Category Archives: Staff Member

I am passionate about working with seniors and their caregivers. I specialize in providing therapy to individuals, couples and families experiencing depression, anxiety, grief and loss, due to complex life transitions. Caregiver stress is also an interest of mine. We develop coping strategies together.

Having over 30 years of experience working in elder care, I utilize an eclectic, evidence-based and individualized approach to treatment. I previously worked as a medical social worker at a local hospital and as the Manager of Senior Services at a premier social service and mental health agency in Saint Louis for many years.

In addition to my work with individuals and families, I enjoy leading support groups and participating in professional panels. I also serve on two community boards.

In my 34 years of service as an educator, I have worked as a teacher, instructional leader, and principal. During that time of working collaboratively with my teaching peers, school leaders and community to effectively teach students, I have learned that leadership and teaching excellence is created among people with a shared vision for continuous improvement.

My work has been built on the belief that the school functions as a community and the growth of its members are fundamental. I specialize in helping school leaders create a purposeful culture whose focus is engaging educators in collaborative learning. Those in the learning community; teachers, staff, school leaders, parents and community must learn together to ensure success for all students. My experience in creating a collaborative learning community has equipped me to provide leadership training for principals, staffs, and parents. I am especially interested in providing professional development in the areas of:

• Culture creation for staff continuous learning, teamwork and problem solving;
• Professional development embedded within the school day;
• Parent training as they seek to partner with the school and advocate for their child’s education

I have eight years of experience providing mental health services in the school setting which includes providing counseling and crisis intervention services to students and their families. I have also worked in several community mental health settings providing individual and group therapy to adolescents and adults. I enjoy working with adolescents and adults who are experiencing depression, anxiety, life transitions, adjustment to disability, and stressful life events or trauma. I am a strengths-based, client-centered clinician who utilizes a variety of therapeutic techniques to meet the needs of each client. I am passionate about collaborating with clients and providing a safe, non-judgmental space in therapy for clients to feel comfortable being themselves so they can discover their own strengths and passions. In addition to my work with clients and in schools, I have also taught Internship and Advanced Internship as an adjunct faculty member for Maryville’s Rehabilitation Counseling graduate program where I earned the Adjunct Faculty of the Year award in May 2021

I have worked in clinical and educational settings, both public and private. I provide individual, family, and group therapy with children, adolescents, and adults who are struggling with depression, anxiety, and self-identity, as well as psychosocial challenges. Since people are shaped by their cultural, social, and ethnic identities, I use my training and awareness in these areas to meet individuals where they are which helps them garner personal success. I work with students who are having difficulty with feeling connected to the school environment by meeting with them individually, in groups, and also with their families. This has often caused students to present negative behaviors resulting in high suspension rates and a display of other negative behaviors in the school setting.

I facilitate small and large groups and provide individual therapy on different topics including parenting, grief, marriage, trauma, self-identity, equity and inclusion, and divorce counseling. I work with schools to facilitate successful ways to help parents navigate “messy” divorces to ensure children and adolescents do not get caught up in the drama that can cause harm. This work extends to the parents as well. I work with individuals who have been traumatized by events that can halt their growth.

Within the educational realm, I have worked with students of all ages. Facilitation within the school environment has been helping white teachers manage the behavior of students who do not look like them and learn to understand students with different ethnic, social, and cultural backgrounds, including religion. This includes teaching teachers and administrators how to build positive, sustainable relationships to yield better behavioral and academic success.

I have over 25 years’ experience in working with children, adolescents, and families in a variety of settings. Providing private therapeutic services to children and adolescents is a passion for me. Watching individuals learn coping skills and strategies and then apply them to their everyday life is something I look forward seeing within my clients. I currently work with clients on a variety of issues with a focus on anxiety and school-related issues.

Another area of focus for me is working directly as a school consultant in private, parochial and public school settings. I find particular satisfaction in helping students embrace the power within themselves to work through social or academic difficulties and succeed. I enjoy providing professional development to teachers and staff on a variety of topics, such as behavior management, anxiety in the classroom, ADHD education and management, as well as many other school related topics. I am constantly learning new approaches to help my clients, schools and families navigate each stage of development.

I especially enjoy working with clients struggling with relationship challenges, caregiver stress, parenting, grief, and workplace hassles. I’ve been trained in many evidence-based interventions, and work flexibly and collaboratively with clients based on their goals and preferences. I prioritize creating an open, nonjudgmental, and culturally sensitive counseling space to help resolve problems, gain perspective, learn coping skills, and strengthen relationships. I have specialized expertise in school/parenting consultation and support for seniors and their caregivers. In-office and virtual appointments are available.

I am a graduate of Winthrop University in South Carolina, a graduate from Fontbonne College in St. Louis, a graduate from Academy of Health and Science (Army associated) in Houston Texas, and completed Doctoral Studies at Walden University in Naples Florida. I served four years active duty United States Army, and two years inactive duty United States Army.

With over 25 years of experience, I specialize in aiding and guiding children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. My therapeutic models include Client Centered Therapy, Family Systems, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy.

I offer comprehensive treatment for a wide range of mental health disorders including Depression, Anxiety, Mood Disorder, Disruptive Behavior, ADHD, Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse (children), Sexual Abuse (adult), Personality Disorders, Schizophrenia, PTSD, and Attachment Disorders.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and also hold a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School. I have experience providing counseling services to adolescents and adults in various settings within the community and schools. In an effort to restore hope, foster healing, and strengthen resilience, I use a collaborative and compassionate approach to counseling. I enjoy helping others using strengths-based psychological concepts, as well as spiritual concepts and practices to best meet the needs of my clients. 

My therapy practice emphasizes providing emotional support and guidance to adolescents, young adults, and adults, specifically focusing on adjustment issues, significant life changes, anxiety, depression, grief, and loss. My passion is to empower clients to identify what is valuable and sacred in their lives, to enjoy a greater sense of connection and belonging, and to find meaning and purpose in their lived experiences. 

Diane is responsible for organizing and coordinating day to day office operations, in order to ensure organizational effectiveness and efficiency of all therapists at WCPA.