Personal Profile
I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, attending DISD public schools. Upon graduation from Thomas Jefferson High School, I enrolled in North Texas State University in Denton, Texas and graduated with a Bachelor's of Business Administration.
For the better part of the next fifteen years, I enjoyed a career in the hospitality industry (hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs) performing all manner of job functions (from bussing tables to managing). This line of work proved to be a fertile training ground for gaining some level of insight into human psychology and psychopathology (insight one could never learn in the classroom).
In an effort to change careers, in the 1990's I returned to my old alma mater (now the University of North Texas), and earned a Masters of Science in Rehabilitation, Social Work, and Addictions. 900 hours of practicum and internship experience were split between the Salvation Army Substance Abuse Program and Turtle Creek Manor (a residential chemical dependency treatment program) in Dallas, Texas. Post-graduation work has included the Dallas Independent School District/Spruce Youth and Family Center (individual and family counseling with a focus on prevailing adolescent issues), the Women's Resource Center of the YWCA (individual counseling and skills seminars provided primarily for adults), and New Day Counseling (individual and group counseling for a chemical dependency out-patient program in Denton County). I have been licensed by the state of Texas as a Mental Health Professional since September of 2001.
I believe after years of searching I have finally found my true calling. Making a difference in other peoples' lives provides valuable meaning and purpose to mine. A reason for being.
