Ryan Cheney, LCSW
Welcome!
I'm here to work with you toward transformational change. That means when you’re facing a problem, we work to discover the root cause and bring healing there. When the root is healed, the symptoms disappear.
I take great joy in helping people become the fullest version of themselves. Some of the freshest, most sublime and transformative moments of my life are ones in which relating with someone sparks deep change, welcoming more of someone into the world. For me, therapy is a sacred act.
How I Work
Perhaps the core learning from formal research on psychotherapy is that the quality of the relationship between the client and the therapist is the biggest predictor of therapy’s effectiveness. Who you choose as your therapist is important.
In service of helping you judge whether we’re likely to be a good fit, here’s how I tend to approach therapy:
- Results-oriented. Sometimes therapy facilitates change quickly, sometimes it doesn’t. I want our work together to make a real difference in your life at a pace that feels right for you. We’ll track and discuss how our work is affecting you. If you reach your goal, it’s healthy to graduate! If progress feels slow or you feel stuck, we’ll look at that together and adjust course if need be.
- Insight-driven. I help you to slow down and go inside to discover what’s true for you.
- Embodied. Emotional truths are stored in your limbic system, not your front-brain (which is responsible for reasoning). I invite folks to slow down and notice body sensation as a way of getting snuggly with a given emotion, to better understand its origins and function.
- In the now. Bringing attention to what’s happening in the now can give us a bit of wiggle room to step back and notice the stories we hold about ourselves and the world. Emotions are sensations! Noticing body sensations during session helps build awareness and tolerance so that when you experience them outside of session, they’re less scary and you can respond with more centeredness.
- Sponteneity and Play. I strive for these!
- Centering our relationship. I work to build enough safety that we can discuss our relationship in ways you might avoid with others – ways you feel unseen, what doesn’t work for you, etc.
Training
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) - Certified Level 1 Practitioner
- Somatic Experiencing (SE) - Certified Beginner 3 Practitioner
- Coherence Therapy (CT) - Intermediate Level Practitioner
- Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO) - Training Oct-Dec 2025
Feel free to request sessions in these specific modalities. You’re welcome to try a given modality for as long as it feels right for you. If we’re working in a specific modality, it’s okay to take breaks and have standard talk therapy sessions. It’s also common to devote part of a session to standard talk, and part to working in a specific modality.
Education
Specialites
Couple’s therapy, family therapy, sex, polyamory, high conflict relationships, men’s issues, trauma.
Services & Cost
I offer therapy both in-person at 1310 S. 1st St. in South Austin and online.
Insurance & Sliding Scale
I’m not taking new clients paying with insurance at this time. I can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance company if you’d like.
Sliding Scale
I offer 3 tiers of sliding scale, based on income:
To qualify for my sliding scale, you must satisfy two conditions:
- If unmarried, your net worth excluding the value of your primary residence is less than $200,000
- If married, your combined net worth excluding the value of your primary residence is less than $400,000
Single Adult Household - Annual Income Requirements
| Tier 1 ($150/session) |
Tier 2 ($135/session) |
Tier 3 ($120/session) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| My income is less than: | My income is less than: | My income is less than: | |
| No kids | $64,000 | $56,000 | $49,000 |
| 1 kid | $106,000 | $94,000 | $82,000 |
| 2 kids | $133,000 | $117,000 | $102,000 |
| 3+ kids | $168,000 | $149,000 | $129,000 |
2+ Adult Households - Combined Annual Income Requirements
| Tier 1 ($150/session) |
Tier 2 ($135/session) |
Tier 3 ($120/session) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Our combined income is less than: | Our combined income is less than: | Our combined income is less than: | |
| No kids | $86,000 | $76,000 | $66,000 |
| 1 kid | $103,000 | $91,000 | $79,000 |
| 2 kids | $112,000 | $99,000 | $86,000 |
| 3+ kids | $129,000 | $114,000 | $99,000 |
Income levels are based on MIT’s living wage calculator for Travis County.
Next Steps
I'm currently accepting new clients.
When I'm accepting new clients, you’re invited to book a first session or a free 20 minute consultation (on zoom or in-person) to explore what it might be like to work together.
To set up a first session or free consultation, or if you have any questions, feel free to call/text me at (512) 736-9065 or email me at ryan@qualityofbeing.com
Thanks so much!
May the Goodness that's within you shine brightly.