Introducing Dr. Marilyn Powell
I am a licensed psychologist providing online individual and couples therapy throughout Texas. People have more strength, resilience, and capacity for change than they realize. Sometimes, however, life’s challenges make it difficult to recognize those strengths or know how to move forward.
I help people gain perspective, better understand themselves and their relationships, and develop practical ways to create meaningful change. I am adept at creating connections in a distance/telehealth format, having provided clinical and educational services online for many years.
My approach is collaborative, thoughtful, and practical. I believe you must feel genuinely heard and understood in therapy, especially when attending sessions online, but also be collaboratively challenged to change old patterns, consider new perspectives, and develop tools that are effective in your life.
Areas of Specialization
- Individual Counseling
- Couples Counseling
- Relationship Issues
- Career Issues and Burnout
About Dr. Powell
Each person brings a unique combination of experiences, strengths, beliefs, and challenges to therapy. I work to understand what matters most to you so I can tailor our work together accordingly.
I work with adults and couples experiencing anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, grief, and significant life transitions. I have worked in an online format for years, supporting clients and students through my ability to connect warmly and effectively outside of the office. I have an additional interest in working with professionals, executives, and women navigating the complexities of careers, relationships, family responsibilities, and changing expectations of themselves and others as life evolves through the inevitable twists and turns – and/or the workplace becomes the challenge.
I draw from evidence-based psychological approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy, while considering the broader context of your life. I enjoy helping people understand the connections between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors as you examine current situations and relationships.
Supporting Personal Growth & Relationships
Much of my work focuses on helping adults navigate the complexities of relationships, careers, family responsibilities, and personal identity.
For individuals, this may mean managing anxiety or depression, rebuilding confidence, processing loss, navigating a major transition, or recognizing that something in life is not working as well as it could.
For couples, I focus on helping partners better understand one another, recognize patterns that contribute to conflict or disconnection, improve communication, and strengthen their ability to approach challenges together. In an online setting, this requires each person to be on the same platform and in the same room – increasing the connection between partners and allowing me to support and gently challenge while observing real-time interactions.
People who are highly capable and successful in their professional lives – or who spend considerable time caring for others, such as first responders, teachers, and caregivers for elderly parents –sometimes find it especially difficult to acknowledge when they need support. Online counseling helps those with multiple responsibilities achieve change even when they cannot drive to a therapy office.
Education & Professional Background
I earned a PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kansas after completing an undergraduate degree in Psychology at Austin College in Sherman, Texas.
My professional career began in public mental health settings, including community mental health centers and correctional settings, followed by work with a nonprofit family therapy organization in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Over the years, I combined clinical practice with leadership roles in higher education, including senior executive positions focused on organizational effectiveness, student success, and professional development – often in remote roles, bringing students or teams together from various locations to create meaningful progress. These experiences shaped my understanding of people, relationships, organizational dynamics, and the challenges that accompany personal and professional change – and helped me hone distance-focused communication, connection, and change.
A Supportive Space to Begin
I see therapy as a partnership. You bring your experiences, priorities, and knowledge of your own life. I bring non-judgmental clinical expertise, perspective, and a commitment to helping you identify what will be most useful.
You will work with me to understand the challenges you are facing, recognize the strengths you already possess, and develop approaches that fit your goals and circumstances. My hope is that therapy helps you not only manage life’s difficulties, but also build a life that feels more satisfying, connected, and meaningful.
