Author: Dr. Futrell PsyD, LPC-S

Dr. Futrell has a considerable breadth of experience in multiple clinical settings. She enjoys working with adolescents (ages 13+), adults and geriatric populations. She obtained both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia where she began her career assisting teen mothers with education, parent training and observation of developmental milestones for Child Abuse Prevention Services. She has an innate ability to connect with teens and has worked with at-risk youth successfully at Texans Can Academy. She served as the adolescent Youth Program Manager at Sundance Behavioral Hospital and then transitioned into the inpatient Clinical Director position providing crisis stabilization services, support for substance abuse, grief, depression, anxiety, self-harm and other serious mental illnesses. Dr. Futrell has spent several years working with adult and geriatric populations in acute inpatient, intensive outpatient (IOP), and outpatient settings. She enjoys working with those who struggle with chemical dependency (CD) issues and successfully ran a chemical dependency intensive outpatient program (CD-IOP) helping people with addictions in addition to depression, trauma, PTSD, Bipolar disorder, disabilities, schizophrenia, and complex grief. Dr. Futrell’s approach is strongly grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). She implements DBT and offers a seasoning of psychodynamic philosophy which enhances the flavor of the therapeutic process. How one thinks strongly impacts feelings and consequent behaviors. We often have developed layers upon layers of ourselves to protect the inner core. Identifying core beliefs and determining their accuracy is often the beginning of significant changes and more effective ways of dealing with life’s challenges. Dr. Futrell graduated with her doctorates in clinical psychologist program in order to offer more comprehensive services to better diagnose and develop an individualized treatment. Helping the individual as a whole is a primary goal. She looks forward to walking with you along your self journey. Dr. Futrell offers some afternoon, evening, and weekend (Sunday) appointments .

When the scorpion stings

Dr. Futrell PsyD, LPC-S

Last night after all of my sessions, I went into my kitchen to take my vitamins only to be struck by a scorpion. I have heard how painful it is, but never imagined the intense amount of pain I would experience and how long the pain lasted or magnified throughout the night. I am thankful it happened to me and not our granddaughter who is crawling around the house to a wild woman. LOL

It really had me thinking “death would feel better right now”. How many times has that run across your mind? If I were not to wake up, or get me out of this pain I am feeling right now? Life can have the most painful moments. Yet, it can also bring the most beautiful moments or moments where we would rather it happen to us than our children or grandchildren. Even with the pain all night from the sting, I realized that the pain slowly started to decrease. Sure, I didn’t want to feel the excruciating pain (I rank it one of my top 5). However, I have survived it and all of the curveballs life has thrown my way. I know others have survived worse, but I don’t compare my pain to others because for me it was one of the worst. Our experiences are just that, our own experiences. Remember to sit in the pain can be a powerful experience for you and we are here to help sit with you.

Last night, I was unable to walk on my foot because of the pain and my husband had to give me a piggyback ride to get into bed. I watched the girl’s gymnastics win the gold to try and redirect my thoughts. The redirection helped some, but my husband’s support of helping me reminded me of how therapy is for others. We are here to support you through your journey in life with all of the curveballs. Everyone needs a support system and sometimes even more support at one point in their life. There is no shame in that. There is only love and understanding. ❤

Life’s Frustrations

Dr. Futrell PsyD, LPC-S

Have you ever had a day where it seems like nothing is going your way. You are feeling ambitious and motivated to achieve things, but every time you are touching things something else goes wrong that you are having to try and figure out? NO? Just me. Welcome to me trying to remember how to edit this website to add the new clinicians and update things that have expired. All in a way where I just want to go back to bed and try again another day. Maybe that is what we need. To stop and have a redo another day. American society is a constant go go go world. When visiting other countries, I see they take time to relax. They are less stressed about the mundane daily life of work. They seem to know how to balance themselves and invest in something that gives back to their mental health. What do you focus on daily? Do you allow yourself the time to walk away or just sit in the frustration? I am choosing to walk away and try to figure this site out another day. Deep breaths… Dr. Futrell