Meet Allison

Allison Marek, LCSW-S, earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Houston's Graduate College of Social Work, where she studied under shame and vulnerability researcher Brené Brown, PhD, MSW, and trauma expert Sandra Lopez, LCSW. After graduation, Allison became certified in Dr. Brown's work. Allison has been utilizing EMDR in her practice since completing the EMDRIA-approved training in 2015. Recognizing some of the limitations of the standard EMDR protocol when working with people with complex PTSD or developmental trauma, Allison began receiving ongoing training in Attachment-Focused EMDR through the Parnell Institute. Allison also integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodynamic psychotherapy, and parts work.

Before opening her practice in 2019, Allison served as founding Program Director of a national eating disorder treatment center’s Houston programs for adults and adolescents, and later as Regional Director, training clinicians nationwide in trauma-informed, attachment-focused eating disorder care. Before that, Allison worked as a therapist in residential treatment for teens with substance use 

 disorders, residential treatment for young adults navigating a complicated transition into adulthood, and partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs for adults with chronic, severe mental illnesses. It was the common threads in these seemingly different settings where Allison developed her specialty in complex trauma, developmental trauma, and the intersection of chronic illness and mental health.

A seasoned speaker and facilitator, Allison provides training to clinicians, schools, parents, organizations, and employee assistance programs on topics such as wellness, body image, eating disorders, trauma, relationships, self-compassion, and resilience.

Allison Marek, LCSW-S, earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Houston's Graduate College of Social Work, where she studied under shame and vulnerability researcher Brené Brown, PhD, MSW, and trauma expert Sandra Lopez, LCSW. After graduation, Allison became certified in Dr. Brown's work. Allison has been utilizing EMDR in her practice since completing the EMDRIA-approved training in 2015. Recognizing some of the limitations of the standard EMDR protocol when working with people with complex PTSD or developmental trauma, Allison began receiving ongoing training in Attachment-Focused EMDR through the Parnell Institute. Allison also integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodynamic psychotherapy, and parts work.

Before opening her practice in 2019, Allison served as founding Program Director of a national eating disorder treatment center’s Houston programs for adults and adolescents, and later as Regional Director, training clinicians nationwide in trauma-informed, attachment-focused eating disorder care. Before that, Allison worked as a therapist in residential treatment for teens with substance use disorders, residential treatment for young adults navigating a complicated transition into adulthood, and partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs for adults with chronic, severe mental illnesses. It was the common threads in these seemingly different settings where Allison developed her specialty in complex trauma, developmental trauma, and the intersection of chronic illness and mental health.

A seasoned speaker and facilitator, Allison provides training to clinicians, schools, parents, organizations, and employee assistance programs on topics such as wellness, body image, eating disorders, trauma, relationships, self-compassion, and resilience.