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| COUNSELING |
I am licensed in Tennessee as a LMFT(Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist), license #748, original date 08/14/2008, and as a LPC-MHSP (Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health Service provider), license #2426, original date 12/10/2008. I am also a National Certified Counselor (NCC #255927). I completed three practicum placements totaling 1,049 hours during my graduate studies at Harding School of Theology. I worked in three counseling agencies including HopeWorks, Inc., AGAPE, and Sycamore View Counseling Center. General Area of CompetenceI have demonstrated competency in working with culturally and clinically diverse adult populations, including individuals, groups, couples, and families. Although I have no claimed specialty of practice, I have done work with clients and groups regarding grief and loss, depression and related mood disorders, drug and alcohol dependency and abuse, compulsive sexual behaviors and thoughts, personal growth and development, parenting, marital discord, and communication. I blend Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Narrative Therapy theory in my work with clients. |
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Integration of Faith & Counseling Faith and counseling share an integrative relationship in both the personal and professional areas of my life, and faith provides energy, motivation, and direction for change. I became a Christian in order to live out my thankfulness for the healing God gives through Christ (2 Cor. 2:2-5), and I became a counselor to share healing with others. One way I integrate faith and counseling is by integrating Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) with Christian principles for both my personal growth and professional counseling.
Personally, I strive to identify irrational beliefs, using the Word of God as a mirror. This gives me the opportunity to replace the irrational lies of Satan with the truths of God, thus transforming and renewing my mind (Rom. 12:1-2). In this way, faith changes me, and influences me as a counselor. By using the Word as a spiritual mirror (James 1:22-25), I am empowered to make informed changes in my life, leading to spiritual maturity. I strive to reflect the image of my Creator in my thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and I experience peace in this process as my core beliefs and behaviors more closely reflect God’s Spirit within me.
Professionally, I use a framework that blends Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) with this reflective growth process based on Christian principles. I place a high value on the therapist-client relationship because I view counseling as an opportunity to model for clients the unconditional acceptance and love God has for them. Because God created each person in His image (Gen. 1:27), people are more than flesh and blood. They are spiritual beings with spiritual needs; therefore, I encourage clients to explore their spirituality and to use the Word of God as a mirror in which they can see their spiritual reflection (James 1:22-25). As clients identify irrational beliefs, I use REBT to assist them in replacing these beliefs with healthier options. By honoring the spiritual nature of clients and integrating a spiritual perspective with REBT, I enable clients to make informed changes leading to holistic maturity and peace. |
This church has a special place in my heart. It is where my grandfather, John F. Kennedy, took me as a young boy. It is where his funeral was held and where I remember first thinking about God nearly 40 years ago.