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I am currently employed at Creekside Behavioral Health, which is part of Summit BH. My position is Behavioral Health Associate, which I love trying to make a difference and help people.
Some of the things I enjoy doing include singing at my church, Shades of Grace in Kingsport, TN. Additionally, my hobbies include spending time with my six grandchildren. I have four grandsons and two granddaughters. I get to spend time with my granddaughter one to two times a week, which leaves me with minimal time for school. I’ve been married for forty years this year (bless my wife’s heart). I have three sons and three daughters. All of them are out of the house except one, and she has gone back to school, so she came home to live with us while she is attending.
As for pets, we have three dogs and three cats.
As I am a recovering addict/alcoholic, my passion is working with them. I don’t know how people feel personally, but I can say that I’ve been there. I care about them. I care about seeing them kick their addiction habits. Everyone deserves a life outside the hell we have made for ourselves.
As far as my prior education, I do not have a degree. I dropped out of school years ago because of my addictions. After I got clean and sober, I decided to pursue a career in addiction counseling. I know you all probably hear it often, but I want to make a difference in people’s lives. I care about people, especially addicts and alcoholics. Everyone deserves the chance to become the people they were meant to be. I am finally becoming the man I should have been my whole life; a better husband, father, son, and poppaw.
I researched quite a bit about addiction certifications. I felt that ATI was the perfect fit for me, and I believe it was. The way they have worked with me has been fantastic, especially Lulu. I don’t know if any other school would have supported me like ATI has. After I got over the initial shock of having to do homework, I enjoyed learning again. With everything going on in my life, online learning was the only feasible option for me. Using the counseling certificate to help people was simply a given.
My job doesn’t specifically involve working with addicts and alcoholics. It combines detox with treating those who have mental health disorders. I find it fulfilling because I work with people that are struggling with drugs, alcohol, or mental health issues. Today, several patients told me that they could tell I genuinely cared about them. They felt that I wanted to be present. To me, that was the ultimate gift from them. They didn’t realize the psychological impact they had on me. I want to make a difference in their lives and help improve their quality of life.
To me, advancing in my career is not as important as helping people. Of course, I want to be successful, but success is secondary to helping those who are in pain. Ultimately, my success will be defined by the success of my patients and clients. Has their quality of life improved? Did I demonstrate compassion? I want it to be said of me that I made an effort to make a difference.
I would say that my goals are closely aligned with those of my clients. I want to succeed to help my clients succeed, and ATI has started me on that journey.
Thank you, ATI, for helping me embark on this journey, and thank you to my instructors for assisting me in learning to be a counselor.
Definition of a counselor: A counselor is someone who listens without judgment, helps you sort through your thoughts and feelings, and works with you to find clarity, healing, and direction.
A counselor is someone who walks with you through the tough stuff—like stress, heartbreak, addiction, trauma, or just when someone is feeling stuck. A counselor will not judge or tell you what to do, but they will really listen, help you make sense of what you’re going through, and support you as you find your way forward. It’s about creating a safe, caring space where you can be yourself, work through your thoughts, and take steps toward healing and growth—one conversation at a time.
Talk to me in another year to find where my journey is leading.