June 9, 2021
By: Bill Conger
Dr. Kathryn Buck Pursell, PhD will join the mental health non-profit agency Haven of Hope on June 15. The Liberty resident will be offering psychological examinations in the areas of Autism, Intellectually Disabled, Dyslexia, ADHD, Parenting Assessments, Anxiety, and Depression to name a few on a part-time basis.
Pursell, who is also a school psychologist in Rutherford County, originally set out to work in private practice. A former DeKalb County Schools teacher, she was motivated to learn more about the psychology field when mental health professionals struggled to find the correct answer for her daughter.
“The whole reason I even went back to college was my daughter,” explains Pursell. “They kept on telling us that she had ADHD and I kept saying, “No, it’s more than that.” I went to school to figure out what was wrong with her.”
Eventually, Pursell’s family got the answers they were seeking, and in the meantime, Pursell earned her Master of Arts in Agency Counseling from Tennessee Tech. Her journey continued at Tech as she earned her Specialist in Education in School Psychology.
“I’m excited to be joining the Haven of Hope,” Pursell said. “When I set out for it, I hadn’t planned to be a psychologist for the schools. I liked it so I thought I’ll stay and do this.”
Her desire to work in the private sector continued, though, and she persevered by earning her licensure and doctorate degree in psychology.
“We are so excited to have Dr. Pursell with us,” Haven of Hope Executive Director Samanthia Curtis said. “She is a valued member of our team. The Haven is proud of Dr. Pursell offering her valuable professional services to our community.”
Pursell’s honors include the 2013 William Ballard Award, PhD level, from the Tennessee Association of School Psychologists and the 2012 Outstanding Graduate Student at Tennessee State University.