Background and Approach
I believe we are shaped by the systems we come from and the seasons we’ve survived. Healing begins when we feel safe enough to name what’s real. Therapy is where we make space for your story and create steadiness, connection, and new ways forward.
Hi, I’m Heather, and I’m so glad you’re here.
I’m a therapist in Austin, Texas, working with individuals, couples, and families. I earned my Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Saint Martin’s University, and I’m trained in both Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Counseling.
My work is rooted in family systems and attachment, because I’ve seen both personally and professionally, how deeply our early relationships and family dynamics shape us. The roles we played, what we learned to carry, what we had to silence, those patterns often follow us into adulthood, especially when life gets hard or change is unavoidable.
And I understand change.
I’ve lived a full life, with beautiful seasons and very painful ones. Losing my mother at a young age transformed my family in devastating ways and shaped the person I became. I’ve also experienced family estrangement, divorce, remarriage, and the complexity of blended families. And now I’m in a later phase of life, post menopause, a transition that for decades has been minimized or ignored but is finally being spoken about openly. I believe these seasons matter, and they deserve support, language, and care.
Because sometimes emotions, especially grief, can be so intense that we lose sight of ourselves, our relationships, and what we even need to feel steady again. In therapy, we slow things down, make sense of what you’re carrying, and begin to build a path forward that feels grounded and possible.
I also believe it’s important to talk about the body, sleep, stress, nervous system overwhelm, and hormonal shifts because mental health isn’t just emotional. Sometimes what you’re feeling has a physical component that hasn’t been named, and that can be incredibly validating.
My approach is multi-modal, which means I tailor our work to you. Some sessions are more practical and skill-based; others go deeper emotionally. And because psychotherapy is always evolving, I’m always learning, bringing in new approaches while staying grounded in the core theories that have guided healing for generations.
Outside of therapy, I live in the greater Austin area with my husband and teenage son. We moved to the Austin area 14 years ago from the Pacific Northwest, and I’m also the proud mom of two older daughters who are out in the world building lives and careers of their own. Much of my career was spent in corporate settings, but my focus has always been centered around helping, especially supporting schools, teachers, and students.
If you’re looking for a therapist who will meet you with warmth, honesty, and hope and who understands that life can be both tender and complicated, I’d be honored to support you.