Desmond Maul
I was born and lived in Jamaica until age 15. I attended Queens college then Hunter College in New York for my Bachelor's degree; Master's degree from LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA; Doctorate in Marriage and Family from Palmer Seminary/Eastern University in St. David's PA.
I integrate Scriptures (when asked), Psychology and Psychiatry, law enforcement experience, Pastoral experience, being a father, married and divorced and some good old common sense.
I joined the Philadelphia Police Department in 1982 and retired after 16 years where I was Patrol Officer then transferred to the Philadelphia Police Academy as a Pennsylvania State Certified Instructor of Police Recruits and Police Officers; I then transferred to the Philadelphia Police Department's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) unit providing individual and family, couples group, addictions and crisis response including police shootings, suicides, and grief support. I retired in 1996. I got my Master's and doctorate while a member of the Philadelphia Police Department. I am licensed in Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania (License Reactivation Pending) as a Marriage and Family Therapist; relocated to GA in 2010; relocated to Florida in 2024. My primary office is in Georgia where I am the Last week of every month, if you need in person sessions. Retired Philadelphia Police Officer; Semi-retired Pastor; Owner, CEO, Clinical Director, Therapist at Family 360 Inc, a Private Outpatient Mental Health Center in Conyers, GA. I am a father of four adult children and 13 grandchildren. I am a divorcee. I have founded and pastored several multicultural churches in PA and GA. I Hope to see you soon. I enjoy therapy and I am very direct, intrusive, pushy, caring, invasive without apology; kind and sensitive, empathic, and integrate the Bible, Psychology, the Sciences, and Common sense. I provide field placement supervision in Mental Health to Undergraduate and Graduate level students for their licensure. I will name you and call out your behaviors. Positive change begins with you. Be willing to do the work.
First session
The first session is the Intake for Individuals and Couples on trauma, parents/siblings/etc. family dysfunction, childhood, prior relationships, Mental history, marriage, infidelity, domestic violence, etc. I am very directive with my clients; I assign homework looking at childhood trauma and Baggage from childhood and previous relationships, communication styles, sexual issues and needs, dating 1-4x/month, mental health, abandonment by either parent, domestic violence and sexual abuse, etc. With marriage and pre-marriage couples I recommend the Five Love Languages, The Gottman Relationship Assessment tool. etc. In our first session together, we'll start with brief introductions, then dive into the specific challenges you're facing. This will help me create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions. I do a comprehensive intake including childhood trauma, mental health issues, addictions, sexual, physical, and religious abuses, self-harm behaviors, communication, attachment issues, parenting, anger, physical/medical issues. I believe in generational/family "curses"/dysfunction; Listen, your problems did not begin with you; your mind and body holds your memories and trauma. Homework may include: The Five Love languages, Idenitying 5 positive and 5 negativew you bring to the relationship, Identifying 3-5 Needs of the relationship, attitude towards money. We will discuss THE FOUR HORSEMEN that leads to divorce, that will definitely destroy your relationship; closing the exit doors, Your Marriage Table; Accountability; Some of my Homework: I need you to identify your Non-negotiables for your relationship. Topics of discussion include: "To Love, Honor and Cherish;" "Till Death Do Us Part"; "In sickness and In Health"; Infidelity, Addiction, Pornography, Financial infidelity: Domestic violence and Emotional Abuse; other areas of concern include: Your Sexual Health, Communication skills, Parenting Styles, Your Parents as Role Model; Roles in Your Relationship, Equity in your Relationship; Sexual Abuse, Family Secrets, Trauma, Career-Work-Life Balance; Education, Grief, Your "representative" During Courtship as opposed to the Real You once you move in together or say I Do; Menopause and Your Emotions and Relationship. You must do the work to have the quality relationship/marriage you want. BE A BETTER AND NOT A BITTER PERSON, forgive yourself for whatever mistakes you have made, move on and live your best life.
Strengths
I am a Christian, Black male, Jamaican born, American, a divorcee, moderate democrat, faith-based. I am very heterosexual without apologies. I AM CERTIFIED IN COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY CBT AND DBT and other therapeutic modalities. I am Systemic, holistic in my therapy approach; i prefer to look at the whole orange and not just a peg. The family, couple dynamics has to change for their to be lasting change. I look at how your your personal relationships, family dynamics, social, religious relationships shape your thoughts, feelings, love and behaviors. I am a very good listener, empathetic, and supportive to my clients. I am Direct, Intrusive, opinionated as to your problems and what you are doing wrong and the problems you bring into your relationship such as childhood trauma, trauma from past relationships, identify ways your parents set you up for failure or success and how you carry and express your mess, pain, trauma, messages, fears, anxieties, need to control, run, fight, or submit as a Single or Partner. I use Bible-Psychology. I integrate Scriptures (when asked), Psychology and Psychiatry, law enforcement experience, Pastoral experience, being a father, married and divorced and some good old common sense. By the way, NO PERFECT PEOPLE ALLOWED. We all make mistakes, can you forgive yourself, you parents and grandparents for setting you up to be a failure in your relationships? The issues you are having in your relationship did not start with you, they go generations back. Poor communication, physically, financially, socially, emotionally withdrawing are learned behaviors. I repeat, those problems did not start with you. You need to do the work to make yourself a better functioning person, becomning vulnerable, accessible, responsie, engaging in your relationship. Stop blaming your partner, Your are the Man/woman in the mirror. change starts with you.
Ideal clients
I have a very extensive history working with Couples, Singles, Children and Youth, Law enforcement, Addicts, persons of faith and Clergy. I am licensed in Georgia, florida, and Pennsylvania (pending license reactivation). In addition to In-office appointments, I do virtual sessions with Grow, Headway, and My own counseling agency, Family 360 Inc. I accpet almost all insurance, and self pay clients.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Completed graduate studies. completed Certification CEUs for licensure every two years. CBT is our agency's treatment method. However, we are Eclectic in practice
Trauma-Focused CBT
Completed graduate studies. completed Certification CEUs for licensure every two years. CBT is our agency's treatment method; DBT; Motivational, Supportive, Person Centered, Mindfulness, Psychodynamic, Trauma, etc strategies
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
Completed graduate studies. completed Certification CEUs for licensure every two years. CBT is our agency's treatment method. DBT; Motivational, Supportive, Person Centered, Mindfulness, Psychodynamic, Trauma, etc strategies
Faith based therapy
Ordained minister since age 29; founded and pastored several multicultural churche sin PA and GA; currently semi-retired; operated faith-based outpatient counseling center
Child Parent Psychotherapy
Doctorate, Masters, and Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Marriage and Family therapy
Location
Virtual sessions
In-person sessions2375 Wall St SE, Conyers, GA 30013, Suite 240, second floor. All therapy sessions are Virtual unless Dr. Maul or his Secretary approve an in-office appt. If an in-office appointment is not approved to schedule by Dr. Maul or the Secretary (Taniya), please do not schedule an in-office appointment. Office, 770 679 0586