Peter Cousins, Ph.D., ABPP, Houston TX

This doctor didn't seem interested in me or anything I had to say, and I quickly caught onto that.
There was no real feedback on my answers to his questions and there was lots of jumping around. He also came off as abrasive and even slightly argumentative a few times; there was definitely an attitude of superiority. In short, I felt that there was no effort to create a basis for a good client/therapist relationship.
Money-wise, I'm insured so my copay was small, but for uninsured or self-pay patients you may see a large discrepancy between your fee and the care you receive.

My experience in therapy with Dr. Cousins is that he genuinely cares for my wellbeing. I am safe to express my true self. He is easy to talk to and very helpful. I have had to deal with some very difficult things. With Dr. Cousins skilled assistance, I have begun to understand what I can do to empower myself. When I first started therapy with him, I was in trouble, I could not get my life moving. His kindness, humor and respectful way of offering solutions and perspectives has made a huge difference in my life. He lets me go at my pace, which can change, he is ok with that. He listens and I feel seen, heard and understood.
He is honest with me; I cannot put a value on how important that is. Since I started therapy with Dr. Cousins, I have had a breakthrough in my life. I believe I am on the road to happiness I once thought was out of reach for me. I highly recommend him. If you need help, Dr. Cousins is great! He has helped me so much.

Dr. Cousins is a wonderful therapist. He is warm, observant, and non-judgemental. He provides evidence-based treatment that's known to work for your problem, while also flexibly working with your unique situation and needs. His 30+ years of experience really shows in his knowledge and skills. At the same time, he is humble and down-to-earth, with a great sense of humor. He helped me make meaningful changes that have improved my relationship with myself and with others. I strongly recommend him to anyone who wants to make a positive change to their life.

Dr. Cousins was an invaluable help to me (and to several other friends I recommended him to after my very positive experience). It's been well over a decade since he almost effortlessly helped me find my own strength to get out of a bad situation I'd found myself in, and gain the confidence to enjoy making new friends and being free in a city where I'd spent my first three years living under one abusive thumb or another. While I've had MUCH larger struggles since, I'm still handling life better than I did back then, and on my own terms rather than anyone else's. That's thanks to the tools he gave me - and the circle of authentic friendships I was able to build after having a trustworthy, honest, pleasant, and caring ally to give me that pivotal nudge in the right direction. I know most people don't often think about their care providers eleven years after the fact, but I wrote this because I hope he's doing well!

Dr. Cousins has been a cornerstone in helping me developed a better foundation and outlook on life not to mention my own self view. He communicates in a language and perspective that allows me to see myself and the world around me more effectively. I have gotten a tremendous amount out of therapy. I have recommended him to several people I know.

This happened a year ago, but the encounter still haunts me to this day as I pursue my degree to become a social worker. I sought therapy to help equip me with tools and coping mechanisms through school. Blinded by the title of a PhD and price tag, I expected premium services. There was a discrepancy with the insurance, and he even offered to work with me.

Then I sat in his chair and vented. No reflective listening, no validation, and no summary. I don't even know if he was listening. I expected him to be clinical, but he didn't even offer any potential tools for my goals.

Second session: he completely forgot about the payment arrangement but told me I forgot. At the end of the session, he charged me for the current session and collected the rest for the last session. I had to walk to an ATM to pay him in cash. I was in tears the whole way. I just vented my life story to him and he metaphorically shook me like I was his ATM. He offered me no guidance for the future, and the majority of his feedback offered more of a bleak picture rather than anything insightful or useful.

I didn't hurt anyone or do anything wrong, I was just struggling through school because of my ADHD. This sort of problem-based therapy reduces people to their problems rather than any strengths or solutions and I felt that. Instead, he used my own words against me. No remorse, no resources, just this $400 dragged out horrible experience that left a bad taste in my mouth for over priced PhD therapists.

When I become a therapist, I vow to never treat anyone like this.