Qualifications as Psychotherapist & Hypnotherapist
Clinical Specialist Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, State licensed as a psychotherapist.
Employed in Private Practice with Behavioral Medicine Associates, part owner with Dr. Floyd P. Garrett, Board Certified Psychiatrist from 1982-present.
Working as psychotherapist with individuals, couples and families. Work with individuals includes counseling executives from major corporations including Coke, Oracle, IBM, and others providing psychological counseling related to both personal and family issues as well as their employment issues These issues include work relationships, transitions, grief therapy, public speaking/presentation coaching and issues involving self confidence, time management, goal setting and stress management.
Began association with Resolute Consulting, 2008, working with Family Businesses. Areas of focus in family business include transition, psychological assessment and evaluation, grief therapy, as well as psychological issues involved in leadership and management, and family dynamics.
Academia
- 1964-1965
Temple Junior College, Temple, Texas. Pre-nursing program.
- 1965-1967
Scott and White Memorial Hospital School of Professional Nursing, graduated with Honors.
Received Leadership Award.
- 1974-1976
Georgia State University. Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Cum laude.
- 1976-1977
Georgia State University, Masters of Science, Cum laude.
- 2002
Completed postgraduate work at Georgia State University in Clinical Nurse Specialist Program, Adult Psychiatry and Mental Health Nursing.
Certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing.
Licensure
R.N., Texas, 1967; Georgia 1971
Advanced Practice License as Clinical Specialist in Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
Certifications
Certified in Biofeedback training by the Biofeedback Certification Association of America, 1983.
Certified in Stress Management by the Stress Management Training Association, Dallas, Texas 1992.
Certified as Clinical Specialist in Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 2000.
Employment History
1967-1972 VA Hospital Psychiatric Division Temple Texas, chosen from field of 50 nurses to start innovative "Therapeutic Community" for veterans many of whom were Viet Nam Veterans. Helped create and run the program.
1972-1974 VA Hospital Atlanta Georgia, worked on psychiatric unit as staff nurse.
1976-1979 Georgia Baptist Hospital, Atlanta Georgia. Established a new role working on the Neurosurgical Unit as the liaison nurse between the neurosurgeons and psychiatry dealing in a more comprehensive way with chronic pain patients. Performed psychological evaluations of pain patients as well as counseling. Worked also with head traumas and spinal injuries assisting families in dealing with the stress of these medical issues. Provided educational units for the nurses on the neuro unit. Presented this model in a paper delivered at the National Neurosurgical Meeting in New Orleans.
1980 till present. Began work with Dr. Floyd Garrett, board certified psychiatrist working with mental health patients in addition to continued work with pain patients. Have several years experience working with patients with HIV at a time when many did not survive. Provided adjunctive care to families of these patients dealing with this very stressful situation and assisted those HIV patients who were terminal with HIV. Worked with increasing my skills in helping patients with chronic pain and neurological problems through use of biofeedback and hypnosis. Continued to provide psychiatric assessments for these patients. In the last 8 years have done psychological evaluations and therapy for pain patients at the North Fulton Pain Center with Dr. Ken Joel. Have developed expertise in addictions dealing with the addict whether alcohol, sex, or drugs. We provide a comprehensive program providing therapy for the family which is just as important as the addict. .
1972-1974 VA Hospital Atlanta Georgia, worked on psychiatric unit as staff nurse.
1967-1972 VA Hospital Psychiatric Division Temple Texas, chosen from field of 50 nurses to start innovative "Therapeutic Community" for veterans many of whom were Viet Nam Veterans. Helped create and run the program.
Publications & Papers
"Psychiatric Liaison Nurse for Neurosurgery: An Innovative Approach to Management of Chronic Pain." Journal of Neurosurgical Nursing, December 1978, Vol. 10, No. 4.
"The Female Partner of the Recovering Male Alcoholic"
"Alcohol Addiction: A Psychobiological Approach"
Additional Educational Courses
"Foundations of Biofeedback Practice.'" Continuing educational programs for professionals. May 1980.
"Shifting Paradigms of Awareness, Biofeedback and Self-Regulation Workshop." Continuing educational programs for professionals. Biofeedback Society of America, Oct. 1981.
Basic Hypnosis. Hypnosis Motivation Institute. Atlanta, Ga., March, 1981.
Advanced Hypnosis. Hypnosis Motivation Institute. Atlanta, Ga., April, 1984.
The Psychology of Health, Immunity and Disease. Presented by the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. Hilton Head South Carolina, December 8-14, 1997.
Neurolinguistic Training Workshop. Presented by Jerry Stocking, Milwaukee, Wi., Sept., 1996.
Advanced workshop Neurolinguistic Programming: Dr. Dave Dobson, Seattle, WA. 1992
Community Activities
Led support group for individuals with HIV and their families for the Good Samaritan Project. 1982-1983. Dealt with issues involved in this illness and loss.
North Fulton Alpharetta Rotary Club, Board Member 1995-1997. Started project to bring food monthly to North Fulton Community Charities
Awarded Distinguished Achievement Citation by North Fulton Alpharetta Rotary Club for work to raise funds for the North Fulton Charities. 1997
Honored as top alumni from Scott and White Memorial Hospital 2001.
Board Member Georgia State Alumni Association 2009.
Professional Affiliations
- Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nurses
- International Society Psychiatric Nursing
- American Psychiatric Nursing Association
Workshops and Presentations
"Stress Management for Nurses." Georgia Baptist Medical Center, 1982,1983,1984.
"Stress Management for Medical Residents and Interns.'' Georgia Baptist Medical Center(coordinated by Dr. John Cantwell, Director of Medical Residency Training). March 1984.
"Stress Management for Elementary School Teachers." Conyers, Ga., 1985 and 1986.
"Stress Management for Nurses." North Fulton Regional Hospital. September 1990.
"Stress Management and Teaching: Keeping a Balance." Coweta County school district. March 1995.
"Stress Management in the 90's." Presented for bank employees at the First Colony Bank Alpharetta, Ga.. April 1993.
"Stress Management and Business." Presented for Professional Accountants Association. April 1985.
"Stress and Health." Presented at the Alpharetta North Fulton Rotary Club. Alpharetta, Ga. April 1992.
"Stress and Relationships: A Valentine Presentation." Presented at the Alpharetta North Fulton Rotary Club. February 1995.
"Stress Management for the 90's Woman." Presented at the Sandy Springs Society Meeting. March 1994.
"Stress and Business Relationships." Image Information employees. Roswell, Ga. July, 1997.
"Stress Management and Health." Presented before Optimists Club, Atlanta, Ga. March 1990.
"Stress Management and Health." Presented for Optimists Club, Woodstock, Ga. 1993.
"Stress Management for the 90's." Presented as part of community workshops offered by North Fulton Regional Hospital. March 1993, January 1994.
"Stress Management and the Family." Presented as part of larger workshop at Elementary School in North Fulton county. April 1995.
"Stress and the Holidays." Three segments on CNN News Magazine program with Angie Humphries. December 1990.
"Stress Management and the 90's." Presented at the monthly meeting of the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce. November 1994.
"Stress Management and the 90's." Presented as a morning workshop for the employees of the Atlanta Gas Light Company in Roswell, Ga. September 1993.
"Stress and the Holidays." Presented as a monthly workshop for the community. Sponsored by North Fulton Regional Hospital. December 1994.
"Stress Management for Caretakers." Presented for RRA, provider of services for the handicapped. November 1993.
Keynote Speaker for the annual gathering of families who have suffered a loss.
Sponsored by Roswell Funeral Home, Sandy Springs Chapel Funeral Directors,
Louie E. Jones Funeral Home and Woodstock Funeral Home, November 18, 1997.
"Stress Management and the Health Care Worker." Presented for a newly
formed organization for nurses and others who provide care for people with
AIDS. March 1987.
"Stress Management and the 90's." Presented as a Lunch and Learn
for Digital Computers. March 1988.
"Valentine's Presentation on the Stress of Relationships and Ways to Make
Them Better." Presented for the Alpharetta North Fulton Rotary Club. February
14, 1998.
" How Rotarians Can Better Their Relationships with Each Other." Presented for the Buckhead Rotary Club. March 12, 1998.
"Stress Management for the Employee to Better Serve Their Customers." Presented as a Lunch and Learn for Hyatt Hotel personnel. April,14,1998. Hyatt Hotel, Buckhead, Ga.
