My Unique Approach to Education

“Given the right circumstances, I believe we are all potentially enthusiastic life-long learners. When individuals have a sense of self-worth and empowerment they become curious and excited about learning and about life in general. One of my goals as a counselor is to encourage the development of self-worth and empowerment in those individuals who, for whatever reason, have been prevented from having opportunities to learn. As an instructor, I believe each of my students has acquired that desire for life-long learning and has a strong desire to make a contribution to life. I see my job as one in which I can encourage their continued growth and help them move towards reaching the professional goals they have envisioned for themselves. I believe enthusiasm is contagious and that I have an obligation to pass on to my students my own passion and enthusiasm about professional counseling in such a way that it ignites in them a passion for learning and the tenacity to reach their goals.

As an adult student, I experienced my own professors as deeply caring and involved people who contributed to both my personal and professional growth in a big way. Through their love, enthusiasm, and passion about their cherished subject areas I not only was exposed to learning that was greatly edifying but to personal healing that helped me become an ethical, empathic counselor. I am committed to offering my own students as much of what I experienced as possible.”

– Dr. Vicki Millican

I have been a licensed professional counselor in the DFW area since 1990. My work has centered on counseling and learning assistance in the private school arena and I have been employed at Greenhill School, Ursuline Academy and Parish Episcopal School. I also maintained a private counseling practice for 10 years and have experience in psychological treatment centers and managed care clinics in the provision of mental health counseling.

As a long time private school counselor, I am passionate about social-emotional learning and since retiring from private school counseling in 2011, I have been involved with 29 Pieces, a local non-profit business that focuses on teaching the skills of nonviolence and social justice. Through 29 Pieces I have been able to use my expertise in social-emotional learning and art therapy to benefit children, adolescents and adults in the DFW area. (29 Pieces is a hands-on art-based curriculum that assists children and adolescents in learning social justice and important life skills.)

Over the past five years I have also worked in the non-profit area with victims of trauma & substance abuse through Volunteers of America in the Resolana Program at the Dallas County Jail and at Galaxy Counseling Center as a clinical manager and therapist. Currently, I work as a volunteer with a number of social justice and rehabilitation groups in the Dallas area.

As a long-time meditator, I am passionate about the use of meditation and mindfulness skills in healing and am in the process of developing educational activities that focus on this area with several client groups. I view mindfulness as the most important skill counselors can both learn and teach to their clients to encourage and maintain growth and healing.