You’ve been doing your research on couples therapists, but how do you know what to look for? You’ve reviewed plenty of good websites, but you haven’t connected with the right person yet. Your marriage is top priority; you need a marriage counselor with expertise to work with your exact issues, and more importantly you deserve someone who understands both of you at the deepest level and can heal your pain. I’d love to tell you more about my work so you can get a sense if I’m the right person to help you.

My Philosophy

Hi, I’m Erika and I have purple hair sometimes. When you meet me, it may be blue or pink, or even brown (but that’s unlikely). I like to have fun in therapy and with my clients, I believe humor can be authentic and healing. But don’t let my affinity for bright hair fool you, I’m incredibly passionate about professionalism and dedicated to honing my skills as a marriage and family therapist.

I help people learn to filter through the nonsense and focus on what really matters.

I’m available to meet my clients where they are without judgment or criticism. People come to therapy carrying the burden of all the stuff they’re holding onto but isn’t actually helpful. I’m patient with my clients and provide space to lay everything on the table so we can look at it together. I’m also not afraid to call clients out on their bullshit. After all, that’s something you need but that your friends and family are often too scared to do. Through humor, compassion, and kindness, I’ll challenge you to look at yourself with a more honest lens so that you can finally let go and be who you want to be.

My Approach

I’m honored to work with clients who find themselves feeling stuck, lost, alone, and empty during the scariest parts of life. I know you want to get through your toughest moments by taking the quickest and least painful path. Sometimes our attempts to cover our pain results in more pain. I’m here to sit with you, provide tools, create space for your fears and vulnerabilities, and support you in moving through your stuff. I am passionate about working directly with couples and individuals facing loneliness and relationship struggles in their marriages, infertility, and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. I also carefully choose therapists to work under my supervision and provide therapy to the clients they are most passionate about helping. If you’re ready to let go of the fears that have been keeping you tied to unhealthy relationship patterns or painful experiences, give me a call at (832) 827-3288 to see how we can help.

My Values

Going to therapy is scary, especially if this is a new process for you. How can you trust a stranger with all your secrets? When will you be ready to open up? How will you know for sure therapy will help you? The truth is there are no guarantees in any of this, and I view my clients as the bravest people in the world for going on this journey with me even though they are scared. What I can do is tell you more about my values and give you a taste of what it’s like to be in the room with me. As your therapist I will:

Be Respectful and Nonjudgmental:

I personally believe at our cores, we’re all doing the best we can with the tools we have. I want to understand your struggles, and more importantly see who you really are. I can’t say that I’ll always agree with you, but I am dedicated to listening, keeping an open mind, respecting your choices, and never judging you. We all mess up from time to time, life is messy and I don’t expect that you’ve gotten it perfect. Actually, that sounds super boring. I promise to create a safe place for you to explore anything you need to, without fear of judgment or criticism.

Challenge You:

“The thing that’s helped the most is that you don’t tell me what I want to hear, you tell me what I need to hear.” For me, this was the most amazing compliment I’ve received from a client. I’m not afraid to challenge you or help you see things from a new perspective. Part of my job is to hold up a mirror to your insecurities, and walk with you to figure it out together. I’ll bring attention to behaviors or dynamics that are happening in the room so we can look at them in real time and make improvements starting now. I’ll never be harsh or critical, but I will tell you the truth. Therapy may be uncomfortable at times; but that’s okay. Change is disruptive, that’s the point.

Empower You:

You can’t carry me around in your pocket telling you what to do all the time. As entertaining as that sounds, I wouldn't really want to do that even if I could. I want you to take control over your own life and relationships, process what you’re learning in therapy, and integrate it into your world. I believe that you already possess the resources you need, and I’ll help you to use your strengths and coping skills to move towards meeting your goals. I’ll hold you accountable and keep you motivated, and although I’ll be sad to see you leave therapy when it’s time, I’ll be confident and excited that you’re ready to tackle the messiness on your own.

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Qualifications/Education

I was always the kid on the playground that everyone came to for advice and to talk with about their problems. I heard everything from classmates fighting over a mean look from their BFF to the challenges and despair of having one’s parents go through a divorce. I listened to everyone’s troubles and did whatever I could to help. I had the strong desire to work with people in getting past their pain to find happiness. So I guess you could say I’ve been a therapist since elementary school!

I got my Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology from Baylor University and my Masters of Arts in Family Therapy from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and obtained two licenses: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist-Supervisor (Lic. No. 202082) and Licensed Professional Counselor (Lic. No. 71690). In school, my focus was on working with addiction as I completed my internship at the Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston. I also provided education and advocated for clinician training in working with the LGBT population. I then went to work with the geriatric population in nursing homes where I gained experience treating depression, anxiety, relationship issues, identity, and grief.

In 2015, I decided to open a private practice and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. I’m proud to serve my community, couples, and individuals on their journey to using their pain and the messiness of life to grow and live the life they really want. In 2018 I became a Clinical Supervisor and have supervised interns and associates in their professional training and honing in on their clinical skills. In 2019, I began my own minimalism process and now also write about, utilize in therapy, and provide coaching around living a bravely minimal and intentional life.