Welcome to the Evergreens

We believe that “most lessons in life are caught, not just taught,” which is why we offer practical insight, mental health education, and community connection to help you understand your brain, your trauma, and your path to growth.

Latest Insights

Beyond the Blog

Let’s Connect!

Follow us for educational videos, quick mental health tips, and accessible deep-dives into trauma and therapeutic insights. Here Joanna shares stories and breaks down complex concepts (like the brain and rewiring ) to empower you on your journey.

YouTube
Instagram

Community Resources

Resources & Professionals We Trust.

A strong support system extends beyond the therapy room. Below you will find the books and practitioners Joanna trusts and recommends to her community.

Books

The Dance of Anger
Harriet Lerner

It’s a classic for a reason. This book does an amazing job at explaining Family Systems, and explaining (with examples) Change Back Reactions. Lerner explains how the goal of a system is NOT to grow and improve necessarily, but to maintain homeostasis, hence why when a person does start to really grow and evolve, sometimes it’s our spouse or family members who can be the least supportive, because by growing and evolving, we’re rocking the boat, and how dare we do that!

When one person changes, the whole system will change, and the system will have to collectively decide how it is going to respond to the changes you’ve made. Sometimes they grow and change with us, sometimes they learn to simply accept and respect the new you, sometimes they devolve, hoping you will go back to the way you were.

Find this book →
Fair Play
Eve Rodsky

Eve Rodsky paved the way for starting the conversation around invisible labor and the mental load. For clients who are struggling with ongoing conflict concerning domestic labor, this book gives couples an incredibly thorough and detailed overview of ALL the tasks that go into running a home and raising a family, including emotional labor as well. From here, hopefully couples can have a visual representation of who is doing what, so we see where the couple is starting and provide a game plan for how couples can move towards a more equitable division of labor. And for those who are too busy to read the book, there’s a deck of cards game version as well.

Find this book →
The Gifts of Imperfection
Brené Brown

Any of her books are great, but this is the hallmark book that spells out all of her research around shame, and why it is so damaging to individuals, couples, and society at large. She breaks down the differences between shame, guilt, humiliation, and embarrassment, giving us the readers greater discernment as to which of the emotions listed above we are feeling. Plus, this is the book in which she gives the pillars in which someone can actively combat shame and build a life grounded in a sense of worthiness and “I am enough.”

Find this book →
When Religion Hurts You
Dr. Laura Anderson

Dr. Anderson does a great job at detailing the elements that make up a High-Control Religion. It might not meet all of the qualifications of a cult…but it’s very cult-like, and not safe to venture off course without risking your acceptance and belonging within the community. As someone who grew up in a high-control religion herself, she provides great insight and validation to anyone who is struggling with religious trauma, and that it really is a thing!

Find this book →
Burnout
Emily and Amelia Nagoski

These sisters break down the difference between stress and stressors and why that matters. We often talk about reducing stress in our life, but what we’re really doing is reducing stressors, and if we don’t address the way our body is feeling and maybe not really metabolizing stress, we’re not actually helping ourselves all that much. Plus, they are freaking hysterical, so they do a great job at teaching us all about stress while being super entertaining at the same time.

Find this book →
Book of Boundaries
Melissa Urban

Even though she isn’t a licensed therapist/psychiatrist, I love this book on boundaries because she actually provides scripts on what it would look like in real life situations to implement and uphold a boundary, with a tiered system of how to go from gentle to firm. Most books on boundaries simply discuss what they are and why they’re important, she takes it one step further and lets you know what it would actually look like in real life situations.

Find this book →
Attached to God
Krispin Mayfield

We know our parents and childhood memories can serve as a blueprint for how we form relationships later in life, but have we ever wondered how our human experiences and relationships impact the way we see God? Krispin offers insight and guidance as to how we can develop an insecure attachment style to God and exercises in developing a secure attachment rooted in unconditional love and safety.

Find this book →
The Body Keeps the Score
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk

One of the hallmark books presenting a body of evidence of how traumatic experiences can shape and impact our physical bodies. Dr. van der Kolk walks readers through understanding how traumatic experiences can keep our bodies stuck in a state of alarm, causing all kinds of various sensations and stimuli to cause us to relive our past. For anyone wanting to get a better understanding of how we are shaped by the adversity we face, this is a must read.

Find this book →
No Bad Parts
Dr. Richard Schwartz

Creator of Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dr. Richard Schwartz helps us understand ourselves through the lens of recognizing how multi-faceted we are — that inside each of us is our own internal family, or “parts.” When we carry parts that have been burdened to protect other parts of ourselves, we start to develop destructive behavior. When parts are unburdened and able to return to their original role in our internal family, we have the space and freedom to live as our true self.

Find this book →
Good Inside
Dr. Becky Kennedy

Dr. Becky Kennedy is a clinical psychologist, who guides parents built around one foundational idea: kids are inherently good inside, even when their behavior is challenging — and the goal of parenting isn’t to control behavior, but to understand it.

One of her main concepts is connection precedes correction: kids are more likely to cooperate and develop self regulation when they feel securely connected to a parent, not when they feel controlled or threatened.

Most importantly, Dr. Becky emphasizes the importance of repair. As parents, we do not need to be perfect to build a secure attachment, but she does call out the need for parents to model for their kids what it looks like to apologize when things go sideways (because of us).  When we as parents own our faults and apologize, we are modeling the type of emotional maturity we would want for them, and the type of accountability they should look for in future relationships as adults.

If you are a parent or know a parent who is looking for guidance and information on how to balance providing structure and boundaries along with love, compassion, and nurture, Dr. Becky’s Good Inside is the roadmap that will get them on their way.

Find this book →

Professionals We Trust

Samina Qureshi
Registered Dietician, Wholesome Start Nutrition

Samina Qureshi works with anyone healing from Eating Disorders and/or living with IBS. Passionate supporter of the Healthy At Every Size (HAES) framework. If you, like so many of us, were taught how to diet, but never really learned how to eat, Samina can help you heal a mindset of restriction, to eating with the intent to nourish and care for your whole self.

Visit their website →
Angela Martinez
Licensed Professional Counselor

Angela Martinez is a fellow therapist who specializes in trauma, certified in EMDR, and is so incredibly gifted with children and adolescents. Her energy, mixed with her creativity and warm spirit, creates the perfect recipe for any child (or inner child) in need of support. Angela is also bilingual, fluent in English and Spanish, and will gladly work with clients in whichever language is most comfortable to them.

Visit their website →
Kathleen Smith, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor

I had the pleasure of working alongside Kathleen Smith, LPC, and can speak to both her clinical skill and her professionalism firsthand. Kathleen’s insight provides her clients with much needed insight and grace, and she has a real gift for translating that insight into practical, effective support. If you are looking for the option of in-person sessions, I recommend her without hesitation to anyone in the Houston area.

Visit their website →
Revere Counseling
Licensed Professional Counselor – Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist – Supervisor

Melissa Ramsey, LPC-S, RPT-S is a trusted, well-established play therapist in the Houston area. Melissa provides both the playfulness alongside the steady groundedness needed to support children navigating stress and/or trauma. Melissa also provides helpful guidance and support through ongoing communication with parents/caregivers as they also learn how to better meet the needs of their children. Melissa provides both virtual (state wide) and in-person sessions in the Houston area.

Visit their website →

Consumer Protection & Patient Rights

Consumer Health Record Access & Complaints (HB 4224)

In compliance with Texas House Bill 4224, Rooted. Nested. provides the following instructions for consumers regarding health care records and complaints:

You Don’t Have to Navigate This Journey Alone.

Healing is not a solo project. While these tools are here to support your self-reflection, true growth happens in the context of a safe, supportive relationship. Let’s build your “nest” together.

Schedule Your Free Consultation
Review Our Trauma-Informed Services