About Therapy
Caring for your needs is a high priority.
I love the saying: “People don’t care how much you know until they see how much you care.”
I care! You might be surprised how easy it is to talk with me. You can tell your complete story in a safe and comfortable space here.
Fears, tears, questions, hope, encouragement, laughter, and safety are all part of the mix in every session.
Welcome to being yourself! There’s no need to fake it to make it here! Loving one another is the standard here.
My approach is comforting, uplifting, and practical.
You will find that I am a practical, interactive, solution-focused therapist.
I am very approachable and enjoy a good laugh. Frankly, I think I am funny, and often my patients agree.
Humor in sessions is often beneficial in periodically removing some of the stress that ebbs and flows in therapy sessions.
The woke world is a threat for many.
TRUTH is the antidote! God’s Word, the Bible, is the truth we will pursue. We will gently and courageously compare your “truths” and thoughts with God’s word.
We will boldly talk about SIN! When necessary, you will receive tools to challenge and replace your beliefs with God’s truths. This work is exciting stuff!
“A train is never so free, but when it’s on the tracks.” Just as a train is a disaster without tracks, so is a Christian without guidelines. Thus, we will provide “homework” between sessions, including tools, guidelines, and handouts so you can experience change in and outside our sessions.
Everyone who visits my office comes in with problems.
Talking about problems is the start. But it’s much more important to talk about solutions!
If all we do is talk about problems, there will be no progress.
We will talk about how it makes sense that these problems occur and persist. Then, we will nail down specific new ways to think and act. As a result, you will have a game plan!
About Me
My mission is encouragement.
This mission comes from my life verse, Hebrews 3:13, which says, “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
As a youth, I pursued very physical sports. In football, I was a very aggressive linebacker. My football coach nicknamed me “Animal”! I was also the captain of the wrestling team. These were building blocks in my willingness to get “down and dirty” to tackle challenging problems in my life and other people’s lives.
My mother died just before I turned 15 years old. There were five of us, and my dad remarried within six months of my mother’s death to a woman who had another five children – resulting in an instant family of 10. Not a good plan!
Not too long after the merging of these two families, the woman kicked my dad and all his children out of the house. My oldest brother joined the Navy, and the rest of us ended up in foster homes. I know more than a little bit about adversity in multiple places in my life. This experience is why my mission is to encourage others who have faced adversity.
My background involves personal and professional experiences.
My educational background includes a B.A. from the University of Minnesota in Psychology, a ThM degree in Pastoral Counseling from the Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Capella University, specializing in human services and marriage and family counseling.
I was a volunteer probation officer for the Ramsey County, Minnesota, juvenile justice system for two years. I worked for one year in a Christian-based dual diagnosis unit in Texas. The people I worked with had mental health, chemical health, and numerous spiritual problems. It was enjoyable and rewarding work. I also worked one year as a supervisor at Damascus Way, a halfway house in Minnesota for men coming out of prison with predominantly sexual abuse offenses.
For five and a half years, I worked in intense in-home family counseling with children who had problems with mental health, legal problems with school, and public issues along with their families. I also served as a clinical director of children’s mental health services.
I have had my practice, Your Family Matters, for almost 20 years. For the first 16 years, I had an office in my home. Since the advent of COVID, I now do everything online.
Family is important.
I live with my lovely wife, Mary, in Cumby, Texas, a city with approximately 800 people. Our favorite pastime is playing Scrabble with one another. I mostly win, but she is a beautiful sport about that.
That said, when my two oldest daughters (I have three daughters) started cross-country and track, I decided they would never “outrun me.” Therefore, I began to train for long-distance running, including marathons, triathlons, and lengthy bike races.
I am not a quitter and won’t quit on your journey!