Counseling Services Staff

Dr. Christie Melonson is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and adult educator with a variety of leadership experiences in behavioral health and educational settings. Dr. Melonson earned her Master's in Community Counseling from the University of Texas at San Antonio and her Doctorate in Education with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from University of the Incarnate Word. She has served as an adjunct professor and provides consultation and professional development in the community. Her research interests are in multicultural issues and intercultural learning. Dr. Melonson specializes in working with survivors of trauma, clients with PTSD, mood disorders, and at risk populations. Dr. Melonson likes to spend time with her nieces, enjoys international travel and cuisine, is an avid reader, and loves listening to music and writing.

melonson@uiwtx.edu

Dr. Kevin Milligan is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas. Dr. Milligan graduated with his Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Milligan is certified in Cognitive Processing Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He specializes in working with survivors of trauma, clients with PTSD, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, and crisis interventions. He also serves as an adjunct professor in graduate level counseling programs and has supervised graduate level practicum and internship students. His research interests include religion and spirituality in mental health and grief and loss. Dr. Milligan is married with three children, and enjoys spending his free time with his family, going to the gym, and being involved in sports.

kmilliga@uiwtx.edu

Dr. Stacy Perez Waterman is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor in the state of Texas. Dr. Waterman graduated with her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her therapeutic experience includes work with Bexar County Drug Courts, Haven for Hope, and substance use disorder intensive outpatient services. Dr. Waterman's research interests include relational approaches toward substance use disorder treatment, social justice strategies to combat the opioid crisis, and multicultural factors that may influence substance misuse and treatment.

Alexander Portillo is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Supervisor (LPC-S) and has been practicing counseling for over 10 years. He is a graduate of Our Lady of the Lake University and received his master’s degree in Family and Marriage therapy. He enjoys working with children, adolescents, adults, families and couples. He utilizes various approaches in counseling, including Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. He specializes in marriage/couples’ therapy, military/veteran issues, health related issues, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, trauma/PTSD, behavioral problems, school related problems, domestic violence, client's with disabilities, ADHD, parenting solutions and grief/loss.

"I'm passionate about helping others and I believe that everyone has their own unique strengths to solve their problems. I hope to be a part of your journey to make new changes that will improve your life!"

Debbie Garcia is a bilingual Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas. Debbie attained a Master of Arts degree (M.A.) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Her therapeutic experience includes working with children, military families, individuals with eating disorders, and university students. Debbie specializes in Sand Tray Therapy which allows a person (children and/or adults) to creatively construct a miniature world allowing reflections of an individual’s inner thoughts, struggles, and concerns. She also has experience in suicide prevention, family violence, crisis and trauma. Debbie works collaboratively with individuals to assist in healing through life’s journeys.

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” −Mother Teresa

Rosalva earned a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Texas Pan American. While stationed at Fort Bragg, NC, she earned a Bachelor of Science at Fayetteville State University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) certified by the State of Texas. During her internship, she provided services to At Risk Population (Families and Individuals). She also taught parenting classes in English and Spanish. Further, as a combat Army Veteran she is familiar with issues that affect military families such as Deployment, Reintegration, and Readjustment. Her counseling techniques include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Sand Tray and Art Techniques. Rosalva’s philosophy is that to experience joy and harmony, one must at least attempt to live a balanced life (physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially) and she enjoys helping others do the same. She likes spending time with family, especially her two grandchildren, and playing with her two rescued dogs. Her hobbies consist of reading, dancing, drawing, and traveling.

Laurel Clement is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas. Laurel is a graduate of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and received a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. Her therapeuticexperience includes depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, trauma/PTSD, veteran issues, academic counseling, clients with disabilities, ADHD, mindfulness, resiliency practices, and grief/loss. She utilizes various approaches in counseling including CognitiveBehavior Therapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and Person-Centered Therapy.

“I believe people have unique strengths to improve their lives, and I am honored to be a part of their journey toward helping them make their lives work better."

lclement@uiwtx.edu