I was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama by my parents. They always emphasized the importance of compassion, kindness, and education to their six children. While in college, I did not know what I wanted to do until I was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy. This was a life-changing experience because it helped me to realize that serving others was part of my life mission.
Once I was in remission, I returned to college and began to take psychology courses. I also started working with individuals with autism and schizophrenia. I was fascinated with the subject matter in my psychology courses and found my work deeply rewarding. It was an easy decision to decide to pursue my dream of becoming a psychologist. It was a fantastic match to my interests, traits, and abilities.
I have lived and been in private practice in Huntsville, Alabama since 2002. My wife, Lori, and I have been married for over 17 years. We have three active children 12-17 years old. The Gottman Method has meaning in my own life. Lori and I are thankful because we have faced the same issues as other couples and it has helped us to have the best marriage possible.
Our family has faced numerous challenges related to my father’s quadriplegia after a car accident in 2007. We lost my mother to skin cancer in 2016. My father died after 10.5 years of “the best of times and the worst of times” in 2018. The Gottman method has helped my wife and I navigate these stressful times.
Education and Professional History
Licensure
Licensed Psychologist, August 2002, Alabama License #1210
Education
Bachelor of Science in Psychology after attending the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham
Master of Science in Clinical Psychology (1999) and a Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (2001) at Florida Institute of Technology which is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA)
Completed pre-doctoral APA accredited internship at the Bradley Center of St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, Georgia
Relevant Clinical Experience
I had a tremendous amount of training, supervision, and experience in graduate school and during my internship. I worked with clients with a wide variety of presenting problems in many diverse settings. These included inpatient hospitals, counseling centers, and a prison to name a few. I conducted psychological assessments, individual, couples, family, and group therapy.
I have been in private practice in Huntsville, Alabama since 2002.
Certification in Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Gottman Method Couples Therapy was developed by Dr. John Gottman. He is world renowned for his 45 years of breakthrough research with over 3000 couples. He can predict marital stability and divorce with 91% accuracy. He is author of over 40 books and author or co-author of over 200 published journal articles.
I became the first and only Certified Gottman Therapist in Alabama in April of 2016 and was #253 in the world. I am extremely proud of this accomplishment which involved 3 levels of training followed by a certification track. Certification involved 2 years of further study and consultation with one the few Senior Certified Gottman Therapist in the world. The certification track is carefully monitored to insure that clinicians can represent the Gottman Method sensitively and appropriately. A very small percentage of therapist who enter the certification track complete and pass this gruelling process.
I am so excited and passionate about my practice of Gottman Method Couples Therapy. It gives me a powerful structure that is based on the best science. Couples learn the skills to manage conflict in a calm and constructive manner. You also learn how to increase intimacy and friendship to re-capture those loving feelings. It is grounded on what actually works in relationships that are happy and stable, not idealistic notions or anecdotal evidence of what marriage ought to be.
