Liliana Banta

Liliana "Lili" Banta works with adults, adolescents, and children, providing support for a variety of mental health challenges, including anxiety, ADHD, grief, stress, trauma, familial issues, and relationship conflict. She also specializes in working with young adults, both collegiate, post-graduate, and professional, on career issues, life transitions, and sports performance. She often uses play therapy in her approach with children and mindfulness techniques for clients of all ages. 

Lili’s approach to therapy centers on empathy, compassion, and encouragement, aiming to build self-confidence and self-compassion in her clients. Her primary goal is to help individuals gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their circumstances so they can move forward with courage and confidence. Through the use of evidence-based coping strategies, psychoeducation, and the creation of a supportive and safe therapeutic environment, Lili works to facilitate meaningful change for her clients, whether they are adults or children.

Having personally experienced anxiety and ADHD, Lili brings a unique perspective to her therapeutic practice. During her own childhood, school was a significant challenge. ADHD made it difficult for her to concentrate, leading to procrastination and struggles with learning in a traditional classroom setting. These difficulties caused her anxiety, especially when she found herself falling behind her peers, particularly in math. However, through perseverance, organizational strategies, and the support of her own therapist, Lili was able to overcome these obstacles and thrive academically. She successfully completed her undergraduate degree in business and behavioral economics at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where she is now completing her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Lili's first internship was at Children's Medical Center Dallas, in a partial hospitalization program for children and adolescents. This hands-on experience helped her hone her skills and reinforced her passion for working with individuals across all age groups. She believes that her diverse background and training equip her to provide effective support for adults, adolescents, and children alike.

Outside of her work as a therapist, Lili is also a professional wildlife photographer. She has a particular passion for photographing birds, an activity she likens to a treasure hunt. The patience and focus required for bird photography mirror the attributes she brings to her therapeutic practice, where attentiveness and care are central to her approach.

Lili’s combination of lived experience, academic training, and clinical practice allows her to connect with her clients on a deep, empathetic level. Her goal is to empower those she works with to become the most authentic, content versions of themselves, relying on the strength of healthy relationships, trust in oneself, and self-compassion. Regardless of one’s life struggles or circumstances, Lili’s approach is grounded in creating a warm, supportive space where clients feel safe to explore their thoughts and feelings without judgment.