“I am an interactive therapist who strives to be very attuned to your feelings, thoughts, beliefs, etc. I listen deeply and pay attention to your words, actions and body language. This is so I can help you uncover both conscious and unconscious mental states that you might be unaware of, or that might be blocking you from feeling better and moving forward with your life goals. I specialize in attachment and family trauma. I find that many adults who come to therapy have a history that involves a difficult childhood. I can help such adults understand their own trauma, how it has impacted them and how to move through this pain. If you are a parent, I can help you understand your emotional reactions to your children and help you deal with the stress of parenting. For you children, I can help them learn how to regulate their emotions and as a result, regulate their behaviors. I generally practice psychoanalytically-informed, attachment-based, relational therapy. When I work with children/adolescents and families, I frequently employ Mentalization-Based Therapy, an evidenced-based treatment approach.”

Dr. Adkins started her career in child welfare and has 20+ years experience working with foster/adoptive families and children with emotional/behavioral issues. Her deep passion to help these families and understand family trauma led her to study in London at the world-renowned Anna Freud Center, a non-profit that specializes in treating fostered and adopted children and their parents. Prior to this Dr. Adkins earned her BS in Psychology from Texas A&M University. She then obtained her Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Texas State University and later a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychoanalytic Psychology and a PhD in Theoretical Psychoanalysis, both from University College London and the Anna Freud Center in London, under the mentorship of Dr. Peter Fonagy, with whom she continues to publish and work with. While in London, she received training in Mentalization Based Therapy and the Parent Development Interview.She is currently a Research Assistant Professor in the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at University of Texas at Austin, and specializes in creating and evaluating trauma informed, attachment-based parenting interventions. Her work has resulted in the development of an evidenced-based parenting intervention called Family Minds that is gaining international attention.

Dr. Adkins Currently sees clients over video conference. She can be reached at drtinaadkins@gmail.com or by calling 512.366.2301.

www.tinaadkinsphd.com