim that he is more skilled or more effective than anyone else here. The other practices were chosen using the criteria below; none of them paid to be included, and none reviewed this page.
"Narcissistic abuse" is not a diagnosis. It is a plain-language name for a pattern: being blamed for things you did not do, having your memory of events contradicted until you stop trusting it, and being idealized and then devalued in cycles. Clinicians more often describe the same experiences as emotional abuse, coercive control or relational trauma.
The label matters less than whether a therapist understands the pattern. The wrong kind of help, such as a counselor who treats it as a communication problem between equals, can make things worse. Each practice below says on its own website that it works with this kind of abuse specifically.
1. The Denning Center — Jim Denning, MA, LPC
Tesoro Drive, North Central San Antonio · in person and telehealth across Texas
Our practice
Jim works with people who are leaving, or still inside, a relationship built on control, blame-shifting and being told their own perception is wrong. He has a dedicated narcissistic abuse recovery service page and a free resource center with articles on trauma bonding, going no contact and coercive control.
- Trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and EMDR, alongside cognitive approaches.
- Does not offer joint sessions where there is coercive control, because they are not safe or appropriate in that situation.
- In network with Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, BCBS of Texas, TRICARE, Humana Military and TriWest; private pay is $130 a session.
2. Jennifer L. Hillier, MA, LPC-S
North New Braunfels Avenue, San Antonio · in person and online
Hillier's site has a dedicated narcissistic abuse recovery page, which describes relationships marked by persistent manipulation, control, exploitation and intimidation. She describes herself as a trauma therapist.
- Lists EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, DBT, ACT and Internal Family Systems (IFS).
- Also lists complex PTSD and childhood trauma.
- Her site lists several in-network plans, as well as self-pay and HSA/FSA payment.
3. Mindful Health — San Antonio
North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio · in person and virtual across Texas
A multi-location Texas group with a page on narcissistic abuse recovery that covers gaslighting, trauma bonding and the idealize-then-devalue cycle.
- Lists EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, cognitive restructuring and boundary work.
- Also offers psychiatry and more intensive programs, which can help if you need medication or a higher level of care.
4. Stillwater Counseling & Coaching Services
Callaghan Road, West San Antonio · group practice
A group practice with a large clinical team. Its site lists narcissistic abuse recovery among the specialties of Dr. Caroline K. Gonzales, PsyD, LPC-S.
- The practice offers EMDR, including longer EMDR intensive sessions, and lists trauma counseling and group therapy.
- Ask for Dr. Gonzales by name if abuse recovery is the reason you are calling.
5. Therapy with Mallory — Mallory Beckwith
Online, anywhere in Texas
Beckwith offers online sessions to people anywhere in Texas. Her site lists narcissistic abuse, high-conflict relationships, trauma bonds, codependency and boundaries.
- Lists Internal Family Systems, clinical hypnosis and mindfulness-based work.
6. Tele Mental Health Texas — Catrina Drinning-Davis, LPC-S
Online only; not based in San Antonio
Drinning-Davis offers EMDR online for survivors of narcissistic and emotionally abusive relationships. Her site names gaslighting, trauma bonding and coercive control.
- Offers a faith-based perspective for clients who want one.
What to ask in the first call
- How do you work with someone who is still in the relationship, not only someone who has left?
- Do you ever recommend joint sessions with the other person? The safe answer, where there is coercive control, is no.
- How do you handle trauma bonding, the pull back toward someone who hurt you?
- What happens if the other person contacts you or turns up?
Questions people ask
Is narcissistic abuse a diagnosis?
Should I see a couples counselor with the person who is controlling me?
Can I start therapy while I am still in the relationship?
Sources
Read next on this site
Written and clinically reviewed by Jim Denning, MA, LPC. Last reviewed 23 September 2026.
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