Raquel Diaz, Graduate Student Intern

My Story.

I am a native Houstonian, with a 10 year background in Business. From a very early age, I was always drawn to the idea of starting my own business. So when I grew up, I followed the business path, studied it, and eventually got the “business job” I had always dreamed of. What I hadn’t realized is that starting a business and working in business are two very different things. During that point in life I felt incredibly BORED, unmotivated, and felt like I wasn’t living up to my potential. It was when I slowed down and payed attention to my inner world, that I finally found the thing that excited me and gave me a real sense of purpose. I have always been a philosopher at heart; a curious, open minded, seeker of truth. I take pride in the fact that people naturally gravitate toward me for support, because I am a great listener who offers a judgement free perspective. Becoming a therapist is the most natural integration of these qualities.

In Therapy.

My current interest lies in supporting teens ages 15-19, as well as high-functioning adults ages 18-40, who are new to therapy and/or those who struggle with ADHD (personally & in parenting), emotion regulation, premarital issues, self-worth/esteem, and those who have a general interest in self-improvement.

If you were a fly on the wall in my therapy sessions, you would hear me saying things such as “emotions carry messages”. You might observe a client being guided through a relaxation technique or learning an emotion regulation skill. You might witness some silence, or even some crying in session, but you will definitely see us laughing together. If you were to ask a previous client of mine what our therapy sessions were like, they would probably tell you how obsessed I am with talking about values (such as integrity, kindess, authenticity to name a few) and dialectical thinking, which means that two things can be true at once (for example, I’m very excited to meet the person reading this biography AND that writing about myself makes me quite a bit uncomfortable).

I believe that the more we make decisions that are rooted in our core values, the less likely we are to experience internal conflict, and the more likely we are to feel truly confident, at peace, and proud of our lives. Therapy is my passion and I would be delighted to support you in your process.