“No one is immune to life interruptions and sometimes you need a professional who knows how to guide you through difficult circumstances compassionately, skillfully and efficiently.” ~ Dr. Carolyn Clansy Miller
I absolutely love helping people, and I have spent my entire adult life doing it with more than 20 years of experience providing individual, group, and couples therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. I’ve received broad-based training and established a comprehensive psychology practice focused on treating common conditions including depression, grief, anxiety, divorce recovery, trauma marital difficulties, anger, and emotional management.
My primary work has focused on women and couples-particularly those whose faith is important to them. I have advanced training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy and particular expertise in trauma recovery, mindfulness, and forgiveness therapy. For a limited number of people, I provide intensive individual and couples therapy as well as personal coaching for well-adjusted individuals who desire to move past personal barriers and impasses that prevent them from reaching their higher level goals.
Dr. Carolyn Clansy Miller obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from the University of Houston, Houston, Texas (1989), a Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Psychology from Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas (1991), and a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Clinical Psychology from St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri (1998). She is a Licensed Psychologist in Texas and the United States Virgin Islands. She owns and operates Ashar Counseling and Psychological Services, now located in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
Psychologist, speaker, minister, missionary, educator, and personal coach make up a partial list of the hats Dr. Miller has dawned over her career. However, transformative, change agent probably comes closest to capturing the essence of Dr. Miller who truly finds her reward in the healing and transformation her clients experience and enjoy.
Dr. Miller’s mission of personal empowerment grew to a seeming crescendo with her founding of Ashar Counseling and Psychological Services, an enterprise that began with modest goals, yet grew to become a monumental blessing to countless children and adults in need in both Houston, Texas and the United States Virgin Islands.
In her former role as the Senior Director of Education and Pastoral Care at the 47,000-member Lakewood Church, Dr. Miller led more than 1,000 staff and volunteers in 16 ministries who annually reached more than 250,000 people per year. Moreover, Dr. Miller has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston and Houston Baptist University in Houston, Texas, and at the West Africa Theological Seminary in Lagos, Nigeria.
For nearly 20 years, Dr. Miller has provided consultation both nationally and internationally in her work with businesses, government, non-profit organizations, churches, and universities. Her dynamic yet relevant and relational manner has afforded her the distinction of visiting scholar at the Texas Medical Center and a featured guest on syndicated radio and television programs such as Texas Justice, Trinity Broadcasting Network, KSBJ Radio, and The Doctor’s In. In 2011, Dr. Miller was honored by the Toast to Wellness for her contributions as a leading Psychologists in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Carolyn’s work in the areas of recovery, education; personal and organizational development, reflects her style – refreshing, practical, and real, making her expert advice powerfully penetrating for the heart, mind, and spirit.
In a secularized society Dr. Miller has demonstrated her faith by her works, letting her life serve as her sermon. And she has been preaching this powerful message for the past few decades through her professional and volunteer work.
Whether participating in an array of ministry activities, serving as a Bible teacher, volunteer youth leader, women’s ministry leader, singles ministry leader, short-term missionary to Central America and Africa, and volunteer mental health consultant, or through her many professional good works, including services to area churches and organizations serving those with intellectual developmental disabilities or at-risk children and adolescents, she has helped to build not only professional and lay-ministries, she has helped build and rebuild lives.
Dr. Miller trained church leaders at the West Africa Theological Seminary, provided supplies and training materials, and spoke to numerous congregations throughout Nigeria. She also trained hospital Chaplains in the Houston Medical Center and emerging clergy from Perkins Theological Seminary. Through her own ministry, Rivers of Life Global Ministry, Dr. Miller has provided free crisis counseling, goods and services for widows and orphans, and support to local pastors in Africa to assist in the rebuilding in war-torn nations. Through Rivers of Life, Dr. Miller distributed generators to assist individuals in the Virgin Islands affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Dr. Miller continues to seek opportunities to give and to be a conduit of blessing.
