In what ways have your personal experiences influenced your work with your clients?
Jesus transformed me, and he can transform your child's health and your relationship with him or her, as well. He is integral in every Christian counseling session, as I pray for His presence to guide me in using my education, skills, and expertise to bring healing to your child and family.
How does collaboration with other providers play into your work?
Collaborating with other professionals is essential, especially when helping clients with children who suffer with eating disorders. I will not only recommend working with a registered dietician specializing in eating disorders, but I will also connect with him or her regularly, to keep abreast of your child's progress with them. Connection with psychiatrists and medical doctors is important, as well, for your child's overall health.
Are there any recurring themes or issues you’ve noticed as you treat people in your area of specialization, and how has this insight guided your approach?
Eating disorders are so misunderstood. You may ask yourself, "Why won't my child just EAT? It's not that hard...is it?" It actually is quite difficult for anyone suffering with anorexia, bulimia, or other serious eating disorders, to have a normal, healthy relationship with food. I will help you understand eating disorders in all their forms and teach you to validate your child's feelings, so they will know you are on their side and willing to help them heal.
Specialties
Academic challenges
Concerns that impact school performance or academic life. Can include perfectionism, bullying, financial stress, academic transitions, test anxiety, balancing school with other responsibilities, discrimination, or harassment.
Caregiver stress & support
Caring for a friend or family member (paid or unpaid) includes emotional support, housework, help with finances, medication management, and shopping. Can be stressful, making caregivers more vulnerable to things like anxiety, isolation, and fatigue.
Eating disorders
Distressing or complicated relationship with food that can lead to isolation, fear, and death. Could manifest as eating too much or too little and generally stems from someone’s complicated relationships with food or their body.
Parenting issues
Parenting issues involve those associated with the child-rearing process. These may include safety, discipline, nutrition, finances, childcare, school, household rules, chores, daily routines, social activities, and relationships with extended family members. Because child-rearing practices vary by culture, cultural norms must be considered.
Behavioral Issues
Behavioral disorders involve a pattern of disruptive behaviors that cause problems in school, at home, and in social situations. Can include hyperactivity, impulsivity, defiant behavior, chronic patterns of aggression, defiance, disruption, and/or hostility.
General Expertise
Anxiety
Anxiety can mean nervousness, worry, or self-doubt. Anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder that entails excessive, repeated bouts of worry, anxiety, and/or fear.
Adolescent mental health
Adolescent mental health focuses on adolescent-specific experiences including physical and cognitive development, social and environmental factors, sex, sexual identification and orientation, emotional processing, and substance use. Given the influence that parents/guardians have on adolescents, home life is a particularly important consideration.
Anorexia nervosa
Identified as self-starvation with strict eating behaviors included food refusal and an irrational fear of gaining weight that doesn’t subside with ongoing weight loss. Common symptoms include poor self-image, self-esteem, nutrition, and overall health.
Body image issues
Due to continued exposure to images of “normal” or “desired” body types, people can develop a range of positive or negative emotions about their appearance causing anxiety, depression, or eating disorders.
Bulimia nervosa
Involves episodes of binge eating and purging through behavior including self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, fasting, and over-exercising. Indications can include suddenly leaving for the bathroom after a meal and loss of tooth enamel.
Fees
$180
First Session
$180
Family Therapy
$160
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Family Session
Individual Session
Clientele
Parents
Young Adults (18-24)
Adults (25-65)
Adolescents (13-17)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Mindfulness Practices
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Eclectic Therapy
Emotionally Focused Therapy
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Training / Certifications
National Certified Counselor
Licensure
TX, LPC, 79465
Education
MEd, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Lamar University
Work History
I have dedicated my career to adolescents and their parents--first, as a public school teacher for over 15 years, and now as a licensed counselor. I use my expertise with kids and their families to bring healing for the damage that eating disorders bring. I have worked extensively with adolescents and some adults with eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder at a partial hospitalization program since 2018.
Location
Remote Therapy, Spring, 77388, TX