Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Dr. Gortner is a licensed Houston Psychologist.
With over 20 years of experience, my specialty is helping people improve their lives and find fulfillment. It is both an honor and a joy to provide psychological services to the diverse and international population of the greater Houston area. I spent my childhood in Texas and Europe. After receiving my undergraduate education at the University of Würzburg in Germany, I completed my masters and doctorate (PhD) degrees in Counseling Psychology at The University of Texas at Austin. My therapy experience includes working for several years as a psychologist at the Rice University Counseling Center, in outpatient mental health settings, numerous university counseling centers, a geriatric rehabilitation hospital, and juvenile detention facilities. I offer therapy services in English and German.
Additional experience includes teaching graduate psychology courses at the University of Texas at Austin and at Our Lady of the Lake University – Houston campus, and guest lecturing at PGP University in Namakkal, India. I have also enjoyed providing supervision and consultation to therapists-in-training, facilitating multicultural training seminars for psychology graduate students, and providing training presentations and workshops on various topics, such as diversity awareness, suicide risk detection and prevention, interracial and intercultural relationships, culture shock and re-entry shock, using expressive writing approaches in therapy, and diverse therapy approaches.
My extensive education as a doctoral level psychologist has equipped me with in-depth clinical training as well as strong knowledge and expertise about conducting and analyzing psychological research. I am licensed by the Texas Board of Examiners of Psychologists to practice psychology in Texas.
DR. GORTNER FEATURED IN THE NEWS
NPR Houston Matters: Counselor Helps Expats Adjust to Houston (Radio interview)
New York Times: Writing Your Way to Happiness (click on first reference link in article)
How to Sit with Someone Else's Pain
Benefits and Risks of an International Childhood
Here are links to a selection of Dr. Gortner's published works:
Expressive Writing and Depression Recovery
Language of Depressed and Depression-Vulnerable Individuals
Responses to Community Disaster and Trauma