Feature Family Member

Danielle Collins hesitates to say it, but soon comes to grips with it: "I guess you could say I'm a workaholic. Is that so bad?"

Her passion for her work has made Danielle, a speech therapist, a valuable asset to THERAPY 2000 the past five years, and she shows no signs of slowing down. She volunteers for extra duties and accepts extra patients, and her productivity numbers are above average.

Danielle is based on the Central Division and her workdays keep her busy, making calls from Dallas to Waxahachie, points in between and points beyond.

Her mind was set on a different career when she attended Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas. In high school she was a writer, worked in the school yearbook, and considered a career in journalism. She attended college on scholarships and somewhere along the way she heard about speech therapy, and was intrigued at the possibility of studying that discipline instead.

"I took my mass communications courses and enrolled in one (therapy) class, to try it out," she said. "I loved it, and now I've done it ever since."

She continued her studies and earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a minor in communications. She went on to earn her Master of Science degree at Texas Women's University in Denton. And she's kept busy ever since. She loves the challenge that her work presents to her, as well as the rewards.

"She's very energetic," says Angela Lawson, manager of the Central Division. "She covered for a lady who was out on maternity leave, so it was like she was working two full-time jobs."

Angela said Danielle constantly sets high standards for herself, and is a role model to her peers.

"I love her to death," Angela says. "Even if I'm having a bad day, she comes in so cheery. She really motivates you."

During the times she's not busy with patients, Danielle spends her time with her family, she said. Her 16-month-old daughter Emily is her focus of attention at home. She also teaches fourth-grade Sunday school at Ferris Avenue Baptist Church in Waxahachie. She said she'd like to write again, but doesn't get the chance to do so because of her schedule.

Danielle said she's had a great experience at THERAPY 2000 because she feels the company pays a lot of attention to the therapists, and that there's always work to be done.

"I have to keep busy," she said. "There's so much good work to be done."