About Denise

Denise O’Doherty, LPC, MSN, LMFT, RN, a native New Yorker, is a psychotherapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified IMAGO Relationship Therapist and Registered Nurse. In addition to her 25-year, full-time private practice in Houston, Texas, she is an educator, lecturer and author. Denise presents regularly to professional, corporate and civic organizations on personal development and transgender education. She has been a Clinical Instructor for the University of Texas at Houston School of Nursing. Denise specializes in Gender Identity Issues, Marriage and Family Therapy, Relationship Counseling, Pre-Marital Counseling, Addiction, Recovery and Codependency.

Education

• MSN – University of Florida
  Masters Degree Psychiatric Nursing/Adult Mental Health
• BSN -State University of New York at Stony Brook
  Bachelors of Science in Nursing
• AA – University of South Florida
  Associates of Arts

Licenses

• LPC -Licensed Professional Counselor – 1990- present
• LMFT -Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist – 1992-present
• CIRT -Certified IMAGO Relationship Therapist – 1994-present
• RN -Registered Nurse – Active License
• LCDC -Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor -23 years

Additional Certifications

• Completed “Post Induction Therapy Training” on childhood trauma led by Pia Melody in association with the Meadows Treatment Center
• Previously Licensed LPC & LMFT Supervisor – 2014
• Previously Certified as a DWI Education Program Instructor

Instructional Experience

• Leisure Learning Unlimited – 20 years: Instructor for the following Adult Self- Empowerment and Growth Classes:
  • Overcoming the Power Struggle in Relationships
  • Secrets to Finding and Maintaining a Long Term Relationship
  • Coping with Fear, Panic and Anxiety
  • Confidence and Self-Esteem
  • Getting What You Want Through Effective Confrontation
  • Personal Boundaries: Teaching People How to Treat You
  • How to Cope with Criticism and Overcome Shame
  • Romantic and Intimate Relationships: How To Make Them Work
  • Managing Depression
• Conference/Corporate Speaker. Denise has been a regular speaker at various professional conferences including: Gender Infinity, Houston Association of Marriage & Family Therapists, Spectrum Alcohol & Recovery, and more. In addition to conferences, Denise also lecturers for professional companies, corporations, civic and social groups.
• Univ. of Texas Health Science Center Past Clinical Instructor, Psychiatric Nursing Program

Professional Memberships & Associations

• HAIRT – Houston Association of IMAGO Therapists
• AAMFT – American Association of Marriage & Family Therapists
• HAMFT – Houston Association of Marriage & Family Therapists
• WPATH – World Professional Association of Transgendered Health
• CFAMFT- Central Florida Associate of Marriage and Family Therapists
• HGPA- Houston Group Psychotherapy Association

Conference Presentations and Lectures

• O’Doherty, D- “How to Effectively and Ethically treat Transgender Patients-for dentists” Houston Equity and Dental Network. August 2020.
• O’Doherty,D.- Houston Group Psychotherapy Association. HGPS 2020 Institute. “Ethical Issues Working with Transgender Individuals and their Families inside and out of Group Therapy” June 2020.
• O’Doherty, D..-Houston Area Marriage and Family Therapy Association.”Thriving Through Transition”-Self Care for Parents of Transgender Children. September 2019
• O’Doherty, D. – TAMFT – Houston, TX- “Transgender Issues in Psychotherapy”.
• O’Doherty, D. – S.P.I.C.E. – Atlanta, Georgia- “Bedroom Issues and key ingredients for Healthy sexuality”.
• O’Doherty, D. – SPECTRUM – Houston, TX. “Increasing Self-Esteem and Confidence through Personal Boundaries and Effective Confrontation”.
• O’Doherty, D.- TLC: Power in Motion – Houston, TX “Overcoming the Power Struggle in Relationships”.
• O’Doherty, D. The Women’s Group- First Unitarian Universalist Church, Houston, TX. “Sex Drive Desire Discrepancies in Relationships- What to do when your desires don’t match”
• O’Doherty, D.- International Foundation for Gender Education, Inc.- Austin, TX- panel discussion “Children of Transgender Parents- Their Issues and How to Cope with Them”.
• O’Doherty, D.  Tri-Ess – Holiday En-Femme- “Overcoming the Power Struggle in Relationships” and “Crossdressing in Marriage”.
• O’Doherty, D. Texas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Conference- Houston, TX.  “Crossdressing in Marriage”.
• O’Doherty, D.- NASA – United Space Alliance, League City, TX. “Assert Yourself- Personal Boundaries and Effective Confrontation”.
• O’Doherty, D.- University of Houston. Dept. of Cultural Diversity. “Confidence and Self-Esteem”.
• O’Doherty, D.- AssistHers, Houston, TX. – “Addictions and Recovery”
• O’Doherty, D. Keo-Meir, Colt- United Methodist Church, Houston, TX.- “Revised Mental Health Standards of Care for those working with Transgender Clients”.
• O’Dohery, D- Montrose Center, Houston, TX.  Therapist Inservice. “Thriving Through Transition- Self Care for parents of transgender children.”2019.
• O’Doherty,D. – Unity Church, Houston, TX. -Heart to Heart- “Effective Confrontation”.
• O’Doherty, D.- Unity Church, Houston, TX. “How to Create Happy Healthy Relationships”.
• O’Doherty, D.  The Council on Alcohol and Drugs, Houston, TX. – “Finding and Maintaining Long Term Relationships”.
• O’Doherty, D, The Council on Alcohol and Drugs, Houston, TX.- The Meadows Public Lecture Series “Developing Personal Boundaries”.
• O’Doherty, D. Tau Chi Chapter Meeting, Houston, TX. – “A New Look at Femininity”.
• O’Doherty, D. Houston Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution, Houston, TX. “Fighting Fair in Relationships”.
• O’Doherty, D. Williams Energy, Houston, TX. – “Transgender 101- Dealing with Transition in the Workplace”.
• O’Doherty, D. – TAMFT – Houston, TX- “Transgender Issues in Psychotherapy”.

• O’Doherty, D. – S.P.I.C.E. – Atlanta, Georgia- “Bedroom Issues and key ingredients for Healthy sexuality”.
• O’Doherty, D. – SPECTRUM – Houston, TX. “Increasing Self-Esteem and Confidence through Personal Boundaries and Effective Confrontation”.
• O’Doherty, D.- TLC: Power in Motion – Houston, TX “Overcoming the Power Struggle in Relationships”.
• O’Doherty, D. The Women’s Group- First Unitarian Universalist Church, Houston, TX. “Sex Drive Desire Discrepancies in Relationships- What to do when your desires don’t match”
• O’Doherty, D.- International Foundation for Gender Education, Inc.- Austin, TX- panel discussion “Children of Transgender Parents- Their Issues and How to Cope with Them”.
• O’Doherty, D.  Tri-Ess – Holiday En-Femme- “Overcoming the Power Struggle in Relationships” and “Crossdressing in Marriage”.