About Me

Who am I?

Background :
When I was in college, I struggled in deciding whether to pursue music or psychology as my career. All it took was one class in counseling skills and I was hooked! After college I completed my Master's and Doctoral degrees at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and began working in the college mental health field. I have held staff positions at Texas Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University and St. Edward's University that ranged in responsibiliities including substance abuse specialist, eating disorders specialist, teacher of clinical supervision, training director and agency director. I have loved my time in the university system but am excited now about the prospect of working in my own practice; to be able to create a safe and healing space that will allow me and my clients to address the challenging work of change and embrace the process of growth and development!

I have the utmost respect for people who are ready to take the chance on making real change in their lives. I am always humbled and grateful when I am chosen to be a client's guide in that process of self-exploration. I truly believe that each one of us longs to find that place of peace and wholeness within ourselves and our lives. To witness my clients develop in themselves the strength and the creativity to weather life's challenges with grace, joy and balance is why I do this work every day!

Outside of my practice you will find me immersed in the artistic and musical treasures to be found in the Austin area. I am an avid singer, painter and writer and strive to keep these joys at the top of my priority list for my daily life. I am returning to the sport of running and have been exploring the world of yoga. I believe in the importance of balance and self-care in one's daily life and try daily to honor that value in my own life.

What do I do?

Style of Therapy:
While I draw from a variety of techniques depending on my client's presenting concerns, at my core I practice from the Relational Cultural model of therapy from the Stone Center. Practicing from this space means that I emphasize the importance of connection with self and others as the mechanism for healing. Having a strong connection between therapist and client is an essential part of this therapy, I explore the impact of family dynamics anf cultural identities and experiences on the development of a client's world view and current concerns. While, we certainly will focus on acute issues as necessary, I believe true and lasting change comes from understanding how we got to the place we are at and developing the strengh and energy to move toward where we want to be in the future.

In session I will work with clients to help them understand how history and context impact current functioning. I will work with them to explore barriers to connection with others and with parts of self. One of my goals is to assist clients to connect their thoughts, feelings, body and spirit into one integrated sense of self. I encourage deep emotional expression in session and honor the various ways each of us expresses emotion. Sometimes words are not enough, so I often incorporate body awareness, music and art into the therapy process to assist with self-expression and self-understanding.


Areas of specialization:
After almost twenty years of providing therapeutic services, I have worked with a very wide range of presenting concerns including all forms of depression, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, relationship problems and issues of self-esteem and identity. In addition, I have special interest and experience in the following areas:

• Eating Disorders
• Substance Abuse
  
• Grief and loss
  
• Chronic Illness and Health Concerns
  
• Trauma survivors
  
• Counseling for graduate students in mental health and healthcare fields
  
• LGBTQ concerns
  
• Performance Anxiety for Musicians and Artists
  

What else?

In addition to my work as a therapist, I am also an experienced public speaker and often provide workshops to community groups on topics such as:

• Stress Management
• Eating Disorders
  
• Emotional Preparation for College
  
• Substance Abuse and Recovery
  
• Living with Chronic Illness
  
• Grief and Loss
  
• Performance Anxiety for Musicians and Artists
  
• Healthy Relationship Development
  
• Respect the Text - Positive communication in the technology era.

If your community group has interest in one of the above presentations, please contact me by email.