About Restored Vessel Counseling, PLLC
At Restored Vessel Counseling, I provide a respectful, client-centered space for adults and adolescents seeking clarity, resilience, and personal growth. My goal is to support you in navigating life’s challenges in ways that honor your unique experiences and needs.
Counseling Rooted in Compassion, Growth, and Care
My Mission
I walk alongside individuals in a safe, compassionate, trauma-informed environment where healing, insight, and resilience can flourish. My mission is to help you move from survival to wholeness, honoring your story, reconnecting with your strengths, and guiding you toward meaningful growth. Using evidence-based practices, I aim to support lasting healing, deeper self-understanding, and renewed hope for your journey.
Core Values
Compassion
Inclusivity
Restoration
Empowerment
Integrity
Worthiness
Collaboration
Cultural humility
The Philosophy Behind the Name
The name Restored Vessel Counseling is inspired by Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. Breaks are not hidden—they are honored as part of the story, resulting in something whole and transformed. This reflects my approach: healing is not about undoing the past but integrating your experiences with care, understanding, and respect.
Life’s stress, trauma, or loss can leave lasting impressions on your emotions, relationships, and sense of self. I view these responses as meaningful adaptations rather than personal shortcomings. Therapy with me prioritizes emotional safety, collaboration, and your choice, allowing growth to unfold at a pace that feels supportive and empowering.Many individuals seek counseling after experiencing stress, trauma, loss, or significant life transitions. These experiences can leave lasting impressions on emotional regulation, relationships, self-worth, and one’s sense of safety in the world. From a trauma-informed perspective, these responses are understood as meaningful adaptations rather than personal shortcomings. Healing is viewed as a process of strengthening insight and capacity while honoring lived experience.
Meet Me – Courtney D. Schmidt, MS, LPC Associate
I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, supervised by Dr. Gregory Scott Sparrow, EdD, LPC-S. I was born in Corpus Christi, raised near San Antonio, and now live in New Braunfels. In addition to counseling, I teach high school and have over 15 years of experience supporting individuals and families through emotional, academic, and life challenges.
My clinical work is informed by professional training and lived experience, which deepen my understanding of grief, loss, resilience, and recovery. I aim to create a supportive, professional space where you can explore concerns, identify patterns, and work toward greater clarity, stability, and integration.
Outside of my work, I am a single mother to three older boys and caregiver to three Shih-Tzu mixes and two spirited cats. I enjoy spending time with my family, dining out (I’m a foodie—though admittedly a picky one), road trips, catching a new movie, and attending live performances, including music and Broadway shows. These interests help keep me grounded and connected, qualities I bring with me into my work with clients.
Education, Licensure & Professional Experience
I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Texas Tech University in 2000 and a Master of Science in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in 2025. During my graduate training, I completed clinical internship placements emphasizing accessible, community-centered care, including work as a graduate clinical intern at Hearts2Heal, where I provided counseling services within a healing-centered, trauma-informed framework for individuals from historically underserved communities. I also served as a graduate clinical intern at The Free Clinic (TTUHSC), hosted by Lubbock Impact, providing counseling services to individuals without insurance.
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate in the State of Texas, and I practice under the supervision of Gregory Scott Sparrow, EdD, LPC-S, in accordance with Texas licensure requirements and professional standards.
I have been a member of Chi Sigma Iota (CSI), which recognizes academic excellence, professional integrity, and commitment to the counseling profession, since the founding of the Eta Sigma Gamma chapter at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in September 2024, and I served on the Executive Council for the chapter from November 2024 through December 2025.
In addition to my clinical work, I serve as Secretary and Clinical Coordinator for Hearts2Heal, a BIPOC-led nonprofit organization founded in 2019 to provide inclusive, trauma-informed grief support for communities historically underserved by traditional care systems.
Ownership & Supervision
Restored Vessel Counseling, PLLC is owned and operated by Courtney D. Schmidt, MS, LPC Associate.
My office number is (210) 802-9852.
In accordance with Texas state law, my clinical practice is supervised by: Dr. Gregory Scott Sparrow, EdD, LPC-S Texas License #15338 Phone: (956) 205-0841
Therapeutic Approach & Modalities
Therapy is not about fixing what is broken; it is about supporting growth, understanding, and restoration. Sessions are client-centered, trauma-informed, and focused on meeting clients where they are, at a pace that feels safe and supportive.
Therapy at Restored Vessel Counseling Is:
Trauma-informed and client-centered, prioritizing emotional safety, collaboration, and client choice
Evidence-informed, drawing from established therapeutic models to support insight, emotional regulation, and behavioral change
Individualized and goal-oriented, shaped by each client’s needs, values, strengths, and treatment goals
Collaborative, with therapy viewed as a partnership that honors client autonomy and lived experience
Inclusive and affirming, respecting cultural context, identity, and diverse life experiences
Structured yet flexible, adapting pace and approach based on clinical needs and readiness
Focused on integration and growth, supporting clients in understanding past experiences while building skills for sustainable well-being
I incorporate elements of the following approaches into my work:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Mindfulness-based practices
Person-centered therapy
Acceptance and Commitment (ACT)
Trauma-informed care
Therapy is a collaborative process. Clients are encouraged to move at a pace that feels appropriate for them, with treatment guided by shared goals and ongoing dialogue. You are the expert of your lived experience. My role is to offer support, structure, and clinical guidance as we work together toward greater understanding, stability, and growth.
Who I Work With
I work with clients from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, including:
Individuals seeking personal growth or mental health support
Couples and two-person family relationships
Adolescents (14+) addressing emotional, behavioral, or relational concerns
BIPOC individuals seeking culturally responsive counseling
LGBTQ+ individuals in need of affirming and supportive care
Areas of Focus
Counseling may address, but is not limited to:
Stress and burnout
Anxiety-related concerns
Depression and mood-related challenges
Trauma and adverse life experiences
Life transitions and adjustment difficulties
Relationship and interpersonal challenges
Self-esteem and self-worth concerns
Anger management and emotional regulation
Grief and loss
Personality-related patterns and long-standing relational difficulties
Care is individualized and grounded in evidence-informed, trauma-aware practices, with attention to each client’s goals, strengths, and lived experience.
Referrals & Good-Fit Considerations
Not every therapist is the right fit for every client, and I believe referrals are an important part of ethical care. If a client’s needs fall outside my scope of practice, level of training, or clinical capacity, I will discuss this openly and provide appropriate referral options when possible. My goal is to support clients in accessing care that best meets their needs, whether with me or another provider.
Determining therapeutic fit is an ongoing and collaborative process, and client safety and well-being are always prioritized
Crisis & Emergency Services
Restored Vessel Counseling is not equipped to provide crisis or emergency mental health services. Clients experiencing a mental health emergency, active suicidal ideation with intent, or situations requiring immediate intervention should contact 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or call/text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) for immediate support.
Licensed only in Texas; services are provided only to clients physically located in Texas at time of session.