My Bio

THERAPIST / EXECUTIVE COACH / SPEAKER / AUTHOR

EXPERIENCE

and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Clinically Trained and Certified Executive Coach, Author, and Speaker. I am currently in a private practice where I spend a few days a week doing therapy with a variety of people, whether it be individuals, couples or families. And the rest of the week I spend my time doing executive coaching where I have the opportunity to work with executives in corporate and organizational settings doing one on one and group coaching. 

I think the one thing that everyone I work with has in common —  is a strong desire to grow in their overall wellbeing in regards to their mental health, relationships and performance — in all areas of their lives. And I consider it a huge privilege that people trust me to work with them. That is something I take seriously and enjoy immensely. 

Lots of experiences have shaped me over the years and influenced my work, but there have been a few that have really shaped me as a therapist and executive coach:

• The publication in 2012 of my book The Anxious Christian: Can God Use Your Anxiety for Good? has literally led me down the path of being a knowledgeable and well-respected voice on the topic. Anxiety is something that I have written and spoken about for years, is what I get most often asked to come present and speak on, and it is the most common theme that emerges in my therapy and executive coaching work. Anxiety in individuals, family systems and corporate structures is something that will continue to grow and will continue to need to be addressed in transformative ways. 
• For 5 years I was a part of a leadership collaborative project with the Boone Center for the Family at Pepperdine University, the WinShape Foundation and the Center for Vocational Ministry at Azusa Pacific University, where I helped teach and equip leaders about anxiety and depression in their organizations. One of the things that came out of that experience was this leadership and mental health ebook that I was a part of.
• I have lifted weights and run on average about 3 days a week since I was about 12 years old. And over the last 15 years I have trained for and run everything from a 1K to 100 Miles and everything in between, like the Rim to Rim to Rim at the Grand Canyon. These experiences, along with my work as a therapist and executive coach, really help my work with athletes when it comes to mindset and mental health. And I’m a certified running coach.  
• From 2010-2014 I also served on staff as a marriage therapist for The Hideaway Experience in Amarillo, TX, where I co-led 4 day marriage intensives, which was a really powerful experiential model in teaching me how to address mental health and relational issues in an intense communal dynamic.
• Prior to becoming a full-time therapist I was the college pastor at Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles (2001-2008), serving primarily on the campuses of UCLA, USC, LMU, and then from 2008-2011 at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX where I was primarily responsible to care for the youth staff, provide crisis counseling for students and families in the youth department, and teach bi-monthly parenting classes for parents of youth. Some of my early thoughts on mental health and relationships emerged during this time. 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS