Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in Houston?
I am a Native Texan. I spent 10 years of my childhood in Tennessee, but we moved back to Houston when I was 16. Aside from the time spent in Austin for college and grad school, I’ve been in Houston ever since.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
I have a 2 year old daughter – Ava, and am due with a boy at the end of July.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
I love to dance. I grew up dancing ballet, but have long-retired my pointe shoes. These days, my favorite outlet is salsa dancing. I’m half-Cuban, so I like to think it’s in my blood.
Favorite local activities to do in Houston?
Dining out of course! My husband and I have a weekly date night, and we make an effort to try all the new restaurants this city offers. We also love to check out the exhibits at the MFA. We make good use of all the local parks with our daughter.
Do you have a favorite family-friendly restaurant in the area?
You’ll usually find us having breakfast at Salento and dinner at Coppa or Cyclone’s so our daughter can run around.
What local places do you go to for pampering and/or mom’s night out?
Girls’ pampering days usually happen at The Houstonian. Girls’ night out consists of dinner at a trendy new restaurant followed by dancing. My girlfriends and I also do a lot of staycations as fun hotels in Houston. There’s nothing better than ordering late-night room service with friends and having an excuse to sleep in.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor, or in the corporate world? Please share!
I’ve practiced as a Sex and Relationship Therapist here in Houston for over 10 years. In addition to running my busy private practice, Revive Therapy & Healing, I do as much public speaking as I can. As part of my effort to make my services available to as many people as possible, I recently created a series of online workshops. I’m so passionate about this project. The workshops are based on the latest scientific findings (my own research included) as to what constitutes optimal relationships and sexual experiences. Spoiler alert…forget all the “tips, tricks, techniques” you’ve heard before… There is so much more – all of which is accessible to everybody – that separates extraordinary sex from ordinary sex. I’m excited to finally have the opportunity to share it with the masses.
Your followers can get a $50 off coupon for the course by entering the code WESTUMOMS when they register.
I love this topic so much, that I’m also working on turning it into a book! The best way to stay up- to-date is by following me on Instagram @dremilyjamea. I’ve started offering tips three times a week. I keep it very balanced – one tip for you, one for your relationship, and one for your sex life. I am a believer that great sex starts from within. I’m juggling a lot of projects right now, but I couldn’t be happier.
How has the Houston community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
The Houston community has played a huge role in my success. The local news teams – KPRC Channel 2 in particular – regularly reach out to me as a reliable source of sex and relationship wisdom. I also have to credit our hospital systems. Methodist and Baylor College of Medicine call me in to educate their physicians and medical students or to present for their large fundraisers. Finally, our local universities – Rice and University of Houston – have given me the opportunity to speak on college campuses. The opportunity for outreach and education has helped the community trust me an expert in my field.
What is the best advice for juggling mommyhood and running a business (or volunteering, working, etc)?
Let go of trying to do everything at 100%. You can never be 100% business woman, 100% mom, 100% wife, 100% friend, you get the idea… There are times when I strive for a solid 75% across the board, and other times when one role requires more of my energy and attention, leaving very little for everything else. But I’ve learned to always practice self-compassion and ride the waves as they come. I trust the balance is there in the long-run even if it doesn’t always feel like it.
What would you tell the old “You” before you had kids?
Trust yourself. I really enjoyed my life before kids, and I never took it for granted. I was worried that too much was going to change. I worried about the lack of sleep. I worried about the loss of balance with my career. I didn’t want to lose my freedom to travel. Despite wanting children, I went into it with a lot of concerns. I am a resilient person, but I think I forgot that. My life has
obviously changed, but not as much as I thought it would. My husband and I work really well together to make sure our individual needs, couple needs, and family needs are being met. We still get to do the things we love – maybe not in the exact same way, but with a new meaning – and that makes it all worth it.
Funniest shortcut/routine for helping you through parenthood?
We mastered teeth brushing by “looking inside her mouth” for whatever she’s interested in that week. I’ll say something like, Did I see a butterfly in there? Is that Mickey Mouse in there?
Triceratops, get out of there! She laughs hysterically then opens wide for me to brush him/her/it out.
