I didn’t know we were poor

I was the fifth child born to a single Mom, who was divorced from my Dad when I was two. We were a blended family although we never used that term. Times were hard but I didn’t realize how hard until I was an adult. When we first moved to Austin in 1970, we lived in a crime- and drug-infested, lower income apartment complex. I was only six. I thought everyone had lawn furniture instead of couches and chairs in their living room like we did and that everyone’s older brothers dug toys out of the dumpster for their little sisters like mine did.

My Mom had just earned her baccalaureate. She was working in east Austin as a special education teacher and had just started graduate school at UT Austin. Two of my older siblings were also going to UT at the time. As tight as money always was, somehow she always managed to find the money for me to take dance or gymnastics lessons and to pay for the occasional pair of glasses or shoes for her students whose parents were far poorer than we were. Eventually, she earned her doctorate. She taught me the value of education, hard work, independence, and being kind to others. We moved annually (sometimes twice in the same year) until I was eleven, every time the rent would go up. I thought it was a great adventure because I loved meeting new people and seeing new places. Everywhere we lived, it seems I was always bringing home lost, abandoned, or injured creatures, which I still do to this day.

My family was dysfunctional 

I have innumerable fond memories of my childhood and I’m so thankful for the opportunities that my Mom made sure I had growing up. But it was far from idyllic. It was sometimes a very chaotic and frightening place to be due to mental illness and addiction in my family. I learned very early that I wasn’t “supposed” to talk about my feelings of hurt, anger, or fear, so I usually didn’t. It was also during my childhood that I became the “peacemaker” in the family. I’m sure this grew out of my intense desire to create my own safety and sense of calm in an unpredictable environment. 

I was a Registered Nurse for 25 years 

I earned my baccalaureate in nursing from UT Austin in 1987 and for the ensuing 25 years, I worked in and around the Austin area in many different healthcare environments. I seemed to gravitate to very independent roles including that of home health nurse, Nurse Investigator for the Texas Board of Nursing for five years, and that of public health nurse and clinic manager for the Williamson County and Cities Health District for five years. My last job in nursing was as the QA Director and Therapeutic Lifestyle Educator at Reavis Rehab. It was there that I realized that my favorite part of every nursing job that I’d ever had was just talking to people. I also knew that I felt frustrated by the lack of professional independence that I experienced in every nursing job. So, I decided at middle age to go back to school. I earned my Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling in 2013.  

I went to therapy (more than once) 

Growing up in a chronically stressful environment, it is not surprising that I eventually developed depression and anxiety. I began to experience both around age eleven and it seemed to wax and wane over the years. When I was around 28, I went to therapy for the first time because what I was doing to help my anxiety and depression weren’t working anymore. I developed PTSD and eventually found a fantastic therapist who helped me overcome it. These experiences in therapy, some of which were positive and others negative, were major contributing factors in my decision to become a therapist myself. My own experiences with trauma also led me to become certified in trauma treatment. I wanted to help others like me overcome mental health challenges and create lives filled with love, joy, and meaning.  

Life outside of work 

I’ve been married for 31 years to a fantastic guy and we have an adult daughter who’s pursuing her own dreams as a newly independent adult. I enjoy walking, bike riding, picking wildflowers, and yoga. I love spending time in nature and collecting various natural objects like fossils, rocks, feathers, and shells. I have always been a passionate animal advocate and have fostered and adopted many dogs and cats in my lifetime. I also enjoy volunteering at the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter helping people and cats make a “furever love connection”.