Q. How long have you been in practice?
A.
I have been
in practice here in Irving since 1990.
Q. What kind of counseling do you do?
A.
I was trained in family systems theory at Texas Women's University. This branch of psychotherapy treats family problems
and looks at how members of a family interact. However, over the years, I have chosen to work primarily with individuals.
So I developed an eclectic approach approach to therapy. Meaning I don't use a "cookie-cutter" approach to treat all
people. I do what works for the client. I draw on my diverse knowledge of many counseling theories and my years
of experience. Together we come up with a plan that will work for the individual.
My family systems training is always running in the background. I understand that there are many contributing factors to how a person copes in the
world. Certainly many of those coping skills were learned in their family of
origin. Sometimes we need to revisit the past to make progress in the present.
Q. Do you have a specialty?
A. I work with a lot of people
who are experiencing high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and/or grief.
The common thread among my clients is transition. When someone finds their
way to my office they are generally in a state of flux. Change is happening in
their lives. They may be beginning or ending a relationship. A loved one may have died. Their career may be changing. Even positive change leads to stress. It
is usually when a person’s level of stress becomes greater than their coping skills that they pick up the phone to call
me.
Q. How long will a person be in counseling?
A. The number of sessions varies greatly and depends what problems the client
is experiencing. Some people find resolution to their issues in 6 – 8 visits. Other folks decide to spend a longer time in therapy because they seek a deeper level
of healing than short term counseling can provide.
Q.
Why did you decide to become a counselor?
A. My undergraduate degree is in organizational
behavior. I spent several years early in my career working in human resources. But, I wanted even more meaning in my career. I knew I could make a deeper impact
in the field of counseling so I went to graduate school, got a master’s degree in psychology, and became licensed as
a professional counselor. The two fields complement each other and I often find
that my background in human resources comes in handy.
I am also in this field because
of my own personal experiences. My father died when I was 14 years old. As you can imagine, that was a defining moment.
I carried unresolved grief with me for many years. To survive my teenage years, I coped by pushing my emotions into
the background. I was not taught how to integrate my head and heart. There was a battle inside me between my thoughts and my feelings. Therapy helped me understand this, resolve a lot of unfinished business, and in general lead a more happy
and productive life. I wanted to help facilitate this transformation in
others.
Q. What
exactly does "empowering others to make new decisions" mean?
A. Redecision therapy was created by
Bob and Mary Goulding in the 1970’s. They recognized that lasting change
must involve thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Their model uses thoughtful cognitive
strategies, engages clients on an emotional level, and encourages behavioral changes outside of the therapy office.
Many of the decisions we make
in life come from past experiences. We’re making decisions about how to
act and who to be even when we are toddlers. The problem is we often forget what
decisions we’ve made.
For example, when my father
died I decided I needed to be strong for my mother and not feel my feelings. As
the years passed, my emotions seemed to explode at the worst possible times (when I was under the most stress). With the help of a therapist, I was able to identify the old decision and make a new one. I learned how to be vulnerable and feel my feelings. Once
I learned how to do this, I became a stronger more powerful woman. I could think
and feel at the same time. My buried emotions no longer controlled me. I was, in a sense,“empowered to make a new decision.”
When
a client comes to see me, that’s what we do in a nutshell. Together we
find ways for them to make new decisions about how to act and who to be. It is
an amazing journey and I am honored to be a part of it.
