I grew up in western New York State where long family vacation canoe trips into the Adirondacks and Canada between the ages of 5 and 18 gave me a love of canoeing, camping, hiking and the outdoors in general. My connection with the Appalachian Mountains started with visiting my mother’s family in western Pennsylvania. This was part of what brought me to Appalachian State University for my physical education degree followed by a master’s degree in health psychology.
My interest in physical health started with competitive swimming in high school and then becoming a Viet Nam era Navy medic. This connection became stronger and more personal with the death of my mother (at 46) and my father (at 52) occurring six months apart, and later my older brother’s triple bypass when he was 40 years old.
The psychological components became part of the health and wellness picture during my own healing journey as I confronted difficulties I discovered with my family of origin. An environmental component also played a part, inspired by studying ecology in college and growing up near the infamous toxic dioxin dump known as Love Canal. Family systems therapy has helped me understand the human patterns that surround and influence all of us. Spirituality became important to me through my own personal bereavement and recovery processes.
As a result of my experiences, my definition of health has grown to integrate body, mind, spirit, and the planet. It informs my general counseling practice and addiction counseling, and fits well with the shared holistic health and wellness orientation of Blue Mountain Center. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist (LCAS). Additionally, as a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPCS) and a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS), I enjoy supervising LPCAs and addictions counselors working toward their certification or licensure.
I now live in an old farmhouse in the woods in western Watauga County with my wife, a collection of pets, and a garden. Our daughter lives in California and is pursuing her graduate degree in Earth System Science. I regularly exercise, canoe, hike, bike, walk our dogs daily, and enjoy the outdoors in this beautiful area.
