My Approach to Helping
I am a second-career social worker who graduated with my MSW in 2014 and my Ph.D. in 2019, both from the University of Houston's Graduate College of Social Work. I am originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, but have lived in the Houston area for 30+ years. I decided to become a social worker because of my personal experiences raising a child with behavioral health issues and experiencing profound loss following the sudden death of my husband. My goals were to help others the way my own family had been helped, but I also hoped to improve the experiences of others with similar lived experiences but less positive outcomes. I have worked in a variety of settings, including West Oaks Hospital (a specialty psychiatric hospital) and its affiliated outpatient settings, where I provided individual, group, and family therapy to adults and adolescents experiencing significant mental health crises. I have also worked in home hospice care, assisting individuals and families with both pre-bereavement and post-bereavement support, and where I facilitated online support groups for caregivers and individuals experiencing grief and bereavement. In addition to my private practice, I am an adjunct professor at the University of Houston's Graduate College of Social Work, and I frequently consult with immigration lawyers about how mental health issues may impact the path to asylum or citizenship. I practice with a trauma-informed style and am always conscious of how trauma impacts the lives and experiences of individuals in all walks of life. I have experience working with people who live with attention-deficit hyperactivity, anxiety, autism, depression, and mood issues. My goal is always to support my clients in achieving their own goals for a happier and healthier life.