Meet PJ

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPC-A) specializing in play therapy and mental health counseling for children and adolescents. I am passionate about helping children navigate big emotions, grief and loss, anxiety, behavioral challenges, developmental concerns, life transitions, and relationship difficulties.

After earning a Master’s degree in Special Education from The University of Texas at Austin, I spent several years supporting children and families in Austin ISD and other educational settings. My experiences in early childhood education, alongside meaningful exposure to families navigating childhood illness and loss, deepened my passion for understanding children's emotional worlds and supporting families through life's challenges.

This path led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Texas State University. My background in both education and counseling informs the way I approach therapy. Years spent studying child development, learning differences, behavior, family systems, and emotional growth have reinforced a belief that guides my work today: children do well when they can.

What adults often experience as challenging behavior is frequently a child's best attempt to communicate an unmet need, a lagging skill, or a feeling that is simply too big to manage alone. Children are constantly communicating through their play, relationships, emotions, and behavior. When we pause to understand what a child may be trying to express, their actions often make far more sense than they initially appear.

Healing happens within relationships, and meaningful change often involves supporting not only the child, but also the family and systems surrounding them. It is a privilege to walk alongside children and parents as they navigate difficult experiences, strengthen relationships, and discover new ways of understanding themselves and one another.

Born and raised in Austin, I am grateful to serve the children and families of the community that helped shape me. When I'm not in the playroom, I like to play outside. You can find me running around Town Lake or enjoying the Texas Hill Country with family and friends.