About Me
“Jo has taught me to be gentle and accepting with myself, and to meet myself where I am without judgment.”
Why i do this work…
I do this work because it’s what I’ve always done. I’ve always been the person who strangers pour their life story out to at a bus stop. As a child playing He-Man with my friends (yes, I realize this dates me), they had me be the Sorceress sitting back at Castle Grayskull dispensing wise counsel instead of being out on an adventure.
And throughout my life, I collected experiences. At age 15, chronic illness and pain showed up, and over the past 27 years, I’ve collected diagnoses like some people collect Pokemon: fibromyalgia, spondylolisthesis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, bile acid malabsorption, antibiotic-induced autonomic neuropathy, Reynaud’s syndrome, non-diabetic peripheral neuropathy, migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, ADHD, and hidradenitis suppurativa. Grief and loss came along early and frequently.
I also collected degrees, the last one being a doctorate in clinical psychology. I’ve worked as a psychologist in hospitals and nursing homes. I’m trained as a death & mourning doula as well as a hospice volunteer. I’m a registered yoga teacher. I’ve been a therapist to dozens of people living with injuries and diseases.
And I did all that while secretly and miserably dealing with pain, fatigue, anxiety, and other symptoms.
I’ve been lucky that my training as a psychologist also helped me find the tools I needed to live more, live better. And I want you to have these tools too.
One of the things that has kept me going through all of this is creating, whether creating businesses or art. I firmly believe in the power of creative work to soothe, inspire, energize, express, bring attention where it is needed, and to motivate action. Your voices are needed. Our voices are needed.
You have ideas and dreams that are unique to you, and I’m here to help you overcome the imposter syndrome, procrastination, lack of motivation, and overwhelm that’s been keeping you from making them happen. I’ve done it for creatives and entrepreneurs ranging from sci-fi authors, comedians, and dancers to event organizers, graphic designers, programmers, and coaches. And I want to do it for you too.
It took me over 15 years to figure this stuff out for myself, but you can get the same information in much less time from me, along with accountability, coaching, and support.
I’d be honored to be your guide.
Credentials
Licensed Clinical Psychologist (Texas #34024, New Mexico #PSY-2023-0059, Colorado #PSY 0006650)
Authorized to practice telehealth in PSYPACT states (APIT E Passport #4914)
Bachelor's Degree: Honors Psychology and Plan II Honors, University of Texas at Austin
Member of Phi Beta Kappa and Psi Chi Honors Societies
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology: Wright State University School of Professional Psychology, Dayton, OH
Pre-doctoral Internship: PTSD Clinical Team & Mental Health Clinic, Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI
Post-doctoral Training: PTSD Clinical Team, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, Temple, TX
Additional professional training in: Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Clinical Hypnosis, Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy, EMDR, among others.
Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200)
Level I Teacher Training, Yoga Yoga, Austin, TX
Relax and Renew™ Restorative Yoga Training, Judith Hanson Lasater, Austin, TX
iRest® Yoga Nidra, Level I, Stephanie Lopez, Austin, TX
Adaptive Yoga, Yoga Yoga, Austin, TX
Gong Yoga, Mehtab Benton, Austin, TX
Restore & Rebalance Teacher Training, Judith & Lizzie Lasater, Austin, TX
Certified Death & Mourning Support Doula, studied with Laura Saba
