About Me
How I Got Here
1983 – 2000
- Received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication
- Became an advertising manager for a Nashville-based record label
- Became a drunk
- Became a business reporter for a morning daily newspaper
- Got sober
- Became an account manager for an academic advertising organization
- Became a vice president of market communications for a subsidiary of a major multi-national corporation
- Became the acting communication director of a Washington DC-based political action, education and policy organization
- Became the marketing director and operations manager for a community mental health services organization
- Trained as a oppression reduction/diversity appreciation workshop facilitator with the National Coalition Building Institute
2001
- Diagnosed with a serious mental illness
- Became a licensed practitioner of Science of Mind
- Taught anger management and domestic violence prevention courses to court-ordered, violent offenders.
2003
- Received a Master of Science degree in Social Work
- Accepted appointment as an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work
- Became a substance abuse counselor working with opiate and other polysubstance abusers
- Received a Personal and Professional Coaching degree from CoachU.
2004
- Became director of housing and homeless services for the Tennessee Department Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
2007
- Became statewide director of community outreach in Tennessee for one of the world’s largest managed care companies.
2009
- Received a Bachelor of Divinity degree
- Became an ordained minister of the Universal Brotherhood Movement
- Became a licensed advanced practice social worker
- Created a private practical spirituality coaching and pastoral counselor practice.
2015
- Trained in experiential therapy at Onsite Workshops.
2018
- Expanded practice as a full-time coach, communicator and consultant
- Trained in Level 1 Faster Emotional Freedom Technique (eutaptics®)
- Continued studies toward a Doctor of Divinity degree.
2019
- Trained in ARISE® Comprehensive Care with Intervention
I do not practice as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).
Who I Am
I have lived some difficult experiences. And I have been granted some fantastic turn-arounds. While I was finding growing success in my career as a journalist, market communications executive, behavioral health counselor, program developer/administrator and corporate executive, my path toward personal restoration was simultaneously saving me from childhood and religious trauma, substance abuse and a serious mental health diagnosis.
I discovered that I couldn't effectively compartmentalize myself. There isn't a "work me" and a "healing me," there's only me. Finding a way to integrate these seemingly disparate sides of myself led me to a new, practical spirituality—a spirituality of integrity, authenticity and acceptance. And, that spirituality soon infused how I approached my work with others beyond conventional practices.
Now, after more than 30 years of sobriety, solid recovery and extensive study along with continuing to build my professional résumé, I have combined what I learned in my business life and my healing life to create a unique professional venture that allows me to assist individual clients, families, groups, organizations and companies with a diverse array of service offerings.
It is my deepest wish that when you are working with me, you experience a man who is consciously creating with you, who is referencing his challenges and opportunities as we consider yours and who, by embracing life wholly, faithfully and intelligently, can offer informed and, perhaps, enlightened perspective to support you and your personal or professional goals.
I have acknowledged my gifts, I have done my preparation and, now, I choose to share what I have learned as a coach, communicator and consultant.