With over 20 years
of experience as a therapist, Ms. Kim specializes in play therapy for
young children, ages 0-12, as well as adolescent and family therapy.
She has extensive training and experience in infant mental health,
trauma, abuse, anxiety, depression, ADHD, Reactive Attachment Disorder, school and behavioral problems, gifted children, autism and sensory processing disorders, among others. Ms. Kim is the author of Therapeutic Parenting: How to Raise an Emotionally Healthy Child, as well as numerous articles in various parenting magazines and newsletters.
Ms. Kim believes in providing a safe and nurturing place for children, where they can feel free to speak up and act out their needs through play. She has an innate understanding of children and their world, and is able to translate their language for their parents, as well as other adults in their lives.
To help facilitate both immediate and long-lasting changes, Ms. Kim works very closely with her clients' parents throughout the therapeutic process. She also teaches therapeutic parenting skills to biological parents, foster parents and various organizations committed to improving the lives of children and their families.
Ms.
Kim is the Past President of the Hill Country Chapter of the Texas
Association for Play Therapy, and she is a member of the Texas
Association for Infant Mental Health. Her other distinctions include
membership in the Psi Chi Honor Society and the Gamma Beta Phi Honor
Society. In addition to these, she received her Certification for
Effective Supervision for Social Work Practice in 1999 and again in 2015.
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Additional Affiliate Therapists
Shelly McCurdy, MA, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Texas State University in San Marcos and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from St. Mary's University in San Antonio.
Ms. McCurdy specializes in working with children, adolescents, adults and their families, as well as groups, in a variety of settings, including schools, private practice settings and in-home settings. She specializes in grief and loss, anxiety, depression, trauma and behavioral issues at home and in school. When working with children, Ms. McCurdy encourages parents to be a part of the therapeutic process, through therapeutic parent consultations, psycho-education and family therapy.
During the sessions, Ms. McCurdy integrates Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with other therapeutic approaches to ensure that her clients are receiving the type of counseling they are needing at the time. She adapts her approaches as her clients move through the therapeutic process, with the main focus on short-term goals that ultimately lead into the long-term goals. She believes that small steps now create big leaps later. With children, Ms. McCurdy also incorporates techniques, such as play therapy, into the counseling sessions to open up new doors and ways for her clients to view and relate to the world around them.
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Christina Carson, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She received her Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation (Applied Life Sciences) from the University of Illinois in Champaign and received her Master in Education (Guidance and Counseling) from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
With over 16 years of experience as a therapist, Ms. Carson specializes in working with children, adolescents and women, who are affected by abuse, neglect, trauma, loss, divorce, depression, low self-esteem, ADHD, and behavioral and school issues, among others. She has provided therapy in numerous settings, including residential treatment centers, non-profit organizations, schools and in-home settings. She believes in the importance of working with parents and other family members, as well as teachers, doctors and other providers out in the community to create a strong circle of support for her clients.
Ms. Carson uses various interventions to help facilitate the therapeutic process, including play therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, experiential therapy, Adlerian Therapy, and strength-based activities to help her clients develop better coping skills. When working with adults, Ms. Carson also supports her clients to derive meaning from their struggles on both personal and spiritual levels. She provides a safe place for them to work through their emerging issues, as well as their issues from past trauma and loss. While honoring their past experiences, she challenges her clients to grow and to move forward.
As a holistic practitioner, she also believes in the importance of understanding family patterns, such as roles, rituals, and trans-generational influences. Ms. Carson helps her clients to improve their communication and social skills so that they can express their feelings, wants and needs, as well as cultivate connections with their family members, friends and others out in the community.
Ms. Carson is the co-creator of the therapeutic game, "The Medicine Wheel Game," which helps people of all ages come to a closer understanding of their environment and relationship with others. She is also a recipient of the Golden Apple Award in the past years for her supportive work with children with special needs at AISD.
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Samantha S. Supernaw, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Brandeis University in Waltham, MA and her Master of Science in Social Work degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
Ms. Supernaw primarily uses Cognitive-Behavioral and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, as well as play therapy with younger children. Although she believes that the therapeutic relationship is vital to change, she also belles that client empowerment is essential to chagne as well. She believes that positive changes to our thoughts and beliefs can positively change our feelings and behaviors.
Ms. Supernaw has worked extensively with both children and adults who have experienced abuse and other forms of trauma. She has spent several years working with military families and consider it a privilege to serve those that have served our nation, as well as their loved ones. Ms. Supernaw also specializes in working with clients with mood disorder, PTSD, behavioral problems, depression, anxiety and the LGBT community.
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Dr. Richard Yuen, Ph.D., is a Licensed Psychologist in the State of Texas. He graduated cum laude from Carleton College with a B.A. in Psychology, his M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Southern Illinois University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and his Ph.D. in Applied Psychology from Loyola University in Chicago.
Dr. Yuen has worked in a diverse array of clinical settings and with clients from all ages. Trained in many different styles of therapy, he uses a holistic and eclectic approach when working with clients and their families. He believes that no one clinical approach can ever meet the specific needs of all clients and that each client brings a unique perspective, insights and experiences to the table. Therefore, Dr. Yuen is highly adept at tailoring his approach to the personal strengths and specific needs of his clients and their families.
His expertise is in the area of conducting comprehensive psychological evaluations and in using strength-based, preventative psychology during the counseling sessions. Dr. Yuen specializes in helping clients with depression, anxiety, abuse, neglect, grief and loss, PTSD, school or behavioral problems, ADHD, crisis and trauma, as well as chronic pain and medical conditions. He focuses on using effective, evidence-based techniques, to not only treat the current symptoms, but to prevent other symptoms or problematic behaviors from resurfacing at a later time.
He provides assessment services for all age groups, including toddlers, children, teens and parents. The most commonly requested assessments include General Psychological Evaluation, Child Custody Evaluation, Substance Abuse Evaluation, ADHD Evaluations for both adults and children, Evaluations for Autism or Learning Disabilities, as well as Intelligence and Achievement Evaluations. Dr. Yuen works very closely with pediatricians, schools, psychiatrists and other providers out in the community to help advocate for his clients and to ensure continuity of services for his clients and their families.
Over the years, Dr. Yuen's excellence in scholarship has earned him a number of prestigious awards, including the Manuel Teurel Award, Heckler Fellowship, Dana Award, Okada Memorial Prize, Tanaka Fellowship, ACM Research Scholarship and a Ford-Mellon Foundation Fellowship. Dr. Yuen has also taught and guest lectured at numerous colleges and universities, including the Carleton College, Southern Illinois University and the Loyola University.