My Why: Annette T. Hill

Annette Hill is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and EMDR Certified Therapist. She has a private practice in Scottsdale. Annette has worked with children in the foster care system both as coordinator of the Life Book program with Arizona’s Children Association and later as a therapist in Devereaux, Arizona. Out of these experiences, she created a “turn-key” curriculum, called The Journey of Me, to train foster care agencies in how to create and sustain their own Life Book program.

Annette has 10 years of experience working as a dual diagnosis therapist in residential treatment settings, including The Meadows, and eight years with The Sundance Center.

Though Annette treats patients with a variety of diagnoses, she specializes in the treatment of trauma. She works with Veterans both in her private practice, as well as through a 27-year-old non-profit program called Operation Freedom Bird as a volunteer therapist and board member. Operation Freedom Bird takes Arizona combat vets from all wars to Washington, D.C. on a four-day Healing Journey each year over the Veterans Day holiday.

Annette is also a Gold Star Mother. Her son, Adam Hill Gibson, served two tours in Iraq. He passed away as a result of symptoms of PTSD in 2009.