Hello, my name is Michele Nelon. My journey to becoming a counselor is both a personal and academic one. I’d like to share part of my story and how I got here. My early years were not ideal. By the time I was 12 years old, I had been through three step-fathers, attended eight schools in eight years and moved fourteen times. Growing up without security, stability and the emotional support children need to thrive, I developed fears and insecurities which tormented me for decades. I distinctly remember the day I decided to become a counselor. I was sitting in my high school psychology class and thought, “I don’t want other children to experience the pain I had.”  I got engaged at nineteen, married shortly after and spent the first half of my adult life trying hard to be the best wife and mother by reading every book I could find on marriage and motherhood. All my “self-help” failed when my oldest son deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The deep rooted fears and insecurities of my childhood resurfaced, leaving me feeling hopeless in need of help. At my lowest point, I made the bravest decision I had ever made. I scheduled an appointment to see a counselor and began my path to healing the emotional wounds of my past. These events set in motion the course to fulfilling my high school desire of becoming a counselor.

The second half of my adult years have been spent not only on my own healing, but also helping others heal from the wounds of life. I attended Tarleton State University, earning my Master of Science degree in Counseling Psychology. I completed my graduate practicum work at The Women’s Center of Tarrant County. There, I also served as a rape crisis victim advocate for four years and received additional certifications in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Crisis Counseling, while assisting clients with issues of sexual assault and delayed trauma.