I completed my doctoral degree in pastoral care, counseling, and congregational soul care in 2004. As a senior pastor of over 30 years, I offer students a plethora of pastoral care and counseling scenarios and outcomes that will thoroughly equip them to understand the complexities of pastoral care and counseling. I am a licensed behavioral health counselor specializing in faith-based counseling and addictions psychotherapy. I am licensed and / or certified to provide clinical psychotherapy for various addictions and co-occurring mental health disorders. I have received training in existential psychotherapy, and I integrate those various models in my clinical practice. I have provided over 30,000 hours of pastoral care and clinical counseling to parishioners, clients, and psychotropic prescribed patients over the past three decades. One of my research interests is intersectionality of how the church addresses HOPE, RURAL POVERTY, and the OPIOID EPIDEMIC as a disease of despair.