About Donna
First, I would like to say welcome to any person checking us out, for whatever reason, you are encouraged to come as you are. I have been a practicing Mental Health Counselor and Nutritionist for several years, and what I have learned is that everyone, no matter how resilient, can use a little help now and then. I hold undergraduate degrees in both psychology and sociology from UT Austin, and a Master’s of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lamar University. I also hold a certification as a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and a certification from the Amen University as a Brain Health Coach.
I love the work I do, but when not working I enjoy playing with my 5 dachshund pups, hanging out with my husband and daughters, and enjoying everything Austin has to offer. In my free time you can find me watching local Austin musicians, hiking in the trails behind my house, or eating at some of the wonderful restaurants we have here. I hope to meet you soon!
$150/50 minute session, currently not accepting health insurance.
Approach to Counseling
My approach to counseling starts with my belief that humans are not broken, but our stressors and environment can throw us off balance. I work with individuals to help identify what is off balance in their life and apply tools and strategies to restore that balance. As an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, I have a gender-affirming and sexuality informed approach to counseling. I use parts of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Mindfulness practices, and purpose-driven therapy. I have not found a one size fits all approach, so I vary my approach to match the needs of my clients.
I do not restrict my practice to any particular age range with the exception of not seeing children below the age of 12.
About the Dogs
When asked what I do for self care, the answer that immediately came to me was, spending time with my dogs. I have 5 second-hand dachshunds that show me how to live in the moment and find joy in each day. When all 5 tails are wagging so hard that they look like helicopters just because you graced them with your presence in the morning, you can not help but smile. When I was doing in person counseling I would bring 1 dog a day to my office, and each quickly made friends with my clients. I had several clients who would pick appointments based on which dog would be in on which day. The powerful life lessons and love we receive from the animals in our life is astounding!