My Story

I am an autistic Licensed Psychologist and School Psychologist with a deep commitment to helping individuals and families better understand the many ways people think, learn, communicate, and experience the world. I am the founder and owner of Grace Psychological Services, a group practice in The Woodlands, Texas, as well as The Psych Concierge, a recently launched business designed to support psychologists and mental health professionals with the behind-the-scenes needs of practice.

I grew up in a small town in East Texas as the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Spanish was my first language, and I learned English when I started school. Along the way, I was fortunate to have wonderful teachers who recognized me as a gifted learner and encouraged me to pursue academic excellence. Their belief in me had a lasting impact. Around fifth grade, I decided I wanted to become a psychologist. I remember observing the adults around me make decisions that seemed confusing or illogical to me, and I wanted to understand why people behave the way they do. That curiosity about human behavior, decision-making, and relationships eventually became the foundation of my professional path. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2000 and later completed my Master’s degree in School Psychology at the University of Houston–Clear Lake in 2003. As an early-career school psychologist in the Houston area, I was asked to evaluate students to determine whether they met special education eligibility criteria for Autism. At that time, there was limited training available on what Autism truly is and how to evaluate it well. When I returned to school to earn my PhD in School Psychology, I intentionally sought specialized training in developmental differences and Autism. I completed practicum experiences at Texas Children’s Hospital Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics and what was then known as MHMRA, where I gained invaluable experience in understanding Autism and its many presentations. In 2018, I founded Grace Psychological Services as a group practice. I chose the name “Grace” after the swan, which holds special meaning for me. The colors surrounding the swan in our logo represent the diversity of the human experience, including cultural and linguistic identity, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, and the many other meaningful differences that shape who we are. Our mission at Grace Psychological Services is to make high-quality mental health services more accessible to individuals and families in our community through a neurodiversity-affirming approach. I believe the power of neurodiversity-affirming care is immeasurable. My goal is to continue educating, supporting, and empowering our community by helping others understand the value of honoring differences rather than pathologizing them.