About Us

Mental health counseling in Nashville, TN

Since 2005, Bright Horse Counseling has proudly provided mental health counseling services to the people of Nashville, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or national origin.

VALUES

Our Principles

Safety & Confidentiality

Safety, security, and confidentiality are top priority at BHC. Many of the issues that bring us to therapy were born out of painful relationships. We understand that the healing must also take place in a relationship. Our therapists prioritize safety and security in relationships, and demonstrate those values by offering consistent and trustworthy services. The environment at BHC also demonstrates our commitment. We strive to create a space that is void of distractions, and invites you to be yourself completely without fear of judgment.

Diversity & Inclusion

We appreciate and respect individual differences. We recognize the rights of all individuals to mutual respect. More importantly, we recognize that some identities which have benefited from institutional and cultural power have historically been sheltered from thinking critically about how others have been impacted by their attitudes and policies. While other identities have been systematically victimized by the ones in power. At BHC we commit to walking our talk, practicing these words, and continually growing in our understanding of ourselves and others’ lived experiences.

Compassion & Empathy

We believe in connecting before helping. We value compassionate empathy as the doorway to progress in therapy. We strive to understand your experience and emotional reality; and from that understanding we commit to providing active support, helping, and assisting you in taking action. We want to know you as you are. We don’t want to fix you. After all, chances are you’re not broken.

Integrity & Competence

We do the right thing even when no one is watching. You have to trust us, and in order to do that we know that you rely on our integrity and competence. At BHC we demonstrate sound ethical principles in practice, and we train rigorously and relentlessly to provide you with the best possible care.

Collaboration & Cooperation

Relationships are central to our work at BHC. No one exists in a vacuum. We want to work with you rather than for you. At BHC we invite your other health professionals to work as a team, and we encourage communication amongst other professionals.

Candor & Humor

Lastly, but certainly not least, we value candor and humor at BHC. Therapy can be heavy. We are working through pain and problems. Let’s lighten the load and bring in the best medicine-laughter. All of the therapists at BHC are encouraged to be themselves. We are highly trained and skilled professionals, and we are also your fellow travelers. Let’s not take ourselves too seriously, together.

Bright Horse Leadership

Lizzie Harrigan, LCSW

Owner & Clinical Director
Lizzie Harrigan, LCSW - Owner and Clinical Director of Bright Horse Counseling

Lizzie believes in therapy. That’s why she started Bright Horse Counseling. She wants to normalize therapy, and eradicate the stigma that surrounds mental health care. Does everyone need therapy? No. Can everyone benefit from therapy? Absolutely. She’s been counseling people over 15 years, and she wouldn’t do anything else. She has a passion for people, solving problems, and advocating for what is true, kind, and just. She brings a combination of humor, heart, and evidence-based science to the work she does with individuals, families, groups, and couples.

Her style of therapy is casual, candid, supportive, and energizing. In her free time, Lizzie enjoys being with her two young children and husband, practicing yoga at home, running, being outdoors, and perfecting her karaoke skills.

Lizzie Harrigan, LCSW - Owner and Clinical Director of Bright Horse Counseling
Meet The Team »

Organizations We Support

Pricing

Counseling Fees

Fees

Fees for services at Bright Horse Counseling vary depending on which therapist you choose, reduced-fee session availability, and which service is being provided. Please contact our office to discuss rates and needs. Every client is responsible for payment at the time of service

We accept the following payment methods:

  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards
  • HSA cards
Bright Horse Counseling is an out-of-network provider

Insurance

Bright Horse Counseling has therapists who are in network with some insurance providers. Please see the team page for details. If your therapist is not in network with your insurance provider, we are considered an “out-of-network provider” which means that we will not bill your insurance company directly. However, your counseling services may be eligible for reimbursement through your insurance plan’s out-of-network mental health benefits, medical spending, or health care savings accounts.

Health insurance plans and benefits vary. We recommend you call your health insurance customer service number and inquire about your out-of-network mental health benefits. You can learn what percentage you may be reimbursed if you work with us.

F.A.Q.

Choosing your therapist can be tough. Therapy is only as effective as the relationship between therapist and client. When you come to your first session it is important to ask yourself a few questions:

“Can I see myself feeling safe and comfortable with this person?”

“Does this person seem to understand me or “get” me?”

Regardless of the therapist’s training, credentials, or experience, if you don’t feel good about coming back it might not be the best person for you. It’s very important that you’re honest with your therapist about how you’re feeling. At Bright Horse Counseling we want to make sure you’re connected to who can help you even if it’s not us. You’re not going to hurt our feelings. We promise.

Your first therapy session is typically the most difficult. You’re coming to a new space for the first time, and you’re meeting a new person. Don’t worry, we know that. In your first session we’ll help you feel comfortable and we’ll spend time getting to know you and orienting you to the therapy process. We’ll ask you about your history, your goals for therapy, and discuss any expectations you may have. Your first session is also when you and your therapist will decide how and when you’ll come back. Your therapist will keep track of the time for you. The session will be close to one hour.

The most important component in successful therapy is the connection and trust you feel with your therapist. While telehealth can feel less intimate than in-person sessions, it has a number of great benefits as well! Your session can be conducted in your own home, and in our experience can be just as effective as in office visits. We have found that telehealth has made therapy more accessible to people than traditional visits. Our telehealth platforms are HIPPA-compliant and secure so your privacy is protected.

Every session after your first session can be rescheduled or canceled by communicating directly with your therapist. We have a 48-hour cancelation policy so that we can offer your session to another client who may be in need. When clients cancel within 48-hours or no show, other clients miss out on an opportunity to be seen. If you need to cancel or reschedule an initial appointment, you will need to email info@talktobrighthorse.com.

We like to answer this question with another question, “are you breathing?”

Obviously we are a bit biased. We’re all therapists, and we’ve chosen to work in a practice whose vision is to normalize therapy. We find the business of being human a bit complicated, and so we really value the therapy process. Let’s be honest. Our friends, coworkers, and mother-in-laws mean well, but sometimes they give horrible advice. If you’re not sure whether you need “just someone to talk to” or alphabet therapy (DBT, CBT, EMDR) don’t worry-we’ve got you. Give us a call or email and tell us a little bit about what’s happening. Take a look at the Approach section of our site for some ideas of what’s important to you now.

Yes and no.

Some Bright Horse Counseling therapists are in network providers with insurance providers. Please visit our team page to learn more.

Some Bright Horse Counseling therapists are an out-of-network provider which means that we do not bill insurance companies directly.
However, your counseling services may be eligible for reimbursement through your insurance plan’s out-of-network mental health benefits, medical spending, or health care savings accounts.

Health insurance plans and benefits vary. We recommend you call your health insurance customer service number and inquire about your out-of-network mental health benefits. You can learn what percentage you may be reimbursed if you work with us.

Bright Horse Counseling can provide you with a superbill (an itemized medical receipt) at the end of each month which you can submit to your insurance company for out-of-network coverage/reimbursement. Your submission and any reimbursement will be directly between you and your insurance carrier.

We understand. Most of us receive therapy ourselves and face the same constraints. Which is why it’s important to us to value our therapists and their right to earn a living wage. Our therapists are highly trained, and have invested years and years of study and practice to advance their craft. Our fees reflect what we believe is reasonable compensation for their service.

Bright Horse Counseling is always working toward options that make therapy more widely available to all of us. Our rates are negotiable based on the therapist you choose, reduced-fee availability, and the type of therapy we provide. We can also connect you with insurance based options and donated sessions in the community.

DBT stands for Dialectical Behavior Therapy. For the DBT client, DBT is made up of three components:

1) Weekly individual DBT sessions with your therapist.

2) Weekly DBT-Skills group training with a skills group trainer.

3) Phone-coaching with your therapist.

The fourth component of DBT is just for your therapist, and that is a regular DBT consultation team meeting.

We think Dr. Marsha Linehan describes it best here.

DBT was originally developed to treat chronically suicidal individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), and it is now recognized as the gold standard psychological treatment for this population. In addition, research has shown that it is incredibly effective in treating a wide range of other disorders such as substance dependence, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders.

If you have a few more minutes, this video is helpful in explaining more about DBT.

Are we a good fit?

At Bright Horse Counseling, we acknowledge that our style might not be the best fit for everyone. To see if our practice is the right one for your personality type, take the quiz.

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