Thank you for your interest! Mental & emotional well-being has been my passion for many years. My educational journey includes a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences at the University of Houston. During my master's in Social Work, I continued my focus on mental health with an internship at Quentin Mease Community Hospital, Houston, in the inpatient psychiatric unit in 1995.
From 1995-1996, I interned at the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences outpatient clinic, Baylor College of Medicine. This outstanding training led me to establish my private practice in 1999. I have extensive experience in working with grieving & traumatized individuals, mental health issues related to mood swings & anxiety, & family issues, including couples counseling, parenting concerns, & children.
I served as Program Director of three successful children's grief programs in Denver, Colorado, and continue to serve as president of Children's Grief Education Association, an organization I co-founded in 2004 to reach out to communities that did not have adequate resources to help grieving families. Our website and online course is utilized across the United States and in 10 countries across the globe. http://www.childgrief.org/
I continue to provide training & supervision to master's degree level counseling & social work students and professionals, and conduct workshops for professionals regarding children, grief, and play therapy.
Special Interest in Mind/Body/Spirit Connection
I am interested in how life experiences shape our thinking, our actions, and our reactions. These processes of conscious and unconscious thoughts affect our relationships with ourselves and with others. I'm also aware that biochemistry plays a role in how we feel and what we think. One of my goals as a therapist is to help clients sort through these things and move toward freedom from negative automatic thoughts and reactions.
Accidents, abuse, war, and other forms of violence can impact our peace of mind. Trauma can be stored in the brain and in the body. Science is identifying the brain-based processes behind this. I am certified in EMDR, a powerful, evidence-based treatment for trauma and other bad memories, as well as for phobias, test anxiety, and other issues. It is also effective for performance enhancement.
Personal Information
I lived in Katy from 1982-1996, and returned in 2010 to be near family! I am married to my best friend, and enjoy being a mother and a grandmother (grandchildren ages 18-1).
Special friends at home include a dog and a parrot. I enjoy gardening, reading, mountain hiking, family, and friends.