About Donna Carpenter, PhD, Psychologist

Who knew that when you started Googling to find a therapist in Texas that you would find so many therapists to choose from? It can be hard to know where to start. I hope the information below will help you get to know me better so you can decide if I might be a good fit for you.

I became a psychologist because I wanted to help people heal from emotional pain and low self-esteem. However, I didn’t just want to deal with the negative events in people’s lives, I wanted them to develop a sense of confidence and resilience, a feeling that they could navigate life’s challenges.  I especially love to work with women who are motivated to make their lives better and who are willing to do the work necessary to get there. It’s a real joy for me to see my clients heal their wounds and develop a deep understanding and acceptance of themselves, and then use this knowledge to make a positive difference in the world.

I’ve now been doing this work around the world for over 30 years.  Though I grew up in Texas, a stint in the Peace Corps in Liberia led to an enduring interest in other cultures and healing traditions. After receiving my PhD in Clinical Psychology, I spent 20+ years in east and southern Africa, working as a psychologist and HIV/AIDS program consultant.  During that time, I had the privilege of collaborating with persons with HIV/AIDS, an experience that deeply affected me and shaped my approach to helping people with illness, loss, and grief.

In more recent years, I’ve helped my own parents, nursing home residents, and many others deal with the opportunities and challenges of aging and the end of life. This has led to a deep dive into the ideas of conscious and empowered aging. I am using this knowledge to help both myself and my clients learn to make the most of our present lives, while preparing for a time when our bodies and mind may fade.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of helping individuals with anxiety, depression, work-life balance, and reproductive health challenges.  The field of psychotherapy has evolved significantly during that time. Today we have a much wider range of tools for helping with mental health challenges, especially a much greater emphasis on integrative mind-body-spirit approaches. I have found this integrative and holistic approach highly effective, both personally and professionally, and continue to follow the research literature across disciplines to ensure I have the best tools to help my clients.

When I’m not working, I love to spend time with my family, exploring new ethnic recipes and restaurants. While my fondness for international travel has been held in check by the pandemic, I’m fortunate that my love of reading allows me to visit faraway places and ideas in the comfort of my own home.  This past year my home life has been enlivened by a shelter puppy, Sassy, whom we adopted at 8 weeks old. She has been the source of love, laughter, and occasional despair (when she chewed through the kitchen cabinets like a canine chain saw!).

My education includes the following:

• PhD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

• MPH from the University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX

• 200+ hours of life and executive coach training from Results Coaching Systems and Mentor Coach

I enjoy learning news ways to understand and heal emotional distress. I have extensive training in the following therapeutic modalities:

• Emotion-Focused Individual Therapy,

• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

• Cognitive-Behavior Therapy and

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy

• Strengths-based coaching

I know it can feel like a big step to call a counselor, but I’ll make it easy. We’ll spend 15-minutes on the phone, and I’ll let you know how or if I can help. If I am not the right person, I’ll do my best to get you to the right person.