My Bio

A little about me…

Therapist / Speaker / Author / Coach

EXPERIENCE

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Speaker, Author, and Coach, with over 22 years of experience in helping people transform their lives and relationships. I’m currently in private practice in Plano, TX, and besides speaking, writing and coaching, I am part of a 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 help teach and equip pastors about mental health issues in the Church (my specialty is anxiety and depression).

I have worked in the contexts of the Church, community mental health agencies, business and non-profit organizations, and private practice. I am also the author of The Anxious Christian: Can God Use Your Anxiety for Good? and What It Means to be a Man: God’s Design for Us in a World Full of Extremes, as well as a contributor to several others.

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.

Prior to becoming a full-time therapist I was the college pastor at Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, serving primarily on the campuses of UCLA, USC, LMU, as well with a large number of young adults from the entertainment industry in and around Los Angeles. I also served on staff part-time 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.

One of the things I like to do for fun and personal growth is to get outdoors and camp, run, bike, and fastpack. I am an avid runner having completed distances all the way from 5K to 50 Miles. One of my favorite trail races is the Palo Duro Trail Run 50K and 50 Mile.

I live in McKinney, Texas with my wife Heather and our two children.

If you are interested in a longer biography about my life and journey to becoming a therapist who is passionate about working with people, then read on.

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

Education

  • Bachelor of Science in Psychology | Grand Canyon University – 1997 (Phoenix, AZ)
  • Master of Divinity | Fuller Theological Seminary – 2003 (Pasadena, CA)
  • Master of Science in Marital and Family Therapy | Fuller Theological Seminary – 2007 (Pasadena, CA)
  • Certification in Executive Coaching | Southern Methodist University – 2019 (graduate February)

Certifications and Training

  • Certified Level 2 Restoration Therapy Therapist (personally trained under founder Terry Hargrave)
  • Certified Marriage Strong Instructor (along with my wife Heather)
  • Certified Relate Strong Instructor (along with my wife Heather)
  • WinShape Marriage Adventure Leaders (along with my wife Heather)
  • 5 Days to a New Marriage Leader
  • Certified Prepare and Enrich Instructor
  • Certified Family Wellness Instructor
  • Certified Level 1 Running Coach (RRCA)
  • Certified Level 1 ETT Therapist
  • Two Years of Psychodrama Training (under the direction of Katrena Hart)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

I’m licensed in the state of Texas as a Marriage and Family Therapist (#201264). I’m a Clinical Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists, member of the Texas Association for Marriage and Family Therapists, and a member and former Vice-President (2012-2014) for the Dallas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

I served as an advisory board member to Pure Hope (2010-2014) which works in the area of sex trafficking, pornography, sexuality/technology, while helping provide resources to parents and communities.

Please check out more about my credentials and verified quality therapeutic work at Good Therapy and Psychology Today.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

My wife Heather and I met in 2003 in the young adult group at Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, CA. We dated for about two years before marrying in July of 2005. After the birth of our daughter in 2007, we decided it was time to move closer to family and make some changes in our careers. So we moved to Dallas in 2008, and have slowly migrated north to McKinney where we currently live with our daughter and son.

My wife and I have a passion to help people transform their lives and relationships, so together we have pursued certification together in Marriage Strong which has led to us leading some retreats and helping individuals live a more healthy life. We are currently leaders for WinShape Marriage Adventures, leading couples on marriage adventure retreats to varying parts of the world. We are excited about our trip to Peru in September of 2018, where we will lead 5 other couples on a week long journey along the Inca Trail and to Machu Picchu. Heather has a passion for helping people live a more healthy life, and she is currently doing training through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in order to become a certified health coach.

We are super grateful to be living in and among an awesome community of neighbors, friends, and family, and we desire to help each person live their most authentic self.