Austin Licensed Intern Therapists

Kara received her Bachelor's from Purdue University and a Master of Arts in Counseling from St Edwards University. She began her clinical work at My Healing Place, an agency that provides grief and loss therapy. She also has received couples therapy training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Kara values her life experiences and professional endeavors which have included activism, graphic design and project management; she considers all of her life experiences an integral part of who she is today.

Viewing therapy as a joint effort between client and therapist, Kara places importance on creating a safe and empathic therapeutic environment. She believes that problems and life challenges should be considered from a systemic perspective, meaning relationship dynamics and interactional patterns impact our thoughts, behaviors and feelings. Kara also places importance on exploring contextual issues such as the experience of gender, race, ethnicity, social class and sexual orientation. Throughout therapy she focuses on exploring each person's life story and finding strengths in each individual. Kara works with her clients to set therapeutic goals which can be revisited and revised as therapy proceeds forward.

Raised in Maryland, Lynda received her B.A. from the University of Maryland, where she majored in Creative Journalism and Women’s Studies. After living in Florida, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and New York, she found her home in Austin in 2002. She lives with her husband, two teenage daughters, a black lab mix and a fiesty kitten. Recently Lynda went back to school at St. Edward’s University where she received her M.A. in counseling with a 4.0 GPA.

Lynda believes that the relationship between client and therapist is a crucial part of the healing process. Through kindness and compassion, the therapist’s role is to listen deeply and then gently nudge the client toward their personal truths. Her practice is largely informed by the work of Carl Rogers, but draws from other types of therapy as well, including Cognitive Behavioral, Existential, Jungian, and Feminist theory. Lynda enjoys working with adult men and women, and has a special passion for helping women to find joy and fulfillment in their “wisdom years” – the second half of their lives.

            After years of working in the corporate world, Priscilla, an avid animal lover, moved to Austin from New York City for the pet friendly atmosphere, culture, and green belts. She graduated with honors from the Masters program in Counseling from St. Edwards University. Priscilla has extensive experience working individually and in groups with seniors, adults, and youth in a variety of settings.
            "From caring comes courage." These words from Lao Tzu reflect Priscilla's approach to the counseling process. She believes the trust that grows in a relationship has a healing and empowering effect leading people to take courageous steps forward. She tailors therapy to suit the unique circumstances and abilities of each client. One goal of therapy will be greater understanding of life experiences and acceptance of self, because it is these skills that enable people to deal with issues that once may have interfered with living fully and making solid connections with others.

            Stacey began counseling 15 years ago when she worked as an adoption counselor assisting families and birth mothers through the process and issues of adoption.  From there she went on to support cancer patients through their healing process, directed a women's help-clinic, and co-founded a non-profit organization dedicated to helping homeless women and children.  She began working in the private practice setting after receiving her Master’s degree in Psychology from Azusa Pacific University in 2006. Stacey draws upon not only her education, in-session counseling experience, and mentor-based learning, but also her real life experiences of being a mom and wife.
            Practical and empathetic, Stacey understands that everyone encounters difficult times in their lives that include anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, anger and grief, as well as other emotional challenges.  Some of the ways Stacey helps women, couples and families move through these difficult times and make lasting positive changes include: uncovering new choices; discovering and changing thought patterns; improving communication and listening strategies; utilizing stress reduction techniques; and helping develop better parenting and relationship skills.

            Jessica, an Austin native, first joined Plumeria in 2010 as a student intern, drawn to its comfortable environment and commitment to high quality counseling. Her professional background includes 10 years in education and curriculum development projects, both in the Austin area and abroad.  Through her passion for helping others and varied life experiences she found fulfillment in a career in therapy.  Jessica graduated from Texas State University in 2010 with a Masters in Professional Counseling and a special interest in couples and families.  
            Jessica views counseling as a unique and individualized experience and tailors her approach based on the goals of the client. She values the relationship between client and therapist and works to create a comfortable and supportive environment. Clients are encouraged to reflect on life experiences and to consider their impact on current interactions and relationships, while working towards lasting and positive change. Jessica facilitates developing goals and action plans so that the work in counseling becomes a continuous process outside of the therapy session. She is supervised by Sabrina Kindell, LPC-S, LMFT- S, who supports Jessica’s continued development as a counselor.

            Natalie was raised in Dallas & then moved to Santa Barbara, CA where she completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Westmont College. Natalie fully connected with & embraced her passion for working with people, after her first experience in individual therapy. She moved to Austin to do her graduate work in counseling & marriage & family therapy at St. Edward’s University. Having completed her degree she is now a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapy Associate under the supervision of Sabrina Kindell, LPC-S, LMFT-S.
            Natalie collaborates with individuals & couples to mold the therapy experience to best facilitate growth & change. She feels that improved self esteem & personal autonomy can help access the courage to begin reevaluating patterns of coping, relating, & behaving. Natalie has an unspoken, shared understanding with “Generation Y” & clients managing various life transitions (graduating, going back to school, relationship changes, moving). She also integrates Gay Affirmative Therapy concepts with her systemic foundation when seeing gay individuals & couples.
            In her everyday life, Natalie loves music, especially the many live performances in Austin, reading, & being outdoors with her dog & loved ones.

            Kathryn Martin holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance, and has choreographed, danced, and taught in the Midwest, Los Angeles, and Central Texas. She was formerly certified by A.C.E. and AFPA and provided freelance personal training concurrent with teaching in the kineseology dept. at California State University at Los Angeles.
            With a background in physical fitness and an interest in mental fitness, Kathryn practices psychotherapy with a systemic perspective on what surrounds her clients. Kathryn specializes in work with couples and she has worked with children, clients struggling with eating disorders and food issues, clients recovering from chemical dependency issues, depression, and anxiety. 

            Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Psychology from Fairmont State University in Fairmont, WV and a Master’s of Science degree in Industrial Relations from West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV.  Stephanie also holds a Master of Arts in counseling from St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX. She has lived in Austin since 1989 and was employed in the high-tech industry for over a decade.  She has multiple interests including cooking, playing music, knitting and reading.  Stephanie is an active member of her church and is trained in both TheoPhostics and Stephen Ministries.
            Stephanie embraces an all-encompassing approach toward counseling based on Albert Ellis’s theory of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).  REBT is an action-directed therapy in which emotional and behavioral problems are addressed through exploration of one’s beliefs.  Ellis believed that if you change your thinking, you can change your life.  Based on this premise, she believes it is important to explore multiple areas of your life and the beliefs you act upon in order to discover opportunities where you can implement empowering changes. She works closely with clients to facilitate such an exploration.  This collaborative effort leads to a customized approach to therapy based on the needs of each individual and involves a whole-life application which includes the mind, body and spirit. She believes it is important for each client to feel empowered, encouraged and educated during the counseling process.

            A native of Minnesota, DeeAnn attended the University of Minnesota, receiving a BS in Business Management. After twenty years in the business world and raising two children, DeeAnn attended St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, receiving a Master’s degree in Counseling, specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy. Her first experience was working with court-ordered clients for the Municipal Court in Austin, Texas.  Currently she is working with women dealing with change of life issues and coping with acting-out teenagers, depression and anxiety disorders, and relationship issues. She is certified in premarital assessment and couples counseling, is an educator for Twogether in Texas, a state program for premarital couples and couples in conflicted relationships, and is qualified to teach “Within our Reach” and “Family Wellness.”
            DeeAnn has partnered with “Here to Help.” This program provides quality care to patients who are taking Suboxone.  Along with a team of experts, she provides counseling to help improve one’s success of independence on drug and alcohol. When DeeAnn finds extra time, she volunteers for Victim Services for the City of Austin and crisis pregnancy for Gabriel Project.

           Elizabeth graduated from Tarleton State University (an A&M school) with a B.S. degree in Psychology, and then went on to earn her M.S. degree in Counseling Psychology from Tarleton State University. Elizabeth did her internship at Austin State Hospital where she focused on severe mental health disorders including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Elizabeth volunteered for one year with Capital Area Mental Health Center in Austin where she focused on counseling young adults. Elizabeth currently runs groups at Paladin Community Mental Health Center in Austin and works for an Employee Assistance Program which provides telephonic counseling . Elizabeth currently receives supervision from Theresa Buzek M.A., L.P.C.-S.
           Elizabeth enjoys reality based cognitive-behavioral therapy and her counseling is client-driven meaning that the client decides what to work on and when to work on it. Elizabeth enjoys working collaboratively with clients to uncover new ideas and ultimately make long lasting positive changes.

           Sara was born and raised in Florida and completed her Bachelor's degree in Child and Family Development at Florida State University. She taught Kindergarten for four years before moving to Austin in 2007 and earning a Master's degree in Professional Counseling from Texas State University. Sara's experiences with children and families in the education field is what sparked her interest in family and couples counseling. She has worked with clients at both Austin Recovery and YWCA of Greater Austin. Sara's clinical experiences include working with couples, families, children, parent education, individuals recovering from chemical dependency, and depression.
           Sara understands that each person's experiences are unique and therefore places importance on establishing individualized counseling for each client. She holds a systemic perspective, seeing how family, environment, and life experiences can all impact mental and emotional functioning. She feels creating a comfortable and genuine experience is necessary for change to occur. She believes the therapeutic relationship is an integral part of counseling and works collaboratively with clients to establish and achieve their goals.