Teenagers

I have been working with teenagers since 1995 when I started volunteering in the youth group at my church. That experience was very transforming for me and I continued to seek opportunities to work with teenagers in a variety of settings.

In 1998 I worked for several months as the interim junior high and high school pastor at The Church at Arrowhead in Glendale, AZ. I then began working (1998-2001) as an academic admissions adviser and high school recruiter for my alma mater, Grand Canyon University. It was in that position that I really began to have a passion for that all important transition from high school to college, as I daily worked with students in school settings, meeting in their homes, and helping lead bible studies on the campus.

So when I went to Fuller Theological Seminary’s main campus in Pasadena, CA, I knew that I wanted to do my nine month church internship working with youth. In 2001 I accepted the internship job in the college ministry at Bel Air Pres in Los Angeles, and eventually became the college pastor (2002-2008) working with college students on the campuses of UCLA, USC, LMU, as well as working with students in the fashion, acting and music industries.

The teenage years are filled with all kinds of excitement, as well as some anxiety filled experiences. That is why I enjoy working part-time with the youth department at HPPC Church where I work with teens and their parents, providing monthly education classes and helping meet individual teens and family needs. Whether the issue is related to communication between teenagers and parents, or helping a teenager better discover their identity and who they were created to be, I desire to come alongside of them during this life transforming transition. Some of the issues that may be discussed in therapy are:

Issues with Parents (Communication, Boundaries, Freedom, Responsibility, et cetera)

Boundaries

Identity, Self-Worth and Confidence

Sexuality

Drugs and Alcohol Use/Abuse

Dating

Peer Pressure

College/Career Guidance

Upcoming Teen Guys Groups
I will be co-facilitating these guy’s teen groups with Blake Edwards. For more information on these groups check out FLY! Groups.

Sometimes in life a person comes to feel stuck. We can find ourselves stuck in sadness, resentment, fear, destructive behaviors, or even in uncertainty. We can become stuck in all sorts of ways. In these times, we often feel alone. And, we often are unsure of how to get unstuck, of how to move forward. Furthermore, we may become experts at avoiding help.

FLY! Groups meet to provide a format for struggling individuals to come together in a facilitated therapeutic group environment that provides support, challenge, and direction amidst a difficult time in life. FLY! Groups offer help with anxiety, depression, and family stress, to life transitions and spiritual direction, as well as grief and loss.

Jan. 11-Feb. 22, 2011: FLY! A Group for Teen Guys
13-15 Yr Old Boys Only
Tuesday nights, 6:30-8pm, January 11th, 18th, 25th, February 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd
Location: TBA

Jan. 27-Mar. 10, 2011: FLY! A Group for Teen Guys
16-18 Yr Old Boys Only
Thursday nights, 6:30-8pm, January 27th, February 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, March 3rd, 10th
Location: TBA

If you are interested in having me come speak, please contact me via email at