Who I Am
I am a licensed professional counselor and licensed marriage and family therapist with 15 years of experience. This is a title I carry professionally, but more importantly I am a husband, a father, and a man on journey to live the life God intended for me to live. Like you I have strengths, but also imperfections, flaws, and struggles. The latter connect us more due to our common experience of living life in a world that often feels chaotic.
We both have a unique story. My story, the desire to lead and care for others that was nurtured and developed in the Marine Corps, and the mission I feel was given to be a fellow traveler with you on your journey of healing and growth is what led me into the field of counseling.
Your story is worth being told and listened to and is essential to your growth and healing.
In order to grow and heal you I believe you need:
- Awareness of your story and its impact on you personally and on those who experience you relationally, both your good and wounded parts.
- Acceptance of the hard parts of your story and the need to live in reality of where you are now instead of idealism.
- Appreciation for the things you’ve overcome and can celebrate in your life despite hardships.
- Actions you can put into practice with new tools rather than remaining passive and sitting by on the sidelines.
- Aloneness removed through living in community with others on a similar journey of growth and coming out of isolation
- Adherence which is commitment to your process of growth even when every part of you wants to throw in the towel.
*Adopted from Dr. David N. Daniels, M.D., Universal Growth Process
Something brought you here. Why now? Where are you? What needs to change?
- Is it emotional distress, whether it be depression, aloneness, anger, fear, worry, guilt and shame?
- Are you tired, worn out, and burned out with life and need a place of refuge and safety to navigate what’s keeping you stuck?
- Is your marriage falling apart and you feel hopeless things can change? Maybe other relationships you value, whether with your kids or family and friends are broken and need repair.
- Are you living with unresolved hurt and pain and need a safe place to unpack it?
- Are you battling various addictions and escaping behaviors and feel stuck?
- Does someone you love battle addiction and you need direction on how to navigate it?
- Is it unresolved grief and loss in your story that you have buried for years?
- Have you faced trauma in the past or present that is impacting your ability to function in all areas of your life, whether physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually?
- Is it skills and tools you need to be able to communicate better and manage and resolve conflict?
- Do you have a hard time trusting anyone or anything and don’t take healthy risks in life and don’t know why?
- Is it the need to learn boundaries internally and relationally because you were never taught?
- Is it aloneness you’re feeling and you want to learn how to live in community and come out of isolation?
- Are you trying to figure out who you are and tired of trying to find your identity in the shallow things the world offers you?
- Is faith important to you and you need spiritual direction in life?
- Are you in a good place in your life and want to continue your journey of growth?
My story and training prepared me to work with you around any of these areas you may be experiencing. I invite you to come see me so we can assess where you and what you need?
Main Areas of Specialty and Focus:
Men’s Issues
- Emotional distress (depression, anger, anxiety, stress, fear, worry, guilt, and shame)
- Relationship concerns- around marriage, parenting, family and friend dynamics
- Recovery around various addictions
- Trauma in childhood, teenage years, and adulthood
- Grief and loss issues
- Stress related Issues
- Communication skills
- Conflict resolution and management
- Learning to trust
- Learning to live in community with other men and have a support system
- Boundaries internally and in relationships
Complex Trauma/PTS (Post Traumatic Stress)
- Veterans, active military, and first responders
- Others dealing with past and or current trauma’s and distress
- Use Accelerated Resolution Therapy and EMDR Therapy for trauma
Addiction Recovery
- Around substance abuse
- Around pornography and other sexual struggles
- Support for families of loved ones dealing with addictions who need guidance
Models of Therapy Utilized
- ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy) – trauma model
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and reprocessing) -trauma model
- EFT (Emotion Focused Therapy) – individual
- Intimacy Therapy – marriage counseling model
- IFS (Internal Family Systems) – individual counseling model and addiction model
Educational Background
BS, in Bible Teaching, Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina.
MA, in Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS
MA, in Marriage and Family Therapy, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS.
More Personal Info About Me
I enjoy all kinds of music, but especially Cajun music, and like playing at local Cajun jam sessions throughout Acadiana. I like good coffee at local coffee shops, camping and hiking, working land and connecting with horses, and enjoy a good campfire with other men with a good cigar. I like connecting with other veterans in the area and have recently joined the board of the Acadiana Veterans Alliance, an organization committed to supporting veterans in the area through different programs we offer.