North Dallas

Young adulthood can bring exciting possibilities while also leaving you wondering whether you’re making the right decisions about your life, relationships, career, or future. You may feel pressure to know who you are and where you’re headed while still trying to figure those things out. Or you may be building a life with someone you love and discovering that deciding what you want together—while continuing to grow as individuals—can be more complicated than you expected. Therapy can provide a place to slow down, understand yourself more clearly, and become more intentional about the life and relationships you are building.

I especially enjoy working with young adults, individuals, and couples navigating identity, relationships, major decisions, and transitions into new stages of adulthood. These years can involve questions about independence, career, family, commitment, values, and what you want your future to look like. Rather than assuming there is one “right” path, I help clients explore what matters most to them, understand what has shaped them, and make choices that feel more consistent with the person they want to become.

My approach is warm, collaborative, and deeply relational. I believe you are the expert on your own experience, but that doesn’t mean you’re expected to figure everything out on your own. I take an active role in therapy by helping you recognize patterns, consider new perspectives, and connect what you are learning about yourself to meaningful changes outside the therapy room. I want you to feel genuinely heard and supported while also being appropriately challenged when that can help you grow.

With couples, I particularly enjoy working with partners who are building a life together and navigating the decisions, expectations, and transitions that come with commitment. You may be trying to communicate more effectively, understand differences between you, navigate changing roles or expectations, or determine what you want the next stage of your relationship to look like. I help couples slow down their interactions, understand each partner’s perspective, and become more intentional about the kind of relationship they want to create together.

My therapeutic approach is person-centered and holistic, which means our work is tailored to you rather than requiring you to fit into a predetermined formula. We may explore how your relationships, experiences, values, and past have shaped the way you understand yourself and approach important decisions today. At the same time, therapy should be useful beyond the therapy room. Together, we can develop greater insight, confidence, and practical tools for navigating your life and relationships with more clarity and intention.

Hannah Darden is a master’s-level Clinical Mental Health Counseling intern providing counseling at Stanford Couples Counseling’s North Dallas office under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Fast, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist (TX #38062). Hannah earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Baylor University. Her clinical experience includes working with adults from diverse backgrounds navigating emotional, relational, and life challenges. Her clinical interests include young adulthood, identity development, relationship development, couples counseling, life transitions, and navigating major life and relationship decisions.

Hannah Darden is available virtually and in our North Dallas office.

You may love your partner deeply and still wonder how the two of you became so disconnected. Maybe conversations that once felt easy now turn into arguments, defensiveness, or silence. You keep having the same conflicts without resolving them, or you feel a growing “space between” you and the person who once felt closest to you. If you want to reconnect but aren’t sure how to get there, couples therapy can help you understand what is happening between you and begin creating something different.

I work with couples who want to better understand one another, break painful patterns of conflict, and rebuild emotional connection. Often, what looks like an argument about communication, responsibilities, intimacy, or another recurring issue has something deeper underneath it. I help partners slow down those interactions and understand the emotions, needs, fears, and beliefs driving the pattern so they can respond to each other differently.

My approach is compassionate, collaborative, and relationship-focused. I want both partners to experience therapy as a place where they can be honest, feel understood, and take the vulnerable risks necessary for meaningful change. Rather than deciding who is right or wrong, we work together to understand the relationship the two of you have created and how each of you can help close the unwanted “space between.” Love, trust, forgiveness, and emotional safety can be rebuilt when partners learn to show up differently for one another.

My clinical approach draws primarily from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and attachment theory. These approaches help couples understand how emotions and attachment needs influence conflict, identify beliefs that affect how they see themselves and their partner, and learn healthier ways to express what they need from one another. The goal is not simply to communicate better during therapy, but to create new patterns of connection that continue outside the therapy room.

For clients who want their Christian faith to be part of counseling, I also offer faith integration. My graduate training in both counseling and theology allows us to thoughtfully incorporate Christian beliefs, values, and spiritual concerns into therapy to the degree that you want them included. Faith integration is always based on the client’s preferences and is not required to work with me.

John Bautista is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate in the state of Texas (#100806) under the supervision of Lauren Guenther, LPC-S (#71198). John earned both his Master’s in Counseling and Master’s in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. He is particularly passionate about helping couples move from disconnection toward greater understanding, vulnerability, trust, and emotional closeness.

You may appear successful on the outside while feeling overwhelmed on the inside. Others see someone who is capable, dependable, and accomplished, but privately you wrestle with anxiety, overthinking, perfectionism, burnout, or the feeling that you can never quite do enough. Perhaps your mind rarely slows down, you second-guess decisions, or you feel pressure to keep achieving even when you’re running on empty. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to navigate it by yourself.

I enjoy working with adults and couples who are facing anxiety, perfectionism, burnout, relationship concerns, career and academic pressures, and significant life transitions. Many of my clients are professionals, leaders, graduate students, healthcare providers, educators, or others who carry tremendous responsibility while quietly struggling beneath the surface. Together, we’ll work to better understand what’s keeping you stuck, develop practical tools for lasting change, and help you move forward with greater confidence, peace, and purpose.

My approach is warm, collaborative, and practical. I believe you are the expert on your own life, and my role is to provide a supportive space where you feel understood, challenged, and encouraged. I draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and the Gottman Method to help clients quiet the mental noise, overcome unhelpful patterns, strengthen relationships, and build lives that are more aligned with their values.

Before becoming a therapist, I spent many years serving in executive leadership, the information services and technology industries, higher education, military family advocacy, and nonprofit service. I also spent several years as a stay-at-home mother and community volunteer. These diverse experiences allow me to appreciate the unique challenges of leadership, demanding careers, military life, parenting, major life transitions, and the pressure of balancing multiple responsibilities. My goal is to combine practical wisdom with compassionate care to help clients build resilience, make confident decisions, and create meaningful, lasting change.

Margaret Dwiggins, PhD, is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate in Texas (#100973), supervised by Dr. Shannon Moseley, LPC-S, and Shannon Kouser, LPC-S. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology, with research focused on smartphone use, fear of missing out (FOMO), attention, and learning, providing her with unique insight into how digital overload, comparison, and constant distraction can affect focus, confidence, relationships, and emotional well-being. She also holds master’s degrees in Counseling, Psychology, and Business and is both a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation and a Board Certified Coach.

Working with me, I’d hope you’d expect a warm and inviting environment to share your hard truths. I know therapy can be a stressful environment, especially for new clients, and my goal is to make this a safe space for anyone who comes in. I will strive to understand each situation holistically and draw on my education to recognize just how complex people, relationships, and families are, in order to meet you where you’re at in your process. Through our time together, I hope you feel like the space I created for you left you feeling empowered, valued, and heard.

I am motivated by the belief that there needs to be empathetic and passionate professionals in the field of therapy. I’ve always felt a pull towards understanding and connecting with everyone I come across. Relationships in every dynamic are an important part of everyone’s life, and I draw on my positive family experience as a guiding light to be an impactful partner through your process. I am eager to build on my clinical skills, expand my experience, and support couples’ journeys for meaningful growth and healing.

Julia Krantz is a Master’s in Social Work intern supervised by Emily Clark. She is currently working on her MSW at the University of Texas at Arlington with a focus on children and families. Prior to this, she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. After earning her bachelor’s degree, Julia spent four months in Cape Town, South Africa, working with children and families from underserved communities, where she fell in love with the field of Social Work. This experience taught her the value of connection, psychosocial education, and strengthening family bonds. Julia has had ample education in intimate partner violence, children and family counseling, human behavior, and diverse populations. She’s worked in high school settings with young adults ages 14-17 as her first graduate-level internship. Her strengths are in Solution Focused Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Therapy, and she is newly trained on Gottman Level 1.

You may still care deeply about your partner while feeling increasingly disconnected from them. Maybe communication has become tense or unproductive, trust has been damaged, intimacy or your sexual relationship has changed, or you are questioning what the future of your relationship should look like. You may even be wondering whether to stay together, separate, or simply find a way to stop repeating the same painful patterns. Therapy can provide a place to understand what is happening between you and make more intentional decisions about what comes next.

I work with couples experiencing communication difficulties, emotional disconnection, concerns around intimacy and sexuality, loss of trust, family changes, and uncertainty about the future of their relationship. My goal is to create a safe, respectful, and non-judgmental environment where both partners can feel heard and understood. Together, we can identify the patterns keeping you stuck, strengthen communication, explore emotional and physical intimacy, rebuild trust when possible, and clarify what each of you needs from the relationship.

Sometimes couples come to therapy knowing they want to repair their relationship. Others arrive unsure whether staying together is the right decision. I believe therapy can be valuable in both situations. Rather than assuming what the outcome should be, I help couples better understand themselves, each other, and their relationship so they can make thoughtful choices about how they want to move forward.

I also work with individuals who want to better understand their relationship patterns, heal from painful past relationships, or navigate major transitions such as separation, divorce, and changes within their family. My approach is collaborative and grounded in the belief that people have a meaningful capacity for resilience, self-awareness, healing, and growth—even during seasons of significant uncertainty or loss.

As a bilingual therapist, I provide counseling in both English and Spanish. I have worked across different countries and cultures and understand that culture, family, identity, and personal values can significantly shape the way we experience relationships. I strive to provide an inclusive and affirming environment for individuals and couples from a wide range of backgrounds, including members of the LGBTQ+ community and those in open or consensually non-monogamous relationships.

I also have extensive experience working with athletes, helping them navigate the emotional and psychological demands that can accompany training, competition, performance, and life outside of their sport. My professional experience across cultures has also provided me opportunities to serve as a diversity leader with the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Seeking therapy does not mean that you or your relationship have failed. It can be an opportunity to understand what has happened, determine what you want, and begin making intentional changes in your life and relationships.

Lisethe Salcido is a Licensed Professional Counselor – Associate (TX #97728), supervised by Dr. Brian Dutermaine (TX #14438).

Es posible que todavía quieras profundamente a tu pareja y, al mismo tiempo, sientas que cada vez están más distantes. Quizás la comunicación se ha vuelto tensa o difícil, la confianza se ha visto afectada, la intimidad o la relación sexual ha cambiado, o te encuentras cuestionando cómo debería ser el futuro de tu relación. Tal vez incluso te preguntes si deben permanecer juntos, separarse o simplemente encontrar una manera de dejar de repetir los mismos patrones dolorosos. La terapia puede ofrecer un espacio para comprender lo que está sucediendo entre ustedes y tomar decisiones más intencionales sobre lo que viene después.

Trabajo con parejas que enfrentan dificultades de comunicación, desconexión emocional, preocupaciones relacionadas con la intimidad y la sexualidad, pérdida de confianza, cambios familiares e incertidumbre sobre el futuro de su relación. Mi objetivo es crear un ambiente seguro, respetuoso y libre de juicios donde ambos miembros de la pareja puedan sentirse escuchados y comprendidos. Juntos podemos identificar los patrones que los mantienen estancados, fortalecer la comunicación, explorar la intimidad emocional y física, reconstruir la confianza cuando sea posible y aclarar lo que cada uno necesita de la relación.

Algunas parejas llegan a terapia sabiendo que desean reparar su relación. Otras llegan sin estar seguras de si permanecer juntas es la decisión correcta. Creo que la terapia puede ser valiosa en ambas situaciones. En lugar de asumir cuál debería ser el resultado, ayudo a las parejas a comprenderse mejor a sí mismas, a su pareja y a su relación para que puedan tomar decisiones reflexivas sobre cómo desean avanzar.

También trabajo con personas que desean comprender mejor sus patrones de relación, sanar después de relaciones dolorosas o atravesar transiciones importantes como una separación, un divorcio o cambios dentro de su familia. Mi enfoque es colaborativo y parte de la convicción de que las personas poseen una importante capacidad de resiliencia, autoconocimiento, sanación y crecimiento, incluso durante etapas de gran incertidumbre o pérdida.

Como terapeuta bilingüe, ofrezco terapia tanto en español como en inglés. He trabajado en diferentes países y culturas y comprendo que la cultura, la familia, la identidad y los valores personales pueden influir profundamente en la manera en que vivimos nuestras relaciones. Procuro ofrecer un ambiente inclusivo y afirmativo para personas y parejas de diversos orígenes, incluyendo miembros de la comunidad LGBTQ+ y personas en relaciones abiertas o de no monogamia consensuada.

También cuento con amplia experiencia trabajando con atletas, ayudándolos a afrontar las exigencias emocionales y psicológicas que pueden acompañar el entrenamiento, la competencia, el rendimiento y la vida fuera del deporte. Mi experiencia profesional en diferentes culturas también me ha brindado la oportunidad de desempeñarme como líder en diversidad en el Centro de Entrenamiento Olímpico de los Estados Unidos.

Buscar terapia no significa que tú o tu relación hayan fracasado. Puede ser una oportunidad para comprender lo que ha sucedido, definir lo que deseas y comenzar a realizar cambios intencionales en tu vida y en tus relaciones.

At its core, participating in therapy is an act of courage. I believe that a willingness to examine your life and your relationships honestly is the best way to figure out what works, what doesn’t, and what areas need attention. Often, a clear-eyed examination of your life and your relationships with those you love will turn up not only areas that need work, but also areas of strength, ability, and resilience. I love helping individuals, couples, and families identify the things they do best, then apply those skills to areas of their life that need help.

No relationship is perfect, and room for improvement is found wherever there is imperfection. I’m not afraid of conflict and facing difficulties head on. I firmly believe that doing better—getting better at being a part of a family or a couple—is within reach for every couple who is willing to try. I reliably focus on process over content; that is, it’s not what you’re arguing about, it’s how you argue. Conflict is unavoidable, but treating each other with gentleness and respect is a skill that can be learned and developed, and I am here to help.

Nancy Rosenberg is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Texas (#204353). She graduated from Texas A&M University with a BA in English and History and earned her Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Amberton University. She has experience working with individuals, couples, families, and groups, with an emphasis on relational difficulties, coping strategies, boundaries, life transitions, and grief. She often implements Internal Family Systems, a methodology that focuses on the “parts” that make up every individual, and she is a certified Prepare/Enrich premarital method facilitator. She is certified in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (C-DBT), and has developed Decision Point Counseling, a form of discernment therapy designed to help couples considering divorce determine whether or not the relationship can (or should) be saved. Rosenberg is a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT).

Rosenberg is the author of five books, including Journal for Couples: 100 Questions to Deepen, Enhance & Ignite Your Relationship (2025) and Outwitting Stress—A Practical Guide To Conquering Stress Before You Crack (2003), and she has written for Fitness Magazine, Woman’s Day, Health & Fitness Sports Magazine, and The Dallas Morning News. Rosenberg and her husband, Brian, have been married for 35 years and have two grown daughters.

Dr. Paul Stanford, Founder & CEO, says:

If I could clone Nancy, I would. She is a unique person with a creative and determined mind. She works relentlessly for her clients with great success.

I believe psychotherapy should be a transformational experience. We often get stuck in patterns of relating and being that, at one time, were adaptive and protective, but no longer help us to be our best selves. Psychotherapy helps to understand those patterns, develop strategies to disrupt them, and create new ways of being and relating that get us closer to our personal and professional goals. I strive to create an environment that is warm, nonjudgmental, collaborative, culturally sensitive, and challenging enough to explore and make necessary changes in areas of your life that we identify together as being important to address. I am an integrative therapist and draw from humanistic, cognitive behavioral, mindfulness, and interpersonal modalities to help clients achieve symptom relief and lasting change.

Dr. Jennifer Fast was initially licensed as a clinical psychologist in Illinois in 2011 and has been a licensed clinical psychologist in Texas (#38062) since 2018. Additionally, she is PsyPact certified, qualifying her to provide psychological services across over 40 states in the US.

She has trained and worked in a variety of settings, including higher education, community mental health, and residential facilities. She graduated with her doctorate in clinical psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and classical studies from Loyola University-Chicago. Dr. Fast’s areas of specialty include treatment of adults, young adults and adolescents, LGBTQIA+, trauma, crisis assessment, group psychotherapy, clinical supervision and training, business coaching, and community/organizational interventions. She provides treatment from a feminist and humanistic framework and integrates other evidence-based interventions to meet the individual needs and goals of clients. She is also trained and practices Discernment Counseling for couples on the brink of divorce. Dr. Fast views psychological and cognitive assessment as an empowering experience for clients and as an important adjunct to psychotherapy.

Before making Texas her home, Dr. Fast served as Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Health and Wellness at Lake Forest College. She was active as an area chair for the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education; served on the Lake County Sexual Assault Prevention Consortium; and served as a consultant for the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Wellness Task Force. She has presented nationally on sexual assault prevention in higher education and clinical supervision and training, as well as providing training on diversity and identity, management, and leadership. Dr. Fast also treated individuals and couples in a private practice setting.

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