meet anne-marie
I have been a Masters level social worker since 2002 and have a wide variety of experiences in mental, physical, social and spiritual health. I have been involved in international grass-roots reconciliation groups in post-war social reconstruction in the Balkans where we were addressing the role of identity in conflict. I have worked in health care environments providing support for chronically and terminally ill clients and their families. I have also provided psychotherapy services to adults in a community mental health setting in East Austin.
My first passion in life was the littlest things I could see, the tiny creatures crawling in the garden. I haven’t lost the spark, and today the outdoors and native gardening are still sources of great pleasure for me. I love the dirt and the wildlife and the beauty and the mess. I like to think of it as a bit of a metaphor for life.
I grew up the daughter of a geologist, exploring caves for mineral specimens and turning over rocks to discover their inhabitants below. I self-identify as a science geek and taught in the field of Earth Science. My undergraduate studies focused on animal behavior, biological psychology, and neuroscience, which I bring into the therapy room to help contextualize the human experience. My background in science helps inform my practice by conceptualizing interpersonal challenges from the standpoint of how the brain works.
I draw not only on the science of the mind, but also on personal experience with finding the ways in which my own nervous system needs attention in order to be in optimal health. This body-connected, right-brain practice helps balance the more left brain attributes of facts and analysis inherent in practicing the sciences. An integration of the two has provided grounding in science for the conceptualization of the therapeutic process and why body and mind therapy works on a neurological level. This practice has also been transformative in my own life, and I want to help people connect with this untapped well of self-experience that is healing, nurturing, affirming, and integrative. It begins with a mindful practice and a spirit of acceptance without judgment.
Anne-Marie and her wild garden are in North Central Austin.