Meet Dr. Adam Sáenz, CEO
Experienced leadership. Compassionate care. A commitment to helping people thrive.
A Vision for Compassionate, High-Quality Mental Healthcare
Adam Sáenz, Ph.D., D. Min., is a licensed bilingual psychologist, ordained minister, author, and emotional intelligence expert who has worked in education, corporate, and non-profit sectors for more than twenty-five years. His expertise spans work with adolescents, adults, and couples, including psychological assessment, counseling, higher education, and emotional intelligence research, as well as supervision of graduate students and early-career mental health care providers.
Dr. Sáenz founded the counseling and assessment practice that became Oakwood Counseling in 2003, guided by a commitment to helping individuals and families improve their emotional well-being, strengthen relationships, and navigate life’s challenges. Here, he leads a diverse team of lifelong learners who believe in the powerful benefits of emotional intelligence, and who come to work each day committed to creating and supporting healthy cultures in every school, business, and team we work with.
His vision helps guide Oakwood’s commitment to accessible, compassionate, high-quality care in the Brazos Valley and beyond.
Education, Training, & Clinical Expertise
Dr. Sáenz earned his Ph.D. in School Psychology from Texas A&M University as a U.S. Department of Education doctoral fellow. He completed predoctoral clinical training under a fellowship appointment to Harvard Medical School and postdoctoral training in clinical psychology through the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. He also earned a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling from the Graduate Theological Foundation, with residency studies at Christ Church, Oxford University.
His clinical and professional work includes psychological testing and assessment, counseling, stress management, relationship building, and mentorship of mental health professionals.
A National Speaker and Organizational Consultant
Dr. Sáenz works with schools, businesses, teams, and nonprofit organizations to foster healthier cultures. He has delivered state and national keynote addresses and provides consulting focused on emotional intelligence, stress management, relationships, leadership, and organizational well-being.
His presentations combine research, real-world experience, and memorable stories to make complex psychological ideas useful in everyday life.
Featured TEDxYale Talk: The Power of a Teacher
In his TEDxYale presentation, Dr. Sáenz shares how meaningful relationships can change the course of a young person’s life. His message reflects a guiding belief behind his work: connection, compassion, and emotional well-being matter.
Books by Dr. Sáenz
Dr. Sáenz has written books that translate psychological research into practical guidance for educators, leaders, and people seeking stronger relationships and greater emotional well-being.
The Oakwood Story
Adam founded Oakwood Counseling in 2003 as a sole practitioner, as he maintained full-time employment with the Bryan Independent School District at the time.
Life as a sole practitioner can be lonely, even for someone as relatively introverted as Adam. By 2007, several clinicians opted to share office space with him, shifting Oakwood Counseling from a sole practitioner to a group practice, one with an immediate sense of professional community and shared vision.
Since 2007, increased growth in the Brazos Vallley population and the increased need for outpatient mental health services have forged Oakwood Counseling into the robust outpatient mental health clinic it is today. Oakwood Counseling has many long-standing referral sources, including physician’s offices, churches, school districts, and multiple state agencies.
As Oakwood Counseling continues to expand, our goal is to maintain balance: we want to maximize the benefits and minimize the liabilities of solo practice and of working for a large agency.
Our Vision
Our vision is to be the standard of excellence in both the delivery of comprehensive mental health services and in the training of emerging mental health care providers. We see a community in which appropriate mental health services are available to anyone.
Our Values
We value emotional intelligence. We endeavor to be self-aware, self- regulated, empathetic, and integrated in our interaction with ourselves, with each other, and with our clients. When those four variables are in place, we make the best possible decisions in life.
Leadership Rooted in Compassion and Connection
Throughout his career, Dr. Sáenz has championed the importance of mental health in families, schools, workplaces, and communities. As Oakwood’s founder, he brings together clinical expertise and organizational leadership to support a collaborative team of mental health professionals committed to thoughtful, individualized care.
Experience the Oakwood Difference
At Oakwood Counseling, we believe exceptional mental healthcare begins with experienced leadership, skilled clinicians, and genuine compassion. Dr. Sáenz’s vision continues to inspire our commitment to helping individuals and families find understanding, healing, and meaningful growth.