I lived in Southern California most of my life except for two ‘side trips.’ I was the US Army and served with the 82nd Airborne Division and closed out my time with the US Army as a Drill Instructor. My second brief absence from Southern California was to go up to Golden Gate Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (renamed Gateway Baptist Seminary) for a presidential appointment as a professor in the area of pastoral care and as the Dean of Students. While I loved the seminary, I wanted to work closer with the local church and returned to Southern California to join Saddleback Church.

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I’m an alcoholic and have been clean for over 45 years. I became a Christian after I got out of the US Army and have been in ministry for over 40 years. I have been married for over 40 years with two grown children. I am a 30+ years experienced licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who recently retired from Saddleback Church located in Lake Forrest, California where for 17+ years I served as Pastor of Pastoral Care. I unretired to begin the Daybreak Family Counseling Center and start the nonprofit Daybreak Church Care Development Ministry.

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Since I’ve been in the role of dealing with the most difficult cases; I trained both lay leaders and people seeking to become licensed mental health professionals; I provided supervision to all the above who provided the care to others as they adjusted their treatment plans to give their clients the best treatment; I have an understand of these issues and how to diagnose them and to treat them:

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·         Stress, Anxiety

·         Occupational

·         Educational

·         Stage of Life

·         Depression

·         Unmotivated

·         Disoriented

·         Unclear

·         Alcohol and Drug Misuse/Abuse

·         Relationship Issues

·         Intimacy-Related Issues

·         Communication

·         Spiritual Struggles

·         Marital Conflict

·         Adult ADD and ADHD

·         Family Conflicts

·         Trauma and Abuse

·         PTSD

·         Domestic Violence

·         Grief—Loss—Death

·         Parenting Issues

·         Blended Family Issues

·         Anger Resolution

·         Self-Esteem

·         Family of Origin

·         Previous Marriage

·         Career Guidance

·         Individuals—Men and Women

·         Premarital Counseling

·         Loved One is Mentally Ill

·         What you cannot do

·         What you can do

·         How to maintain your sanity

·         Divorce

·         Recovery

·         Bitter

·         Angry

·         Confused

·         Could not prevent it