From Anne, LCSW-S
One of my first loves (unless you count Neil Diamond) is books. It feels like a welcome inheritance from my grandmother, to my mother, to me, and now to my daughter. I don’t know how to live better than any human, but through a life devoted to reading, listening to, and telling stories, I do know how to derive a cohesive narrative that helps us make meaning of our lives. Throughout my continuing education, I’m learning that love and compassion, though hard-won through facing our and each other’s pain, are at the heart of my understanding of justice and just relationships: putting our human potential first while acknowledging that we all make mistakes and need to lovingly hold ourselves and each other accountable so we can do better next time.
Some key cultural components of my identity that I believe are relevant in my practice are my whiteness, motherhood, being a cisgendered woman married to a loving white man, being raised upper middle class, a daughter, and a friend. I am an “Okie” in my blood though I’ve not lived in Oklahoma City since I left for college. In much of my heart, I am a New Yorker, having pursued my professional passion and established my beautiful family there for 12 years (hence I maintain a license there). Houston is starting to feel like a home 5 years later as I see my efforts to build community, even amid a pandemic, pay off.
I first worked in public relations, then publishing, until I finally followed what was most true. I got my Master’s in Social Work in New York City. Then I pursued intensive training in couple and family therapy, specifically exploring how issues of power, privilege, and oppression play out in relationship dynamics. My vision for my life and my practice is grounded in the pursuit of justice as I understand it. As my son’s beloved Spider-Man espouses, with great power comes great responsibility. I believe it is our human responsibility to use the power of our imaginations to cultivate a more just world. I believe that starts with us.
From Cordelia, LMSW:
If you are struggling with being too hard on yourself, feeling disconnected from yourself and those around you, making decisions, or taking care of yourself, I am here to help. Together, we can explore what’s holding you back, uncover your strengths, and work toward creating a life that feels more balanced, connected, and true to who you are. You don’t have to face these challenges alone—let’s take the next steps together.
Here are two therapies I am currently most interested in and focused on: Narrative Therapy, which helps you view your life story in a new light and create more positive and empowering chapters, and Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), a method that helps you understand the different parts of yourself and work toward balance and healing.
I don’t know you, and yet you matter to me because I deeply value our shared humanity. You deserve someone who will truly honor your story. Let me listen, and together, we can make the edits you feel are needed along the way. Thank you in advance for your courage and vulnerability; I wish you all the best on your healing journey!
From Margaret (she/they), LMSW:
Growing up in South Louisiana, I was deeply curious about the world around me. Often asking hard questions, it took me several years and a master’s in social work to begin understanding the complexities in the answers. Today, curiosity continues to be my inner guide, while experiencing life as a queer, multiethnic person has helped me understand how our stories, identities, and past experiences shape the way we move through the world.
My therapeutic work is informed by both my clinical training and lived experience, especially in recognizing how quickly messages can take root within us and cause harm if left unexamined. I strive to create a space where anyone can feel safe, seen, and supported, just as they are, while assisting individuals in making sense of their own stories. I use a relational approach, leveraging nonjudgement and a deep belief in the inherent value and worth of every person. Healing often begins when we allow ourselves to confront fear and discomfort in its many forms. Through these conversations, we can hold ourselves accountable to how we show up with others and make room for hope and love to flourish.
Wherever you are in your journey, I’m here with you. Together, we’ll work to cultivate growth and meaningful change. I specialize in supporting individuals navigating grief, life transitions, identity exploration, and LGBTQIA+ experiences, while remaining open and welcoming of all individuals looking for a place to connect and heal.
From Ra’Iysa, Clinical Intern:
Veteran, Wife, Mother
Are you feeling disconnected or out of touch with yourself? Let's work together in the present to help you reconnect with the person you recognize in the mirror. When we lose connection with ourselves, it can feel like we're drifting emotionally, mentally, and even physically. Reconnecting is about returning to self-trust, stability, and groundedness. It’s about understanding your story and reclaiming your voice, one step at a time.
I’m Ra’Iysa Webster, an MSW student at the University of Houston, completing my practicum under Anne Slater, LCSW-S, at JustUs Therapy & Practice. My focus is on trauma-informed care, an approach that recognizes the widespread impact of trauma and emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety. It empowers individuals, honors their lived experiences, and helps them regain a sense of control and resilience. I’m trained in QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Suicide Prevention. This evidence-based method helps me recognize warning signs, open meaningful conversations, and connect individuals with life-saving support.
Most importantly, I’m interested in what you have to say, think, and feel. This is a space where you can be authentically yourself whatever that may be, there are no molds to fit. I welcome individuals of all genders, sexualities, and races, because I believe we are all uniquely different and worthy of being seen. If you’re asking yourself, “Am I that somebody?” – the answer is yes. Together, we can create space for healing, growth, and self-discovery.
“Are you that somebody? Let it all work out.”
Why Just Us?
"Just Us" is a multiple entendre:
part calling out justice as being at the heart of the practice. Learning to disrupt power-based relationships in favor of equity-based relationships;
part emphasizing the safety of “just you and me”;
part acknowledging that, no matter what we’re doing here on this earth, it’s just us here so we might as well love and support ourselves and one another.
Just Us offers a caring and inclusive space where you can freely explore the intricacies and richness of your story. The focus on familial and cultural contexts of each person's journey increases our capacities for understanding, including across differences.
With a reputation for being empathetic, warm, highly skilled, and a disruptor of the status quo, Anne Slater practices leading JustUs in her integrity, with a commitment to help people clear a path toward a more loving, more just way to live.