Professional Background
After graduating from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville in 1996 with my Master’s Degree in clinical social work and certification as a Licensed Master Social Worker, I began my 25-year professional career in mental health counseling. Right after graduating, I began working in Houston, Texas, with patients needing support for anger management issues, and became a Certified Anger Resolution Therapist. I returned to Knoxville in 2007 to work for Bradford Health Services as an individual and group counselor providing therapy for adult and adolescent patients facing difficulties cause by substance abuse and dependency. In addition to counseling patients, I was responsible for triage, individual assessments, and determining appropriate level of care and placement for individual patients. In 2012 I opened my private practice, continuing to counsel patients with either substance abuse and dependence, or patients whose experiences make them “at risk” for substance use and dependence. I also provide direct therapy for patients under medical contract for monitoring of their Suboxone treatment for opioid dependence.
Licenses and Certifications
1996 – University of Tennessee • Masters Degree • Clinical Program Track
2008 – University of Tennessee • Certified Field Instructor • Intern Mentoring
1996 – Center for Anger Resolution Inc • Houston, Texas • Certified Anger Resolution Therapist
2014 – PRI-Prevention Research Institute- Prime for Life Instructor (licensed as an alcohol and drug specialist in TN; also DUI instructor in TN)
10/2019 – Present —Mindful Recovery
Therapist working in direct contact with patients who are currently following a suboxone regimen. Patients are under a medical contract with the treatment facility and are monitored closely to ensure that they are meeting all requirements of their contract with their qualified doctor and getting medications only from a single pharmacy.
05/2012 – Present — Behavior Focused
Private Practice working with individuals, groups, and families. Helping them identify issues related to substance abuse and dependence and to recognize patterns of relapse; educating individuals and families on the signs and symptoms of addiction and improving environmental support systems; corresponding with legal and employment persons to ensure optimal success in their recovery.
06/2017 – Present — Prime for Life
Prime for Life Instructor, where I work mainly with adults, is an evidence-based program helping people who have in the recent past made high-risk alcohol and or drug choices and accept the need for change in their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Motivational Interviewing and cognitive behavioral methods are woven into the program.
01/2007– May 2012 — Bradford Health Services, Knoxville, TN
Adult and adolescent therapist. Conducted individual and group therapy with both adult and adolescent patients. Patients were referred due to issues related to substance abuse and dependency. Assessed patients from the intake process to assure they were assigned the appropriate level of care. Administered bio-psychological assessments, and determined if patients were substance abusers or dependent. After determination of the level of care that was most appropriate, would then monitor their progress through those channels. This would often be in-patient treatment, IOP or intensive outpatient treatment and lastly after care treatment. Patients sometimes be asked to transfer to a half-way house as their home environments were too often a toxic environment and not appropriate to promote long term recovery.
