My personal introduction to psychotherapy was essentially forced on me as a teenager. While growing up in the diverse city of Houston, Texas, I was struggling with the daily life stressors of high school, experiencing typical anxiety and problems with concentration and motivation. The sudden death of a very close friend at age 16 left me feeling lost and questioning the meaning of life with the pain of death and loss. I was struggling with feelings of pain, sadness, helplessness, grief, and anger. I was falling behind in my schoolwork, not yet self-aware enough to identify my passion, direction, nor purpose in my life. I had been dealing with such intense emotional distress, my parents finally turned to professional help by compelling me to speak with a therapist. Psychotherapy became the life changing catalyst I had been seeking.

Over 15 years later, as a Licensed Professional Counselor, I continue my own work in psychotherapy, and I believe as much as ever in the power of the therapeutic alliance. My own therapeutic success has offered hope, inspiration, passion, and enlightenment for my personal career and calling, allowing me to pay it forward by offering guidance to those who are struggling as I had.

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, and I received my bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M University before returning to Houston Baptist University for graduate school. My work as a psychotherapist in hospital and outpatient settings has allowed me to develop a unique understanding of the impact that mental health can have on the developing adolescent or adult, as well as the effect on marriages and families.