Stephanie Patak

Stephanie’s ultimate goal as a counselor is to form a genuine and nonjudgmental connection with her clients - to hear them, see them, believe them, and hold space for their unique process and growth. Stephanie is driven by the reality that trauma touches us all throughout the lifespan and has a calling for helping individuals process and grieve adverse experiences. She understands how trauma might leave an individual feeling defective, overwhelmed, and unsafe in their own body and strives to offer hope and compassion as they navigate their own unique journey. Stephanie provides a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space to walk alongside her clients in the counseling process. She helps individuals find lasting and effective coping strategies so they can feel empowered and make meaningful change in their lives. 

Stephanie earned her Master of Science in Counseling from Southern Methodist University, where she received training and experience in a variety of areas, including family violence and intimate partner violence, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and psychology of addictions. She also pursued additional training for sexual trauma and sexual assault advocacy. Additionally, Stephanie is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which is an effective, evidence-based approach to treating trauma.

Stephanie works with adolescent and adult individuals, families, and groups. She utilizes both traditional talk therapy as well as expressive arts therapy. Stephanie’s clinical experience includes serving as a counselor intern for SMU’s Center for Family Counseling, where she provided individual therapy to adults of all ages. She then worked as a counselor intern and survivor advocate at The Turning Point, Collin County’s Rape Crisis Center. There, she worked with survivors of sexual assault and abuse, providing psychoeducation about the neurological, emotional, and physical impacts of sexual assault, as well as provided individual counseling and EMDR services to adults and adolescents.