Her background in the fashion world started indirectly when at 14 she was asked to be a photography model for Hallmark Cards. Fashion modeling came next at 16, for local department stores where she was chosen to model for Calvin Klein in a local show. He suggested she come to New York and model but her parents said no. They insisted she go to college and then enter then enter the work force in a "real job." While attending Southern Methodist University as a Fine Arts and Journalism major, her love of clothes and a desire for their acquisition, prompted her to model after classes in Dallas. When that led to Miss Dallas and Miss Texas crowns, she left for Los Angeles after Miss USA and her sophomore year at SMU, much to the dismay of her parents. She was quickly a working actress, appearing in shows such as "Cheers" (1982), "Remington Steele" (1982), "Hart to Hart" (1979) and "CHiPs" (1977). She appeared in six films, including My Favorite Year (1982) with the Peter O'Toole (I). After acting for 11 years , however, she needed a change. Shortly after her 31st birthday, she re-entered college and finished her degree with a BA in Psychology. She earned her Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology and became a psychologist. She has said, "That sounds stranger than it is. In acting, you observe people and emulate them when you play a character. In psychology, you study people and work with them to improve their lives".
