18 years ago, I was working in retail management and asked myself, how can I make more of an impact on those around me that are hurting. A family friend suggested that I apply as a teaching parent at a local group home for teenage girls. Little did I know that would start me down a path where I would feel called to live a life of aiding others to meet their mental health goals. This path would lead me through group homes, in-home services with at-risk families, crisis case management and eventually returning to school to get my Masters in Clinical Counseling 12 years after completing my undergraduate degree in psychology.
Over these past 18 years in the helping professions, I have seen many things, but I am amazed that at the core we are all trying to do the best we can with what we have available to us. This basic value extends to those who have low incomes, different racial or ethnic backgrounds, spiritual practices, or identities. I am motivated to aid all my clients where they are and equip them with the tools necessary to stimulate them on their own personal journeys of growth. Currently, I am focusing on working with couples who have experienced betrayal trauma and I am working on introducing new groups and interventions to aid in this extremely difficult season.
As a therapist, I have experience with and have been trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Good Lives Model, DBT skills training, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Gottman Method couple’s therapy. I employ varied therapeutic approaches to client problems as I enjoy working with complex and challenging problems and populations. I have experience working with, sex addicts, major mental illness, adults who have sexually harmed, and those with legal issues.
Previously, I have worked as a Therapist with the Nebraska Department of Corrections (2016-2019) providing inpatient treatment for high-risk sex offenders. I have also worked as an Intensive Family Preservation Therapist, a Unification Specialist, Family Permanency Specialist, and Service Coordinator for various private agencies (2009-2016). I was born and raised in Central Nebraska before coming to Lincoln to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I loved it so much that 20 years later I am still here!
I am happily married to my high school sweetheart Amanda and we just celebrated our 23rd year wedding anniversary. We have five children 4 who are still at home and our oldest who we adopted as a teenager from the foster care system. Over the years we have welcomed over 70 teenage girls to our home and enjoy catching up with them when we can as they have started families of their own. In addition to our 4 children at home we have one dog, and plenty of fish. In my free time I enjoy reading, camping, volunteering at my church, working on projects around the house, going on dates with my wife Amanda, working with my hands, and spending time having fun as a family.
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