About Us
The Bridges are a husband and wife team with over 20 years of personal and professional experience in the field of mental health, psychotherapy and behavior intervention. The Bridges are truly a millennium family, balancing careers, raising two boys (now in college), dealing with aging parents and being active in their community and church. The Bridges are presently operating a Summer Camp, Weekend respite/social group for adolescent males and independent living services (Housing) for adults.
Matthew was a college football athlete at Jackson State University with a degree in Criminal Justice and Corrective Services. He is a board certified Anger Therapist and has certifications in behavioral intervention and IEP facilitation. Matthew has worked in Spring Branch ISD as a campus Discipline, Life Skills, and Adaptive Behavior teacher. He has implemented and helped develop programs, curriculum, and individual education plans for the special needs and the at-risk learning population. Mr. Bridges is now in private practice as a behavior consultant and in-home parent trainer for special needs children from the age of 3 to 22 years of age. Matthew serves several school districts as a liaison between the school and the parent/child's home. Matthew served as an Elder in the Houston International Church of Christ where he and his wife presently serve as Congregational Deacons, lead the Chemical Recovery ministry and offer spiritual guidance for married and engaged couples.
Vanessa is a Licensed Professional counselor in the state of Texas with Master degrees in communication and psychology/counseling. She is presently pursuing her doctoral degree. Vanessa has certifications in Alcohol and Drug Counseling, Christian Counseling, and is a certified mediator in which she contracts with the United States Postal Services and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Vanessa was trained by the Department of Justice and EEOC on the Americans with Disability Act and worked with the Mayor's office on the strategic planning for implementation. She also mentored a young woman with a disability who was appointed to Houston's commission for the disabled. In 1995 Vanessa coordinated Houston's first career fair for people with disabilities and a city wide catholic conference. Mrs. Bridges spent three years at Exxon as a training specialist developing a supportive employment program. While pursing her undergraduate degree Vanessa spent 6 months in West Africa doing research on cultural diversity. Vanessa has sat on a number of community boards and worked in a variety of people-oriented fields before concentrating on her private practice of psychotherapy, some of which includes:
CBS News with Walter Cronkite - later with Dan Rather |
Public Radio producer in New York |
Advertisement/ J. Walter Thompson Ad Agency |
Realtor/appraiser in Houston |
Director with Mental Health and Mental Retardation of Authority of Harris County |
College professor/Houston Community College |
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TIPS for families: Plan, plan, plan ahead! Get all the paperwork out of the way and when services are needed just email or call us in advance to schedule the time and dates you want.