When your name is “Woody”, it is hard to take yourself too seriously! In the movie Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones refers to a colleague named Wood as a “perfectly named brainless obstructive object”. There are famous cartoon character’s named Woody but it really is a casual name and is sometimes a nickname for the more formal and distinguished “Woodrow” (as in the 28^th president). I’ve seen the name “Woody” on BBQ establishments, tavern’s, auto repair facilities, furniture stores, and camera stores.  This page will provide information about a more informal  “Woody” rather than “Dr. Childress”. To be consistent with the more casual nature of this page, I’ll now switch to first person so you can know more about me and decide if you are comfortable with choosing me as your provider of psychological services.

As mentioned on another page, I have been married to Kathleen (Kathy) since 1980 and we have three grown children and four grandchildren including triplets. My favorite title is “Grandpa”, not Dr. Childress. Our younger two children are both adopted so if you need a psychologist with knowledge of infertility issues and adoption, I have more than just textbook knowledge.

My wife grew up as a “MK” (missionary kid) so I’ve been around MK’s much of my adult life and have heard their struggles with adjusting to various cultural demands. Kathy and I helped start the Missions Committee at our church and continue to support missionaries around the world. We have also been involved in church based activities such as teaching children’s classes and we served as AWANA leaders for several years. I have also facilitated “The Truth Project” series on several occasions at our church. It would be fair to say that our faith is the foundation of our lives. If you are looking for a psychologist who approaches life from a Christian World View, you may be comfortable with me.

Although I have spent my career working in the public schools, I believe that parents are responsible for determining what education model best fits each of their children. Each child has different needs and characteristics and each family has different resources available. We have utilized public school, private school, charter school, and homeschooling when educating our children. We wrestled with determining the best educational approach for each child at each stage of his or her life. With a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, I may be able to help guide you with similar decisions.

Scouting has been an important activity while my sons were adolescents. I’ve served as Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 326 in Fort Worth, TX since about 1996 and have had the opportunity to participate as an advisor on several high adventure trips (Philmont Trek – 2000 & 2010, Philmont Cavalcade – 2008, Northern Tier Canoe Base – 2009, and OKPIK – 2011) as well as serving on staff at one of the National Jamborees – 1997. For several years I was very involved in the leadership training component of scouting and staffed several week long intensive leadership courses with both of my sons. Scouting had a tremendous impact on me as a young person and has positively impacted both of my sons.

Over the years, I have been a consumer of mental health services as well as a provider. As a consumer, I’ve wanted to know more about the mental health professional I was hiring. In 2018 I was diagnosed and treated for a rare blood disorder called Light Chain Cardiac Amyloidosis. Treatment involved weekly trips to M.D. Anderson in Houston for six months of chemotherapy plus a Stem Cell transplant. I can certainly identify with the journey of many cancer patients. If you have other specific questions for me, please feel free to ask. My name is Woody and I take life seriously, but don’t take myself too seriously!