Dallas Marriage And Family Therapist Helps Clients Develop Coping Skills
Diana Bigham is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Keller, Texas. The Garland native loved helping people so she earned her bachelor's in psychology at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene. Upon graduation, she worked at Harmony Family Services assisting in an emergency shelter for youths aged 6 to 17.
"Knowing that you are working directly with kids to help them get some consistency and on the road to a better environment is an honor and a privilege," said Bigham.
She decided to return to school and earn a master's in Family Psychology from Hardin-Simmons. "I didn't go back school to get an increase in pay; I went back to fulfill my passion," said Bigham.
"The most effective way to make an impact for youth is influencing the system that they are in, i.e. working with their family, their parents on parenting and the school that child attends. This doesn't overlook the importance of doing individual counseling with youth but working with the system cannot be neglected."
As a direct reflection of the marital relationship, children can display problems, i.e. anxiety, anger, irritability. Bigham counsels couples and families on building healthy relationships.
"My greatest joy is seeing success in the lives of individuals and families that I work with in my practice," said Bigham.
How does Bigham deal with depressed, stressful clients? "You have to have more capacity than your clients. You cannot give what you do not have. My higher education prepared me with the ability to give appropriate service and also taught me the importance of self-care."
"Going back to school gives you an excellent foundation for helping others. In your undergraduate studies, you get a general overview of a variety of subjects. When you go for your master's, you get to dive into your passion, knowing how to do research, how to asses people and the direct work of helping others," said Bigham.
Robin D. Everson is a native Chicagoan who resides in Dallas, Texas. Her appreciation for art, food, wine, people and places has helped her become a well-respected journalist. A life-long lover of education, Robin seeks to learn and enlighten others about culture. You can find her work at Examiner.com