steps i’ve taken along my journey...
For 20 years I have worked in counseling roles within the contexts of the university, hospital, and local church. I worked as a Chaplain Resident completing both basic and advanced units of Clinical Pastoral Education. I have served local congregations as a staff minister, most recently with primary responsibilities in pastoral care and counseling. I also served as a University Minister in roles such as counselor, advisor, instructor, and advocate for students. These rich and very different kinds of experiences have informed both my understanding and practice of pastoral counseling.
Additionally, I continue to teach, lecture, and consult in the areas of counseling, pastoral care, and religious studies.
I have degrees from Campbell University (B.A.), Duke University Divinity School (M.Div.), the University of Wales Cardiff-UK (M.Phil.), Graduate Theological Foundation (Psy.D.) and have done additional coursework in counseling at North Carolina State University.
I am a North Carolina Board Certified Fee-Based Practicing Pastoral Counselor and I am Psychotherapist Member of ACPE. Also, I am an in-network provider with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.
My experiences as a pastoral counselor, college minister and hospital chaplain help me to provide authentic care and concern at critical times and explore personal situations with careful thought and attention. Specifically, I have experience with persons dealing with grief, loss, depression, vocational discernment, sexual abuse, identity struggles, pre-marriage preparation, and relational and marital issues.
understanding pastoral counseling...
Pastoral counseling, also referred to as pastoral psychotherapy, is a process in which a pastoral counselor utilizes insights and principles derived from the disciplines of theology and the behavioral sciences to help persons achieve wholeness and health. The goal is to assist persons in modifying feelings, attitudes, and behavior that are intellectually, socially, emotionally, or spiritually maladjustive, ineffectual, or that otherwise contribute to difficulties in living.