Managing a tic has always meant managing everyone else’s reaction to it. What about support for the person actually living with it?
Whether it's your tic or your child's, the tic itself is rarely the hardest part. It's the scanning the room, the rehearsed explanations, the worry about what everyone else is thinking. Real support starts with the person living with it, not just the people around them.
If it's you:
- You've caught yourself scanning a room, trying to gauge if anyone noticed that time your shoulder jerked
- The tic always seems to get worse right before a big presentation, a first date, or a stressful week at work
- You've practiced explaining it in your head, just in case someone finally asks
If it's your child:
- Their teacher has mentioned the blinking or throat clearing more than once now, gently, like she's not sure if you already know
- The tic seems to show up worse during test week, a big game, or a stressful stretch at home
- You've started wondering how much to explain to family, friends, or your kid's classmates
You've told yourself it's probably just a phase for years, but you're starting to wonder if it’s something bigger.
Here's something worth saying clearly: a tic disorder isn't self-harm, even though that's a common, understandable fear. It's a repetitive, involuntary behavior often triggered by specific feelings, sensations, or stressors — and it's very treatable.
We see this across a wide range of presentations, from a kid whose tic looks like restlessness in the classroom, to a working professional whose eye blinking or throat clearing has become a source of real anxiety about being noticed. Whatever it looks like for you, there's a path forward.
Get matched with a tic disorder therapist
Tic disorders respond well to the right behavioral approach.
That’s why we prioritize:
Matching you with a specialist
Connect with a therapist who understands tic disorders specifically, not just anxiety in general.
Evidence-based treatment
We use Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT), the leading behavioral treatment for tic disorders and Tourette's. Depending on severity, that can range from behavioral strategies alone to a combination with medication.
Reducing the anxiety around the tic
Often, the anxiety about the tic — being noticed, being judged — is as hard to live with as the tic itself. We work on both.
Ready to feel more at ease?
Take the first step: fill out our brief questionnaire below, and we'll match you with a therapist who fits.
Tic symptoms that may feel familiar
- Blinking, shoulder shrugging, or head jerking that shows up without you deciding to do it
- Throat clearing, sniffing, or grunting that other people have started to notice, or ask about
- A tic that gets louder or more frequent the week of finals, a big presentation, or a hard conversation
- A building, itch-like urge right before the tic, and a brief sense of relief once it happens
- Spending real energy holding the tic in during a meeting or a class, then feeling wiped out afterward
- A tic your child has had since they were little, or one that showed up seemingly overnight
- Catching yourself avoiding a photo, a video call, or a first date because you're worried it'll happen on camera
What to expect from tic disorder treatment
Your first session
We'll talk through your specific tics, when they started, what makes them better or worse, and how much they're affecting your daily life.
CBIT and behavioral strategies
We'll identify your triggers, the environments and feelings that tend to set the tic off, and work on awareness and competing responses that help reduce it over time.
Ongoing support
Tics can fluctuate. We help you manage flare-ups, reduce related anxiety, and build long-term strategies that hold up under stress.
Questions about autism, ADHD & neurodivergent care in Houston?
Is a tic disorder the same as Tourette's syndrome?
Will my child grow out of this?
Is this related to OCD or autism?
Do you only offer CBIT, or is medication part of it?
What does therapy cost?
Do you offer online therapy?
Where do in-person sessions take place?
How do I get started?
Ready to stop hiding it?
You don't have to manage this alone, or spend more energy hiding it than living your life.
