I have been a licensed clinician since 2002, but caring for and ministering to the hurting is something I've done since 1981 when I began a music ministry, using my love of music and the gospel message, to minister hope to the lost, broken, homeless, mentally ill, addicted, or incarcerated. I was a counselor for the Billy Graham Crusade held in Houston in 1981. I worked with Youth With a Mission (YWAM), Church Under the Bridge, Star of Hope, Teen Challenge, Charter Hospital, and various coffee houses and churches in the Greater Houston Area. Answering a call of God, I began ministering in New Directions Halfway House here in Houston in 1992. While I worked as a volunteer in both the men's and women's units, I had a weekly ministry in the women's unit for several years. It was in this setting I realized my desire and passion for counseling. I returned to college in 1997 with the intent to pursue my education to the point I would be a licensed clinician. I completed a Master of Social Work degree with a concentration in Mental Health from the University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work in 2002. As a Licensed Social Worker I have worked in various settings including both inpatient and outpatient mental health. In 2006, I opened my own practice and in 2017 expanded to a group practice, Kingwood Counseling Center, PLLC. Though I see all types of people, I especially enjoy working with believers, utilizing the truth of scripture. I have worked with those experiencing marital issues, grief and loss, church abuse, sexual issues, narcissistic abuse, women’s issues, men’s issues, depression, anxiety, trauma, and phase of life issues. I have been a Christian since the age of 8, and have a myriad of both professional and personal life experiences I bring to the counseling arena. I am troubled by the pathologizing of people of faith and the liberal ideology I've seen permeate my profession over the years, causing many people to be fearful of seeking out a therapist. I've also heard preachers say the cure for ADHD is spanking and the cure for depression and anxiety is prayer, leaving those suffering feeling isolated and ostracized by the church. That's why I'm here doing what I do. I am a native Houstonian and live with my husband, granddaughter, and our two dogs. I have four grown children, three grown step children, and 11 grandchildren.