Dr. Kate Walker, Ph.D., the founder of achievebalance.org© is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. While pursuing her Ph.D. in counselor education at Sam Houston State University, she was awarded a Fellowship allowing her to specialize in behavioral chronic pain management. As a counselor intern she logged thousands of hours working alongside doctors and physical therapists helping individuals and families achieve life, nutrition, and fitness goals. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Walker serves as an adjunct professor of marriage and family therapy at Sam Houston State University. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin and attended Sam Houston State University for her master's and doctoral degrees.

Achieving a balanced life is not only a professional goal for Dr. Walker; it is a personal one as well. Shortly after September 11, 2001 her husband David was deployed for a year as an Army reservist. In 2004, Dr. Walker began her doctoral program only to see her husband deployed once again, this time to Iraq. Opting to continue in the doctoral program, Dr. Walker completed two semesters before discovering that she had DCIS, a form of breast cancer. Choosing a double mastectomy over radiation, chemotherapy and tamoxifen, Dr. Walker completed her sixth reconstructive procedure in June of 2006. Now cancer-free and happily raising Kyle, Ridgley and Sarah with her husband David; Kate and her family strive to achieve balance on a daily basis.

Contact: 936-718-1145
Kate Walker, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT

........................................................................................................ Back to Top

Dr. Judy DeTrude is licensed in Texas as a Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and is an Approved Supervisor for both of the licenses. She has been providing supervision to interns since 1985. Dr. DeTrude has been the Clinical Director for two university counseling centers and recently retired as a professor in counselor education from Sam Houston State University. She has done extensive research in the field of ethics and has presented nationally on this topic. Her clinical interests are premarital counseling, working with blended families and helping families with the relocation process. She has received two university research grants for her work in premarital counseling. Kent State University established the Judith A DeTrude Professional Development Award and recognizes doctoral students each year with this award.

Dr. DeTrude is on the Executive Board for a new journal, Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice and Social Science, and she was the founding editor of an online journal, Professional Issues in Counseling. In addition to her clinical work, she is on a task force to develop an online counseling program with a university from New York. While at Sam Houston State University, she wrote the self-study and coordinated the team site visit for CACREP to come and evaluate the university. CACREP is the the accreditation body for counseling programs. The community counseling program received the full eight years of accreditation after this site review. She plans on continuing her professional activities in the counseling field by offering workshops for continuing education for LPC's and LMFT's.

281-435-7275

........................................................................................................ Back to Top

Maria Rafferty is a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern and a Licensed Marriage and Family Associate in the state of Texas. She received a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Sam Houston State University, and works with individuals, couples and family systems.

Many of Maria’s clients come to her seeking more effective ways to manage and control their anger. Additionally, Maria is a TERRAP trained counselor who works with clients experiencing anxiety and anxiety related disorders. She also counsels individuals, couples, and families who are facing the challenges of parenting, separation, divorce, blended families, midlife changes, and employment relocation.

Maria’s areas of particular interest include adoption, anger management and family relationships. As an adoptee and the mother of four children, two of whom are adopted, she has first hand experience with the challenges faced by adoptive parents and adopted children alike.

Maria is a member of both the American Counseling Association and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists. She holds a Master of Business Administration from California Lutheran University and a Bachelor of Arts in French from the University of Florida.

Contact: 281-731-9960
Maria Rafferty, MA, LPC-I, LMFTA

........................................................................................................ Back to Top

Pedra Ane is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Texas and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). She earned her Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Southwest Texas State University and is currently working toward her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at Sam Houston State University. Her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a Special Education endorsement is from Lamar University. Pedra also supervises the graduate students who are counseling clients.

Her professional affiliations include membership in the American Counseling Association, the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, the Association for Play Therapy, the Texas Counseling Association, the Texas Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, the Texas Association for Play Therapy, the Brazos Valley Counseling Association, and the Sam Houston Association for Play Therapy. She also is a member of Chi Sigma Iota, international honor society for students, professional counselors and counselor educators. She holds offices at both state and local levels in several organizations listed above. Pedra has also presented at state and local conferences on counseling related topics.

Prior to becoming an LPC, Pedra taught public school for 18 years and worked as a school counselor. She has worked with very young children, adolescents, students with learning disabilities, victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered clients, couples, and families.

Contact: 512-581-8888
Pedra Ane, M.A., NCC, LPC

........................................................................................................ Back to Top

Dr. Van Wiesner is licensed in Texas as a Professional Counselor and is an Approved Supervisor of other Licensed Professional Counselors. Dr. Wiesner is a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. A college professor, he primarily teaches diagnosis, methods of research, a counseling skills course, and supervises graduate students who are providing psychotherapy. He is a member of the American Counseling Association, the Texas Counseling Association, and Mensa. He enjoys sharing his research with fellow psychotherapists through research journal publications and presents his research at professional conferences throughout the United States. He has received post-doctoral training in hypnosis and post-graduate training in dream interpretation. Dream analysis and hypnosis is used during some sessions if clinically appropriate and if clients express interest.

Dr. Wiesner received an engineering degree from Texas Texas A&M University, an MBA, and obtained his masters and doctorate in Counseling from the University of North Texas. His research dissertation, “An Examination of the Relationships Between Affective Traits and Existential Life Positions”, received an award as runner up for the best dissertation in the College of Education. He has worked extensively with couples, clients addicted to drugs and alcohol, adolescents on parole, and those with serious chronic mental health issues. Post-graduate work includes several months volunteering for the overnight shift conducting emergency crisis intervention at a large urban psychiatric emergency room. Despite varied academic interests, his priority is the very practical business of helping clients meet their goals and reach their full potential. Dr. Wiesner focuses on clients’ strengths and passionate desires and views life and therapy as a zestful adventure and not about problems or people needing to be fixed.

Contact: 281-825–7789
Victor Van Wiesner III, Ph.D., MBA, LPC-S, CCMHC, NCC
Available Sundays 11:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Web Sites: wiesner.homestead.com    or    professorwiesner.marriage-family.com

........................................................................................................ Back to Top

COST and INSURANCE:
achievebalance.org© has several therapists available to help you. Prices start at $65 per hour, depending on the therapist. Fees and availability vary with each therapist, so please view our web site, decide which therapist will best fit your needs, then contact him or her directly at the phone number below each bio. The therapists at achievebalance.org are out-of-network providers so please check your insurance company for out of network benefits under “mental health” or “behavioral health.”

INTERNS:
Each Licensed Professional Counselor Intern holds a master’s degree in counseling from an accredited university, has passed a rigorous examination, and is under the direct supervision of the counselors at acheivebalance.org. Interns are in the process of accruing the 3000 hours in order to become Licensed Professional Counselors.

Wendy Brueckner is licensed in the state of Texas as a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern. She received her master’s degree in counseling from Sam Houston State University. Wendy also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Baylor University. She works with individuals, couples, adolescents, and children.

Her experience includes counseling children, adolescents, adults, and couples. She has worked and volunteered in a variety of settings including psychiatric hospitals, schools, a junior college, and foster care. She has worked with individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, grief, various crises, anger, abuse, and life transitions. Wendy’s training includes workshops in grief, using play therapy and sand tray with children, and parenting challenges. She is currently working on the training to become a Registered Play Therapist. Her areas of interest include adolescents, depression, play therapy, and abuse. Wendy is also a member of the Texas Counseling Association (TCA), and the American Counseling Association (ACA).

........................................................................................................ Back to Top

Amanda R. Hulin is licensed in the state of Texas as a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern. She received her bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. Her master’s degree in Community Psychology also came from Lamar University. Amanda is a member of Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology. She is also a member of the Texas Counseling Association (TCA) and the American Counseling Association. She enjoys working with children, adolescents, individuals, couples, and families. Her areas of interest includes depression, anxiety, grief, life transitions, and role transitions.

........................................................................................................ Back to Top

Jennifer Bornsheuer is a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern in the state of Texas as well as a National Certified Counselor. She received her Master's Degree in Counseling and Development from Texas Woman's University. Jennifer received her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with a minor in Counseling from the University of North Texas.

She is an active member of the Ethics Committee of the Texas Counseling Association, and is a member of the American Counseling Association. Jennifer was an officer in Chi Sigma Iota during her graduate studies.

Jennifer works with children, adolescents, adults and couples. Her main area of interest is utilizing play therapy with children and activity therapy with adolescents to help them find their place in the world, develop competence, and achieve their goals so they can become fully functioning individuals. Jennifer has worked in a variety of settings including schools, community agencies, mental health clinics, and detention centers to assist clients with anger, anxiety, depression, life transitions, abuse, relationships, and legal system involvement.

Jennifer Bornsheuer, M.S., LPC-intern, NCC

........................................................................................................ Back to Top