About ME
Professional Background:
I am a licensed psychologist with 16 years of experience in seeing clients and 9 years of experience in operating my private practice. I have my Ph.D. and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Texas Tech University. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Plan II Honors from The University of Texas in Austin. All of my educational/training experiences have been accredited by the American Psychological Association, which is the “gold standard” for psychology training in the U.S.
I have extensive knowledge and practice in working with late identified Autistic clients.
Before private practice, I trained/worked at a community mental health center, university counseling centers, and centers for Autistic clients and clients with intellectual disabilities.
Personal Information:
I’m Autistic (late identified and “high masking” if that’s helpful to know, meaning it might be hard for others to tell I’m autistic). I want to help others navigate late identification while also respecting our inevitable differences too in that process. I’m an introvert though you might not guess that in session since psychology, Autism, and helping others are special interests of mine. More accurately, I’m AuDHD so I have ADHD too, but my Autism compensates for the ADHD traits, so the latter is much harder for others to see. I also fit the internalized PDA (pervasive drive for autonomy) profile of Autism, meaning I highly value autonomy, and one of my main coping mechanisms for being neurodivergent in this world was historically to “fawn” (people please) and to “mask.”
I love psychology (of course), horror and psychological movies, Halloween, true crime, rock/metal music and concerts, stand-up comedy, dancing, travel, and some hiking/camping/outdoorsy things. I am drawn to and celebrate the taboo, macabre, and dark things in life. I wear all black usually. I like to take naps to Forensic Files and read scary AskReddit stories before bed. I love spicy food, almost scalding hot showers, anything to do with being in water, thunderstorms, and loud music of my choosing (so I’m sensation-seeking in those kinds of ways). I feel energized by and thoroughly enjoy deep conversations.
I’m conscientious, have good pattern recognition, cognitive flexibility, and a self-deprecating and dark/existential humor. Almost nothing is “too much information” for me, and I’m very hard to offend. And underneath the black clothing and dark special interests/humor, I’ve been described by people who I think “get me” as down to earth, honest, loyal, dependable, hardworking, passionate, and caring.
I was a first generation college student and the valedictorian of my high school, which were childhood goals. I grew up in a trailer house in the country and come from a lower socioeconomic background.
I love pets, so your furry family members are more than welcome in our virtual sessions!
I’m childfree, liberal, and am agnostic.