Hi, I'm Dr. Jax

I'm a board-certified professional counselor and adjunct professor, and — maybe most honestly — a lifelong student. Qualitative research is genuinely my favorite hobby. Over more than 30 years, I've studied across philosophy, theology, Christian apologetics, and clinical psychology, and that mix is what informs everything I write and teach.

I didn't start out here. It was my first career in the investment industry, where I first developed a deep respect for best practices and for the people who had already distinguished themselves in their fields. I've long held to the principle that we can see farther by standing on the shoulders of giants. My approach to growth has always been simple: find someone who's reached the top of the mountain in your desired area of interest or field, connect with them, and learn everything you can from their experience. At a minimum, seek their insight. Ideally, learn from them directly.

Some of my most formative education, though, didn't happen in a classroom. Growing up in Baltimore City, and later in the surrounding suburbs, taught me things no program could. Through vicarious learning, real relationships, and lived experience, I came to understand social behavior, peer dynamics, and the complexities that shape communities — an education that still shows up in how I think about people today.

As someone drawn to existential questions, I've always wrestled with the classic philosophical triad: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? Even while I was succeeding in business, I sensed there was something deeper to pursue — so I stepped into a more intentional search. You might say I was a pirate looking at thirty.

Part of what drove that search was my own upbringing. I was raised in the Jehovah's Witnesses, and I came out of it with far more questions than answers. That search led me to Dr. Norman Geisler, a widely respected Christian apologist. I left my job in Baltimore, moved to North Carolina, and on my very first night there, Dr. Geisler graciously sat with me for over five hours answering my questions. It was, in every sense, drinking straight from the source — and it confirmed for me that seeking out the people at the top of the mountain was the right way to learn.

From there, I sought out leading voices in the fields closest to my heart: performance coaching, theology, apologetics, and counseling. I went to seminary, and — feeling underprepared for the pastoral counseling I was being asked to do — I took one counseling class, then another, which eventually became a full degree in professional counseling. I worked as an educator in a psychiatric hospital and a women's rehabilitation program, and eventually moved into private practice and teaching. Fittingly, I now teach at the very seminary Dr. Geisler co-founded. I can't help but see God's hand in that.

With graduate training in both apologetics and counseling, I combined the two for my PhD, building an integrative model that brings theology, philosophy, and clinical counseling together in service of the local church. The model trains apologists to take skills like Socratic questioning — tools that are just as powerful in counseling as they are in apologetics — and apply them as church counselors.

More recently, my clinical focus has shifted toward couples therapy, both inside and outside the church, with the goal of bringing the best clinical tools available to bear on relationships. My dissertation, Christian Apologetics for Mental Health, laid the groundwork for a lot of what I teach now, and one of my ongoing projects is breaking it down into practical, teachable lessons for building up both individuals and the church.

I'll admit — it took me a while to seriously consider engaging on social media. I'm a little old-fashioned in a world built around growing an audience, and honestly, I'm quite content being left alone. As the Bible puts it, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business" (1 Thessalonians 4:11). After a few decades, I didn't need convincing on that one — I've embraced the quiet life. As you get older, you also don't want to waste time, and part of my hesitation with social media has been how easily it can turn into frivolous engagement — casting pearls before swine, as it were.

So why step into it now? A few reasons.

First, as a therapist in private practice, I hear a lot of recurring questions. If I can create a space where I post something once and reach many people — answers that speak to common life experiences — I can reach many through psychoeducation.

Second, for over three decades, whenever I've come across a great idea, quote, or piece of research, I've saved it. It's a little nerdy, but since I'm already a natural researcher, it makes sense to share that digging with people who don't have the time to do it themselves.

Third — and this is my biggest "why" — as a Christian, a few core convictions guide me at this stage of life: the Great Commission to "make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19); the call to "feed my sheep" (John 21:17); the commitment to "not hide them from their descendants" but to "tell the next generation" (Psalm 78:4); and C.T. Studd's words, "Only one life, 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last."

Ephesians 4:12 describes ministry as "the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ" — and that's ultimately what I hope this platform is. I believe God cares about each of us, and if I can uplift even one person, being here is worth it.

That's my background — shaped by experience, reflection, and evidence-based research. If a topic here resonates with you, you're welcome to listen in!