Hello, I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in the states of Texas and Tennessee with 30 years of counseling and ministry experience. I began as a minister of the Gospel in the Southern Baptist tradition in 1993 working with the homeless to overcome the struggles of addiction and hopelessness in North Carolina and Tennessee. From there, I became a case manager in a rural oupatient behavioral health clinic helping the chronically mentally ill live independently outside of the institutional settings. As my family of five children grew, my wife encouraged me to join the military in 2007 and for the next 13 years we served alongside our Soldiers and their Families as a chaplain. There, I learned through experience how to work through the stress of multiple transitions, the unyeilding demands for time and energy, and the unjust nature of toxic environments. I learned how to support those who wanted to strengthen themselves and their relationships in these environments and to ultimately be at peace with who they are and who they want to be. As I have matured in my training and become licensed in marriage and family therapy, I have found that I now specialize in using Solution Focused therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help individuals identify their strengths and the beliefs that are guiding their behavior. With this knowledge, people can begin to choose who they want to be.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session together, we'll begin with a brief introduction from me with an opportunity to ask me as many questions as you like before letting me know how I can be of help to you. I would like to hear from you first what your concerns are and then together with you identify where you would like to go from here. I will then offer what I believe is a good first step in going in that direction.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
My heart is with Solution Focused therapy. My head is with Cognitive Behavioral therapy. Solution Focused therapy allows me to listen to you and gives you an opportunity to take me where you want me to go. I invision you painting me a picture of what you are seeing and I get to ask as many questions as I can to fill that picture in. Cognitive Behavioral therapy allows me to ask questions to find out what beliefs you hold that lie behind your picture. As I relay back to you my view of your picture, you may hear a different description than what you gave me. That is because I have a different perspective. And just hearing someone else's point of view of your picture has the potential of helping you to see solutions that you didn't see before.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I believe my biggest strength is working with clients in the midst of their most stressful moments. I have been told I have a calming effect. I love to give people an opportunity to vent their emotions and let their stress out through letting their troubles be known by someone else. I have an empathetic nature and strive to know how someone feels so that I can identify with them. I then have the confidence to ask what I believe are the right questions to be the most helpful to the client to help them achieve their stated goal.