Patt Hollinger Pickett

Patt Hollinger Pickett, Ph.D. grew up in the Midwest, the second child of seven children born to her parents. Dr. Patt has a B.A. in sociology and a M.Ed. in Counseling. As a married mother of three young children, she earned her Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Studies. She and her husband, Darrel Hollinger, have a total of five adult children, five grandchildren, and a very old cat.

Dr. Patt began her professional career (and served for 13 years) as a probation and parole officer, initially for the State and later as a United States probation officer. During the course of her eleven years with the federal government, she filed a sex discrimination complaint against her employer, the United States District Court. After a seven year court battle, the case went before the U.S. Court of Appeals and the final judgment was in her favor. (She represented herself on the appeal.)

After leaving government service, Dr. Patt established a private mental health practice in marriage and family therapy and life coaching. People often tease her asking, “What is the difference between the two occupations?”

Dr. Patt is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist and a Professional Counselor. She is also a Certified Professional (life) Coach. As a relationship expert in practice for 20+ years, Dr. Patt provides guidance with warmth and humor, blended with directness to spread her message of hope and optimism that life change is possible for all who are motivated and persist. As her alter ego, “Dr. Coach Love,” she produced two informational and humorous (or offbeat as you see it) videos on relationship issues available at www.youtube.com/user/drcoachlove.

Dr. Patt is the author of the triple award-winning book, The Marriage Whisperer: Tips to Improve Your Relationship Overnight, published MSI Press, a traditional press in California. The US Review of Books (USR) has recommended her book which has also been awarded a 2013 Gold Medal by IPPY in “Living Now” for “relationships” and selected as a Book of the Month by The MidWest Review. Dr. Patt’s book is supported by decades of education and professional experience—but is inspired by10,000+ conversations with people motivated to improve their lives. The Marriage Whisperer is an easy-read book, composed of 70 unique couple stories, written with humor and without jargon and including practical tips for improving relationships.

Additionally, as a resource and a relationship conversation starter, Dr. Patt developed The Marriage Whisperer Challenge, a unique deck of playing card with one of 52 relationship tips adapted from the book on each card face. Suggestions for use are included. Available on Amazon.