Acceptance is Part of Healing

My Journey to Becoming a Therapist 

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I started my journey to becoming a Professional Counselor very early on. After high school, I went to college, believing I wanted to be a veterinarian. By the end of my first semester, I realized it was not the best role for me.

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I left college, started working, and tried to figure out what I really wanted to do. This led me to join the United States Air Force. (My father and brothers were in the Army, and my Grandfathers were in the Army and the Army Air Forces.) I ended up injured and had to be medically retired from service. 

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From there, I moved to Macon, started working at a major insurance company in sales and service, and worked my way into the information technology field as a computer programmer. It was during this time that college was calling me back. 

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It was my first semester back, and I did the one thing I was told a lot in the military... DO NOT VOLUNTEER! It was in my Human Development course. The professor asked a question about movies on family systems, and I noted that in some movies, family system destruction occurred regularly. That turned into a paper, a poster presentation, and, finally, a talk at a psychology conference.

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From there, I was hooked, but because I had a new family, I could not pursue my Ph.D. in Psychology, so I began the process of becoming a Professional Counselor.

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Originally, I focused on Degenerative Brain Disease and Traumatic Brain Injury. Because of this, my internship was in a Senior Acute Inpatient facility. In my final few months of that internship, I discovered two things - Professional Counselors (at that time) could not join Medicare panels, and the senior population was one of the fastest-growing sexually transmitted infection groups around. It was these factors that opened the door to becoming a sex therapist.

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The rest is history..... 

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Family and More

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My wife and I have been together for 29 years and have two children (who are now both adults). We have lived in Macon during this time so our kids would have stable friendships and some sense of community.  

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In 2019, I returned to the Veterans Administration due to issues related to my former service. From that experience, I realized the challenges veterans face in obtaining their benefits and what to do once they receive their ratings. I work with veterans to help them access resources, understand what to do after they get a rating, and find community. This is from my own experience, and I am not a Veteran Services Officer or an attorney. I do know those resources if needed, but most of the items I bring deal more with after-rating evaluations, compensation, and pension (C&P) exams. 

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In 2023, I returned to college to pursue my Ph.D. in Human Sexuality Studies at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, through its hybrid program. Widener University is currently one of only two universities to have an accredited Ph.D. in this field of study. (There are a few other schools that are licensed to issue Ph.D. but are not accredited, which may matter if pursuing careers in research and academics.) In May 2026, my coursework should be complete, and my dissertation work will start. 

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Curriculum Vitae​​

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Licensure

• Georgia Licensed Professional Counselor

  • License number - LPC009044

• South Carolina Licensed Professional Counselor

  • License number - LPC.12181 PC

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Current Professional Roles

• Licensed Professional Counselor - Georgia / South Carolina

  • Private Practice

• Clinical Licensure Supervisor - (Only for Georgia APCs)

  • Georgia supervision for counselors pursuing full LPC licensure

• Certification Supervisor / Consultant 

  • AASECT Sex Therapists/Counselors/Supervisors ​

  • ISEE Certification Supervisor

• Adjunct Faculty - Widener University - Human Sexuality Studies
  Certificate Program

  • HSED 503 - Introduction to Sex Therapy​

  • HSED 681, 682, 683, and 684 - Clinical Supervision for Sex Therapy

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Education

• Widener University, Chester, PA
  Master of Education in Human Sexuality Studies, May 2026

• Fort Valley State University: Fort Valley, GA
  Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling, December 2012

• Middle Georgia State University: Macon, GA
  Bachelor of Science in Public Service, May 2010

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• Widener University: Chester, PA
  Ph.D. Student – Focus: Sex Therapy (Dissertation starts August 2026)
  Anticipated completion: Spring 2028
  Current research focus - Factors related to urogenital trauma among veterans 

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Certifications 

• National Certified Counselor (NCC) - National Board for Certified Counselors

  • Certificate number: 815312

• Certified Professional Counseling Supervisor (CPCS) - Clinical Certification Association of Licensed Professionals

  • Certificate number: 1448

• Certified Sex Therapist (CST) - American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists

• Certified Sex Therapist Supervisor (CST-S) - American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists

• Approved TeleSupervisor (ATS) - Clinical Certification Association of Licensed Professionals

  • Certificate number: 1014

• Certified Holistic Sex Therapist - Institute of Sexuality Education and Enlightenment

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Professional Memberships

• National Board for Certified Counselors 

• Licensed Professional Counselors of Georgia 

• American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists 

• American Counseling Association 

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Presentations, Panels, Podcasts, and Media Appearances

• Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia - May 2026

  • 38th Annual Conference (Speaker) - 3 CEU Presentations

  • Topic 1 - Clinical Integrity in the Age of AI: Ethical and Supervisory Responsibilities in Technology-Assisted Practice 

  • Topic 2 - Supervising Sexuality Topics in Counseling for Supervisors Without Sex Therapy Specific Training

  • Topic 3 - Relaxing Around The Topic of Sex: Practical Skills for Therapists Who Are Not Sex Therapists

• Pain to Performance Podcast - March 2026 - Guest Specialist

  • Topic: Trauma and Sexuality   

• Institute for Sex Education & Enlightenment - December 2025 - Panelist

  • Topic: Intimate Warriors:  Challenges and Rewards of Working with Veterans in Sex Therapy. 

• Fort Valley State University - September 2025 - Panelist

  • Topic: Seminar in Professional Counseling and Orientation.

• Guardian’s Advocate TikTok Live - June 2024 - January 2025 - Mental Health Expert

  • Purpose: Veteran assistance with questions related to rating and support. 

• Umbrella Rebellion Podcast - September 2024 - Guest Specialist

  • Topic: Sexuality and Purity Culture Part 2.

  • Purpose: Working through trauma and reclaiming sexuality.

  • YouTube link: Umbrella Rebellion

• Umbrella Rebellion Podcast - July 2024 - Guest Specialist

  • Topic: Sexuality and Purity Culture 
    (Addressing aspects of complex trauma on sexuality and reclaiming identity.) https://www.youtube.com/live/IcBNWrBwmn0?si=d9xl59swuxzWjXYb 

• Laura Zam – November 2021 - Guest Speaker
  Topic: Sexuality and Aging 

• Mercer University – March 2019 - Guest Speaker
  Topic: Education in Public Schools 

• Navicent Health – June 2018 Panelist 
  Topic – Issues and Facts on Transgender Individuals 

• Mercer University – October 2017- Guest Speaker
  Topic: Men’s Sexuality and Issues 

• Mercer University – April 2017 - Guest Speaker
  LGBTQIA+ Student Organization – “Common Ground” 
  Topic: LGBTQIA+ Mental Health and Resource Outreach ​