I earned my master’s in Educational Psychology from Baylor University and a doctorate in Counseling from the University of North Texas in Denton. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Texas. I worked as a professor at Texas State University in San Marcos for 12 years, teaching undergraduate and graduate counseling classes and serving as department clinic director. I have conducted training and research in child counseling and play therapy, and have presented at national and international conferences. I use research-based interventions that allow individuals to learn new ways of functioning in the context of the therapeutic relationship, working with people to help them generalize these tools to their life outside therapy. I seek to establish an environment of trust, acceptance, and caring that allows individuals to be heard and to explore events and patterns. I view therapy as a partnership that facilitates development of new coping mechanisms to increase functioning and create the satisfaction found in living an examined life.