Dr. Decia Dixon – A Little About Myself and My Background

In 2000, I attended a small retreat about discovering your purpose in life. The facilitator of this retreat made the following statement, “If you look back over your life, you will discover that you have been engaging in tasks which have been preparing you for your calling. You will see a pattern in that behavior and you will know it’s your calling because you feel immense joy when you are doing it.”

After that retreat and some further reflection, I realized that I have always been drawn to helping families succeed. Even as a child, I was the one that was offering advice to classmates about their parents and siblings and helping them problem-solve family conflict. Furthermore, I left that retreat knowing that I was passionate about restoring peace into the lives of families. Once the retreat ended, I stopped pursuing a degree in Computer Science and began the journey toward becoming a Psychologist.

I am particularly passionate about seeing lives transformed. I am deeply moved by the emotional expression of relief when a parent understands the reason why their child has been struggling in school and is provided with a plan for addressing those concerns.

I am inspired when a parent coaching client returns to celebrate the fact that their child is thriving and successful in parts of their life that were once viewed as bleak. I experience a sense of renewal every time I speak to audiences about how to manage and conquer the challenges of family so that they can have an empowered life.

I am blessed that I work in a field that is my life’s calling, which transforms families’ lives, enhances my sense of purpose and strengthens my belief in the greatness of people.

My Family

I originate from a family of leaders, hard workers and risk takers. They are diverse in their professional experiences and educational backgrounds. They range from a Psychologist, Leadership Coach and Judge to Educators, Sharecroppers and Military Servicemen. Regardless of their occupational role, there is one thing in common with all of those individuals; that is their commitment to their work and their desire to leave a lasting impact based on their quality of work.

I bring that same grit and tenacity to my work in helping families succeed in overcoming challenges for their children’s educational and mental well-being. I have high expectations when delivering a presentation to an audience. I also strive to impart traits of leadership, confidence and risk-taking in individuals so that they move beyond what they initially believed they were capable of.

I Am A Parent

As the parent of a young child, I understand the immense load on your shoulders. There is a lot of pressure to “get it right.” I also know that there is not a clear path to “getting it right.” Parenting is full of ups and downs and never-ending surprises – some good and some that are not so pleasant.

My understanding as a parent means that I have realistic expectations when partnering with families. I aspire to meet families where they are at in their struggles. The goal is not to reach “perfection” but to master a goal that creates a feeling of personal and family success. That goal should also be manageable and sustainable.

Lastly, when working with children, I am motivated to do my best work because I have the empathetic mindset, “How would I want this done for my child?” Keeping this perspective at the forefront of my mind helps me stay focused and passionate about the work I do and the products (e.g., testing results, coaching outcomes, etc.) that I deliver to families.

When I am not working as a Psychologist/Parent Coach and Speaker, I really enjoy spending time with my family. I am not perfect, but I have embraced the idea that “I am an imperfect person in a constant state of improvement.” Therefore, I frequently remind myself to give time to my family and unplug from the busyness of life and engage in quality time.

This is reflected in taking my child to weekday/weekend activities, the occasional date night with my spouse (or “date hour” if it’s during a crazy/hectic period of life!) or organizing an activity for extended family. Whatever it is that I am doing, it is important to prioritize my family and live each day as if it were my last so I have a sense of purpose, clarity, and zeal.

Now, I must admit, that as much as I love my family, I enjoy engaging in some solitary pleasures too! When I have free time, you can find me curled up reading a fiction novel or watching a documentary on Netflix.

My Education

I graduated with my Bachelors in Psychology from Spelman College and my Master of Arts, Educational Specialist and Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of South Florida. I am both a Licensed Psychologist and Nationally and State Certified School Psychologist. I am trained in both psychology and education, which makes me unique, because I understand the place where children and adolescents spend the majority of their time, which is in school. This can be especially helpful when parents are trying to understand school lingo and the process for psychoeducational evaluations of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Anxiety, Depression, Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) or Developmental Disabilities. In addition to my professional work in the school, I have worked in multiple clinical settings, including prisons; juvenile detention centers; domestic violence shelter; Veterans Affairs hospital; school-based mental health center; and developmental disability clinic. In addition to my private practice, I currently contract for a large school district so that I remain abreast of the changes in that environment. I served as an Adjunct Faculty member in the Clinical Medical Psychology program at a local University, which has allowed me to remain engaged with research-supported treatments for children and adolescents and teach and supervise the next generation of Psychologists. Finally, I am a leader in the Georgia Psychological Association, former Treasurer and Board Member of the Georgia Psychological Association, and I was awarded the prestigious designation of Fellow by the Georgia Psychological Association. I am a Phi Beta Kappa member, a member of the National Association of School Psychologists and Learning Disabilities Association of America, a Lead Atlanta Alumna and a certified Gottman-trained Bringing Baby Home Educator.