About Nancy Johnson-Gallagher
Nancy Johnson-Gallagher
Psychotherapist/Mediator
Professional Information:
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. State of Rhode Island License #ISW01230 5/99
Certified Hypnotherapist. Wellness Institute, Seattle, WA 5/97
Family Mediation - Specialization. Worklife Institute, Houston, TX. 11/95
Family Mediation - General. Mediation Arbitration Services, Dallas, TX. 8/92
General Mediation. A. A. White Dispute Resolution Center, South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas
Services
- Mediation
- Training/Consulting
- Psychotherapy
Areas of Practice
- Mediator and Trainer
- Conducts workshops and training sessions for individuals and groups
- Mediation and Consulting services include General Mediation and Family Mediation
- Clinical services provided include Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy in an outpatient setting for individuals, couples, families and groups
Experience
Has mediated cases throughout Texas. Clients have include corporations, small businesses, government agencies, families, and private parties in conflict. Areas of expertise include divorce and children of divorce issues, women's issues, elder issues, gender issues, abuse and trauma.
ADR Training
- Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Rhode Island, 7/96
- Family Mediation - Specialization, Work-life Institute, Houston, TX, Dallas, TX, 11/95
- General Mediation, A. A. White Dispute Resolution Center, South Texas College Law, Houston, Texas, 6/92
Presentations:
- Self Esteem in Young Girls, San Jacinto Girl Scouts, Father's Meeting, Houston, TX 1/98
- Basic Mediation 1997 to 5/99
- Family Mediation 1997 to 5/99 - Co-Instructor, Co-Facilitator -Team trainer teaching skills in Basic and Family mediation to other professionals such as attorneys, physicians, and corporate executives.
- Children Cope With Divorce Seminars 2/94 - 3/97 - Instructor, Facilitator - Interactive programs teaching parents the appropriate communicative and developmental skills necessary to help their children cope with their impending divorce.
- Social and Psychological Aspects of Money Management for Women 7/95 - An overview of economics, financial management, and traditional vs. changing female roles from women's perspectives.
- Identifying & Coping With Stress of Women's Multiple Roles 2/94 - Instructor, Facilitator - Seminar addressing issues facing women handling multiple roles, i.e. career, home, family.
- Divorce Recovery Workshop 3/93 - Instructor, Facilitator - Workshop addressing issues couples/families face after a divorce.
Membership and Professional Activities
- National Organization of Social Workers 88-03
- President - Family Mediation Network of Houston 2/98-2/99
- President UH-GSSW Alumni Association Board of Directors. 8/95-7/96
- University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work.
- Jane Addams Award for Outstanding Service to the Graduate School of Social Work 5/93
Education
- University of Houston - Graduate School of Social Work. 5/93
Houston, Texas - Master of Social Work
- Houston Baptist University 11/90
Houston, Texas - B.S. with majors in social work and psychology.
Honors
- President UH-GSSW Alumni Association, 93-94
- Board of Directors, University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work
Personal Note(s)
- Private Psychotherapy Practice since 1993
Representative Cases
Divorce mediations including complexities such as domestic violence and substance abuse, employment cases referred by the EEOC, Houston District. Contracted mediator with the Texas Education Agency mediating Special Education Cases.
Articles
Divorce Recovery
By Nancy Johnson-Gallagher, LICSW
Psychotherapist and Divorce Mediator
Is there such a thing as divorce recovery? We can all cite instances of friends, family or acquaintance who just never seem to get over their divorce. They continue to talk about, think about and, in general, complain about their divorce as if it happened yesterday, when in reality their divorce may have occurred years prior. It often becomes difficult to be around such people and we don’t know how to support or be a friend to them. Oftentimes we find ourselves pulling back from these people as we just don’t know what to say anymore.
However, we cannot ignore the realities of divorce in our society. In the United States the statistics are clear, but cold. Fifty percent of all marriages will end in divorce, with sixty percent of second marriages ending in divorce. Divorce affects many people beyond those divorcing spouses. Children especially are hit hard, with one-half of all American children witnessing the breakup of their parents’ marriage. Divorce is very stressful and is rated second only to the death of a spouse on the Social Readjustment Scale of stressful life events.
What can we do? Divorce makes everyone so uncomfortable, because if it happened to them, it COULD happen to us. Here’s what you can do:
- Listen (without criticism or judgment). Divorce is a loss, just as death is a loss. There are a lot of emotions which must be acknowledged and talked about. Would you expect a friend to get over the death of a spouse or child in a few weeks time?? A divorce is different for everyone, but in general expect the roller coast of emotions to continue as long as 18 months to two years, dependent upon the length of the marriage.
- Encourage mediation and alternatives to adversarial divorce when indicated. The hardest part of the process for kids (and everyone in general) is conflict. Kids whose parents engage in ongoing conflict have the most profound problems. Encourage professional counseling help if you have the opportunity.
- Help with the physical tasks of readjustment. Your friend or family member needs your support in transitioning from being married where there were two people to perform the necessities of daily living and child rearing to being single and “doing it all.” Moving, yard work, going back to school, learning to cook, finding baby-sitters, etc. can be overwhelming without support.
- Suggest alternative support systems. Many organizations and websites offer divorce recovery workshops and materials to assist with the readjustment phase following divorce. There are also many self-help groups to assist with adjustments that must be made.
- Offer Acceptance in general. Clearly, divorce is not going away. Don’t let your friends feel as if they are now “different.” Let them know you are there for them in all ways.
