Thomas A. Houle Ph.D

Dr. Thomas Houle holds a B.S. from the University of Minnesota, an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin, and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University.

He also has a post-doctoral M.S. in Clinical Psychopharmacology from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology.

He is a former Connecticut-licensed clinical psychologist and clinical social worker whose wide-ranging professional experiences include working in a women's correctional facility, a Veterans' Administration hospital, a mental hospital and a residential treatment facility for children.

He's also taught at the college level and has conducted a decades-long private practice in clinical psychology.

This wealth of experience has led him to develop the Houle Relationship Approach (HRA) which suggests that human relationships are the main contributors to psychological problems including so-called "mental illnesses" because each of us has certain guidelines or rules we see as governing our specific relationships. These rules are the expectations we have as to how others in the relationship should act. When we believe someone has violated these guidelines or rules, problems develop.