Our Counselors

Michelle Kearby
Abbie Douglas

Michelle Kearby

Michelle Kearby is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in adolescents, adults, children and families.

Summary

Seven Years Experience in Psychotherapy, with Emphasis in:

Anxiety
Behavior Problems/Modification
Crisis Management
Depression
Divorce
Eating Disorders
Grief and Loss
Marital and Relationship Issues
Parenting
Play Therapy
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Self-Esteem Issues
Stress Management
Sexual Abuse Treatment for Children and Adults

Work Experience:

Psychotherapist, Private Practice, Plano, Texas 2006-Present
Contracted Therapist for Frisco Independent School District (Hope Rising), 2006-2008
Court Ordered Supervised Visits, 2006-Present
Child and Family Counselor, Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center 2001-2005
Expert Witness in Criminal and Civil Cases 2001-Present

Education:

M.S. in Family Therapy, Texas Woman’s University, 2002
B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies with emphasis in Early Childhood Education and Child Development, Texas Woman’s University, 2000

Licensure:

Licensed Professional Counselor, Texas: License No. 19800
Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, Texas: License No. 3421

Professional Activities:

Parent and Child Programs:

Adolescent female expressive art therapy group and innovative parental curriculum
Implemented and facilitated psycho educational group for parents

Support Groups:

Support group for parents and children experiencing abuse
Support group for Hurricane Katrina Survivors

Professional Affiliations:

American Counseling Association
Texas Counseling Association

Abbie Douglas

Southern Methodist University Practica Student

Qualifications: I am a graduate student in Southern Methodist University’s counseling program working toward completion of a master’s degree. I am qualified to counsel under the supervision of a faculty member of Southern Methodist University’s counseling program and/or Michelle Kearby, a licensed mental health professional at Next Step Counseling. My formal education, both undergraduate and graduate, has prepared me to counsel adults, adolescents, and children both as individuals and in groups.

Experience: I have earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma where I majored in Psychology and minored in Spanish. My studies at SMU have focused on child counseling and play therapy. I further administrated pscyhoeducational assessments for a private practice as well as the Shelton School in my spare time and I am a member of the Texas Counseling Association.

Nature of Counseling: It is my belief that we all struggle in some way as a part of life. Striving to accomplish and be our best according to ourselves, others, and society can become very complicated. Often we attempt to escape our feelings of inferiority through a variety of self-defeating alternatives that will only perpetuate feelings of uselessness. As a counselor I believe in the client. Through a therapeutic relationship the counselor can assist the client in exploring the struggles he/she may be experiencing, discover why the client may be struggling, and begin to practice and develop practices to overcome these behaviors or beliefs that have become problematic. I also believe in the efficacy of a person’s subjective experience and in their ability to overcome obstacles in their life by their own will. Thus, our time together can be spent discussing significant struggles and/or occurrences in your life. Together we can discover the strength within you that may help to overcome the distress life has caused.