Mary Anne Ericson Knolle, PhD, Presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who

Mary Anne Ericson Knolle, PhD, Presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who

Dr. Mary Anne Ericson Knolle has been endorsed by Marquis Who’s Who as a leader in the field of mental health and a psychology consultant to business, law, and financial planning

Marquis Who’s Who, the world’s premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Mary Anne Ericson Knolle with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Across the years Dr. Knolle has added university degrees and mediation training.  She earned a Bachelor of Art in communications at the University of North Texas, followed by a Master of Art in communications at the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Art in psychology at Houston Baptist University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in clinical psychology at Summit University. Dr. Knolle is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a licensed professional counselor.  She is also a mediator.  She is in Denton, Texas. 

In 1989 she began her private practice in individual, marriage and family therapy and consulting.  She has 30+ years of experience doing individual, marriage and family therapy, executive and business consulting, mediation, business succession planning, and collaborative divorce with a team of two attorneys, one financial planner, and her role as a mental health professional.  

Noteworthy Accomplishments

Noteworthy accomplishments include copyrights that she uses in her work and shares with professionals such as medical doctors, attorneys, clergy, and financial planners.  

1.  Personality Strengths Assessments (PSAs)©.  The client’s PSA© ranks a client’s personality strengths 1-32.  He learns if he is at 1% – 100% of Americans in each of the 32 personality strengths. He may be higher than 90% of people in the US in Dominance and 95% in Achievement.  The client selects a goal and uses his personality strengths to reach the goal.  A Workbook gives him tools.  www.best-personality-test.com

2.  The SORT Test©.  This test is the ONLY test on the web that gives a client’s risk tolerance profile in Normal and Stress Conditions. It measures his coping strengths which remain relatively stable throughout life. The difference between Normal and Stress Conditions can be substantial.  A husband and wife can average their risk tolerance profiles.  Then the couple and the financial planner can use this combined risk tolerance profile in Normal and Stress Conditions as a tool to select investments. She refers clients to financial planners.  However, a client who does not have a financial planner can also use it as a tool to select investments. MBA students and business owners took the SORT Test© that set its validity and reliability at .75.  Test stats are available.  www.TheSORTTest.com

3.  The Medical Psychological and Legal Society (MPALS) Charter and Handbook©.  Professionals such as medical doctors, psychologists, attorneys, clergy, and financial planners can have the same client.  They can trade information and take care of the client together. She founded MPALS for psychology.  Pastor Douglas B. Barnett founded it for clergy. Robert C. Focke, JD founded it for legal.  Jackie Hart, MD founded it for medicine.  They formed it soon after AIDS became widespread in the U.S.  Mission Statement:  Excellence across professions across cultures across the years

4.  Co-Parenting Coalition©.  Plans and tools for divorcing parents to co-parent that are used by attorneys in collaborative and litigation cases and by therapists in private practice.        

5.  If You Can’t Take the Heat Turn Down the Fire©. The client learns if he is at 1% – 100% of Americans in 35 Triggers to Stress.  An MPAL psychiatrist can be added to the therapy process to see if medication is appropriate.  If financial concerns are causing stress an MPALS financial planner can consult.  If legal issues are present an MPALS attorney might help.  An MPALS clergy is also available.

Visibility and Prominence: Frameworks for Different Professionals to Work with the Same Client

Her Executive Club has one member for each profession.  She can use the PSA©, the SORT Test©, and If You Can’t Take the Heat Turn Down the Fire© to tell their clients for the first time where they are from 1% – 100% in personality strengths, risk tolerance, and stress. Then refer them to MPALS who work together to help them reach the goals they set for themselves.  She partners with these clients to consider options, select the best options, and then carry out their options until they reach the goals they set.

When a married couple must divorce she helps them get a collaborative divorce.  A Collaborative Divorce Team has six members: the husband’s attorney, the wife’s attorney, one financial planner, and one therapist. How is a collaborate divorce different from a litigated divorce?  All six Team members work together to structure a divorce that works for ALL family members. For example:  The husband’s attorney and the wife’s attorney agree to look for terms that work for both husband and wife.  One financial planner (not two) offers a financial plan that works for all family members.  The therapist meets with all family members.  People tend to support what they help to create and resist what is forced upon them.

Dr. Knolle’s work with attorneys in collaborative and litigated divorces led to a 2008 invitation to speak at the state convention of the Association of Family and Conciliatory Courts (AFCC).  In this.organization judges, attorneys, and therapists consider how to improve the divorce process.  Her topic was, “The Use of Personality Strengths Assessments (PSAs)© in Divorce Cases with Allegations of Child Abuse and/or Domestic Violence.”  She was an AFCC Board member in 2009-2011.

Anyone can get a Personality Strengths Assessment (PSA)© at www.best-personality-test.com and learn his risk tolerance profile in Normal and Stress Conditions at www.TheSORTTest.com.

Prior to her work in psychology, Dr. Knolle was an instructor at the University of Baltimore, Miami Dade College, Savannah State University, and the University of Houston. She was also an instructor and the Director of Public Relations at Alvin Community College in Texas.

Pro Bono Work

For many years she has enjoyed doing volunteer work. In 1966 she was a consultant for the University of Texas law school’s Moot Court.  In 1972 she was president of the alumnae group of Alpha Delta Pi.  In 1976 she was chairman of the education committee for the Alvin Chamber of Commerce.   In  1979, Dr. Knolle received the Blockbuster Award from United Way. In 1982 she was a judge for the Houston Jaycees regional speech contest.  In 2016 she was a Silver Fox Advisor of the CEO Roundtable.  www.SilverFox.org  In 2018 – 2020 she served on the Finance, Commission Candidate Support, and Pastor Support Committees at the First Methodist Church in Denton. In 2020 – 2024 she is a Board member of the Board of Ministry for the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church.  The Board assesses and approves pastor candidates for commission and ordination.

Dr. Knolle can be reached at 1maknolle@gmail.com.

Her family is important to her.  Her husband is Jon Warren Knolle, MD.  Her daughters are Sarah Ann Israel and Sonja Alexis Borda.  Her granddaughter is Kathryn Marie Borda.

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