Notes from a Psychologist
Dr. Mel Whitehurst

About Dr. Mel Whitehurst

Currently, I devote my time to studying how people influence and relate to each other.  I believe the base of most all our problems can be traced back to human relations problems.  My objective in this pursuit is to develop ideas and provide suggestions that will improve human functioning as well as improve the human condition.

I am a psychologist in Plano, Texas.  I began my counseling career in 1967 and over the years worked as a public school counselor, Director of Counseling and Professor of Human Development at the college level and for a Fortune 50 company before entering private practice for twenty-seven years.

I helped people in my private practice to resolve problems within themselves and in their environment.  I assisted them in changing behaviors, thoughts, and feelings hopefully in a beneficial, positive direction that enhanced their happiness and success in life.  I worked with leaders and managers in several corporations to construct healthy and purposeful work environments through identifying human inefficiencies and developing strategies to resolve them.

I have been privileged to be part of the lives of numerous clients for many years.  Hopefully, my efforts made a difference in their lives.  In helping clients change, I was also changed.  Little did they know how much difference they made in my life.  So, I value all the thousands of clients and their courageous struggles to live a good life.  They taught me a lot.

I learned that life is not the way it’s supposed to be.  It is what it is.  The way we cope makes the difference.  I learned that people who decide to make their lives count for something can change the world.  I learned that life is difficult and once I accepted that life is difficult, it no longer mattered.  I learned that in the long run it is better to be a giver than a taker.  I learned that when darkness sets in and we are faced with what seems like insurmountable obstacles in our lives, the people who dare greatly are the ones who are the happiest.  I learned it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. (I got that from my junior high football coach.)  I learned that not everyone cares about my interests.  But I can still respect them. I learned that sooner or later we all make the basic decision to either live fully or die slowly.  It is amazing what people can do when they make the decision to live fully.

​Throughout my career, I tried with all my ability to help clients live fully.  Some days I was exhilarated by it all and some days not so exhilarated.   But for me it’s all been worth it.