Perinatal Mental Health Therapy and Play Therapy With Dr. Emily Horton

There is no manual for parenting, as much as many of us might wish there were. The point of parenting is not to have all the answers before we start out but instead to figure it out on the go as our children grow. Because as our children grow, so do we. I believe that therapy is a space for you to not only heal from past wounds but also continue to grow as a person alongside nurturing strong relationships with those you love. 

Whether you are healing from postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, birth trauma, perinatal loss, or other experiences that can arise during the pregnancy and postpartum period, it would be my honor to walk with you on your journey. Babies and children are always welcome in session; as a mother and a therapist, I cultivate a warm space for families to heal without the stress of figuring out childcare. 

I got my start in the mental health profession at a mere 18 years old, where I worked with mothers and their babies in a residential treatment center and have been passionate about maternal and familial mental health ever since. I received my master’s degree in counseling from West Virginia University in 2019 and my Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2021. In addition to being a mental health professional, I have a heart for training and supervising the next generation of counselors and work as a professor at The University of Houston-Clear Lake.   

When I am not spending time with my energetic toddler, sweet husband, and two rambunctious pups, I fill my cup by traveling and devouring fiction novels. I equally love a sappy romance or a page-turner thriller. 

I work primarily out of our office in The Woodlands, and I am available for teletherapy as well. With this online option, I'm able to work with individuals across the state of Texas. In addition to working with mothers, I offer Play Therapy in our Woodlands office for children 3-12 years of age.  

In addition to my work with individuals and couples during pregnancy and the postpartum period, I also have extensive experience and enjoy working with children and adolescents. I believe that play is the natural language of children and use my specialized training as a play therapist to support the child’s and family’s wellbeing.  

I am a Registered Play Therapist (RPT) specializing in play therapy for children ages 3 to 12 years old. Play therapy uses play, children's natural medium of expression, to help children express their feelings more easily through toys instead of words. Your child might benefit from play therapy if they experience anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity, autism, oppositional defiant and conduct disorders, anger, crisis and trauma, grief and loss, divorce and family dissolution, academic and social developmental difficulties, physical and learning disabilities, or other life stressors.