Meet Betty Odak, LMFT
My name is Betty Odak, originally from Nairobi, Kenya. I have lived in the USA for over twenty years. I grew up in a small village called Wire in Oyugis town. I come from a family of twelve children and I am the first born. Two of my brothers died: 1993, 1994.
I grew up in a polygamous home. My father had two wives. They both lived in different locations to avoid constant jealousy and fights. The struggles I saw within my family prompted me to dream of becoming a therapist. Of course, I never visited a therapist while in Kenya because family support was great and expected. Community would rally together if something was wrong like a broken marriage or unruly child. Things have changed over time though.
I came to the US in 1995 as an undergraduate student. I got my BA degree from Biola University, La Mirada, CA, and my Master’s degree was from Hope International University, Fullerton, CA.
I have written two books: 1. On Finances -”Before, After, and Beyond Bankruptcy” A lesson I learned first hand from financial management and mismanagement. The second book was on weight loss “Coming to America by Air and How American Food and a Westerin LIfestyle Led Me to Gain Over 100 Pounds”.
In the past fifteen or so years, I have learned to manage my finances and lost over 100 pounds.
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT-52001) in the state of California since 2012. Prior to starting a private practice, I worked extensively with abused and neglected children in foster care and group homes for over fifteen years.
