Felisha Hooks
About Felisha
I grew up as a military brat and have lived all over the United States. Despite this, I consider myself a native Austinite as I have been here for over 30 years, and I consider home to be wherever the people I love currently reside.
I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin with the intent to be an elementary school teacher. As I progressed through that degree plan, I realized that I wanted to work in a more direct and intimate capacity with children and their families. Due to life circumstances and competing obligations, it was many years before I could undertake the training to realize that dream. In the interim, I worked in early childhood intervention, as a disability specialist, and provided case management services through various agencies. Then – finally - after an 18-year wait, I returned to school! I earned my master’s in clinical mental health counseling from the Seminary of the Southwest.
When I am not in the office, you will most often find me hunkered down with a good book. My other interests include taking nature walks, working on puzzles, finding ways to serve in the community, and spending time with family and friends.
Approach to Therapy
Being a therapist is more than a job for me; it is a calling. Although it has taken different shapes over time, I have always been a helper. I LOVE people, and it is a great honor to be a partner in healing. Most people struggle with something along the way, and our work together aims to address that struggle in a way that achieves growth and supports your flourishing. My goal is for you to leave our therapeutic relationship with tools you can use throughout your lifetime. My approach to therapy is client-centered, and I work primarily from a CBT framework. The CBT model posits that thoughts, behaviors, and emotions are interconnected in a dynamic relationship. The way you think about something, affects how you feel about it. Those emotions, subsequently, influence your behavior. In CBT, the work is to explore and ultimately change unhealthy patterns of thought and behavior. However, depending on what we choose to tackle together, it might be helpful to incorporate other methods of intervention. In addition to traditional CBT, as appropriate, I often integrate concepts such as mindfulness, spirituality, and exploring personal values. I find this to be a more holistic approach that focuses on the person and not just the problem to be solved.
Above all, here is what I want you to know about working with me: I see therapy as a collaborative process. I know a lot about mental health, you know a lot about you. It takes both of those wells of knowledge in equal measure for the therapeutic process to be successful. I look forward to the privilege of working with you.
Contact Information:
felisha@dogwoodtherapyatx.com
512-387-6940