Amy R. Dean, LMFT-S
Founder & Owner, Lake Conroe Counseling Center
When I moved to Montgomery in 2017, I noticed something troubling: people were driving 30 minutes or more to access mental health care. Our community deserved better. That’s why I opened Lake Conroe Counseling Center – to bring quality, compassionate therapy closer to home.
My path to this work has been anything but traditional. I spent nearly 20 years living overseas with my family in six different countries. During that time, I learned what it means to be an outsider navigating unfamiliar systems. I advocated for American domestic violence survivors trapped in foreign countries who would lose their children if they left. I consulted with psychologists and mental health workers across cultures. I served on the board of a transitional home for youth aging out of foster care in Kazakhstan. I volunteered with charities in Venezuela and was on the board of International Women’s Group in Rio de Janeiro.
I taught ESL in Kazakhstan and helped a preschool teacher in Barbados understand children with ADHD. Those experiences taught me to adapt quickly, make genuine connections across differences, and understand what it feels like when the systems around you aren’t built with you in mind. They also showed me the full spectrum of human experience – from working with the most vulnerable populations to understanding the pressures faced by privileged communities.
I brought all of that back to Texas. Lake Conroe Counseling Center reflects what I learned: that healing happens when people feel seen, when therapists collaborate instead of compete, and when a practice commits to serving everyone – regardless of background, identity, or circumstance. I built a team that represents the diversity I value and the range of experiences our community needs.
My goal has always been to create something that lasts beyond me. I want Lake Conroe Counseling Center to be a place where mental health care is accessible, where therapists are supported so they can do their best work, and where anyone in our community can find help without having to drive halfway to Houston.
That’s the legacy I’m building. And it’s just getting started.