I have always loved stories. Reading novels and biographies is a lifelong passion, and I remain constantly amazed by the knowledge and insight that characters — real or created — have to share. In fact, I love stories so much that I once was a feature writer for a newspaper and also told company’s stories as a public relations professional. Later I learned, as a client in therapy, mother and friend, that what I really wanted to do with my life was to have the privilege of hearing people’s stories in a therapeutic setting and be a part of their growth as they created new possibilities and narratives of hope and healing.

While each person’s story is highly unique, I have learned through my work as a therapist and through my life experiences that there are more or less common themes in all of our histories: some that work well for us and some that don’t. Joy, success, and fulfillment have their own underlying themes just as do the various life challenges that can lead one to pursue therapy. Whether it be loss, worry, sadness, trauma, fear and stagnation caused by relationships that aren’t working, work that’s not working, people we are missing, children that are not thriving and past or present traumas among others I feel that finding the theme that is not supportive and replacing it with one that will serve better is key to our living more productive and happy lives.

Deborah Feinsilver received her Bachelors in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. She later pursued a masters degree in psychology from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas where she specialized in marriage and family therapy. Deborah trained and worked at Houston Galveston Institute, a non-profit organization, known for its groundbreaking work in collaborative language systems therapy. She was a part of several therapeutic research programs one resulting in her co-authoring a chapter for Collaborative Therapy: Relationships and Conversations that Make a Difference.” Currently Deborah practices as a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Recently trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Deborah believes that this therapy modality is a vital means for discovering life themes that are not working for us in order that we can replace them with new ones that promote growth and strength. The only therapy protocol approved by the United States military for the treatment of trauma, EMDR has been successful in the treatment for a wide range of therapeutic needs.