Hi! I'm pleased to meet you. ◡̈
My name is Dr. Audrey Zatopek, Ph.D., LPC-S, LCDC, and thank you for taking time to get to know me! Take your time, look around, and learn as much as you'd like.
Please enjoy my site and reach out if you have any questions! Below you can read about my associations, education, values, training, and work experience.
Associations & Affiliations
As a counseling professional, I consider it important to belong to professional associations and groups in order to maintain my competency and professionalism. At present, I am a member of the following associations, societies, and divisions:
- American Counseling Association: ACES and IAAOC Divisions
- Chi Sigma Iota International Honor Society
- Golden Key International Honor Society
- International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation
- Texas Association of Addiction Professionals
- Texas Counseling Association: TAADA, TACES, and TCDA Divisions
Core Values, Mission Statement, & Vision
Core Values: I highly value collaboration, compassion, dignity, integrity, respect, and practicing in a competent and ethical manner. Additionally, I value autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity, as outlined in the
American Counseling Association's 2014 Code of Ethics.
Mission Statement: My hope as a counseling professional is to bring as much hope, healing, light, and education as I can to the often pain-stricken world we live in.
Vision: My vision for the Mental Health Institute is that it will provide culturally competent, holistic, and wellness focused services that facilitate the dignity, well-being and potential of all people.
Education
I started my collegiate career at Lindenwood University in St. Louis, Missouri on a volleyball scholarship and transferred back to an institution in my home state of Texas shortly after deciding cold weather was not for me! I have a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology with a Minor in Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin (2013), a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Counseling from Houston Graduate School of Theology (2015), and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Counselor Education from Texas Tech University (2024). With these degrees, I hope to educate undergraduate-level and master-level counseling students for many years into the future!
Training
In the state of Texas, I am both a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPC-S; #76358) and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC; #13534). Primarily, I employ Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. Outside of these approaches, I have completed trainings in Brainspotting, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Hypnosis, Parts & Memory Therapy (P&MT), Revisioning, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, which are therapies that can weaken the emotional distress associated with traumatic memories from the past. Research has suggested that they can help with phobias, PTSD, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, addictions, and eating disorders, among other issues.
I have also completed over 200 hours of training related to trauma and dissociation. As an important part of my professional identity, I frequently attend continuing education events to stay informed of best and empirically backed practices.
Work Experience
As an educator, I have taught undergraduate and graduate counseling courses at the University of Houston and Midwestern State University. As a teaching assistant I have taught at the University of Houston, Texas Tech University, Houston Graduate School of Theology, Midwestern State University, and Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
As a researcher, I have been part of research teams at University of Texas at Austin, Texas Tech University, University of Houston, and Midwestern State University investigating the topics of PTSD, smoking cessation, online bullying, Covid-19, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the mental health of mental healthcare workers.
As a psychotherapist, I have a varied work history involving working at a Christian not-for-profit center, psychiatric hospitals, a residential substance abuse treatment facility, the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department with offenders on probation, Montgomery County Jail, and a group psychologist practice. Across these settings, I have worked with many clients ages 5 to 88 and of varying backgrounds, ethnicities, and genders. As a former college athlete, I also have experience working with clients on issues related to sports and sports performance. In summary, I have worked with persons struggling with many different issues, and as such, I have gained a wealth of experience. I look forward to helping all of my clients on their journeys towards healing and wholeness, and I hope that I can help you with yours!
