Hey, I'm Todd

I'm a therapist in Hoover, Alabama. The story of how I became a therapist moves through three chapters that don't appear to belong together. But they tell a larger story of me becoming who I am.

THE STORY

"Mom was always right"

I tell people I grew up in a house where Mom was always right. That doesn’t mean she was. It means I believed that whatever I thought had to line up with what she thought in order for me to be loved, accepted, and approved. So I learned to listen for the right answer. I learned to be quiet and to keep what I was thinking, let alone what I was feeling, to myself.

Rather than think or feel for myself, I tried to interpret and anticipate what others wanted or expected from me.

THE THREE CHAPTERS

CHAPTER ONE

Following the crowd

Almost all of my friends in high school were at the top of our class. They were headed into some type of engineering. Not knowing myself well enough to determine my own path, I followed along with them. Early on I had learned to parrot what was expected of me, which led to good grades but very limited knowledge of any subject. So I earned a degree in biological engineering because I thought that’s what others wanted, but with no understanding of myself.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER THREE

Caring for the individual

The most difficult part of being a pastor for me was visiting people in their homes. I would ask how they were doing and everything was always “great.” But I knew I had struggles I was facing, which meant they probably struggled as well. I found it difficult to care for people who were either unable or unwilling to have someone care for them. Generally speaking, people who seek counseling are different. They know their struggles and are willing to talk about them. They want to be seen, heard, and known.

A few years ago, for possibly the first time in my life, I was in a position of having to consider what I wanted for myself. What I wanted was what I learned about myself in the first years of seminary. So I went back to school, earned a degree in counseling, and am now doing what I have wanted to do: walk with people through the struggles of life. In September 2025, I opened Journey Together Counseling here in Hoover.

CHAPTER THREE

THE OTHER CHAIR

I am a therapist.
I am also a client.

I do not believe a therapist can take someone where they have not been themselves. Many years ago during my first session as a client, my counselor told me all I needed was an “attaboy,” an affirmation that I was trying my best. Little did I know at the time, I needed so much more.

What I truly needed was someone who was willing to be present with me and provide a safe space where we could explore my inner world. I have been doing my own work ever since and still sit in the client’s chair every week. Through my own therapy, I am learning about my own strategies and uncovering the roots of why I do what I do. And I am gaining a new appreciation for who I am.

WHY I DO THIS

The part I love most

I love teaching and I love watching a light bulb come on for someone. But sitting with someone, talking through what they are experiencing as a whole person, heart, soul, mind, and body, is something else entirely. I get to be a container they can pour their hearts into while they sift through everything going on. I get to be curious about them and kind toward them. And then I get to watch, over time, as something deeper than the light bulb changes: their relationship to themselves and to other people becomes something new.

That is awesome to see. That is why I do this.

WHAT I BELIEVE

Healing is best accomplished with others

Healing is a life-long process. It is an opportunity to grow into what we long to be: whole and authentic humans. Other people help us heal by being curious about what they see in us and by helping us be kind to ourselves. And as we uncover the roots of why we do what we do, we get something we may never have had before: the freedom to choose.

OFF THE CLOCK

When I'm not in the counseling room

My wife and I have been married for more than thirty years and we have four children. I enjoy woodworking, especially making wooden bowls, and watching international films and TV shows. And I believe international football is better than American football, a position I am happy to defend.

TRAINING + CREDENTIALS

The formal side

Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, The University of Montevallo, 2020
Licensed Professional Counselor, Alabama License #04884
Certified NARM® Master Therapist
NARM Post-Masters Training, ongoing
Training in Brainspotting
Three years working with substance abuse clients at Bradford Health Services
Master of Divinity, Covenant Theological Seminary, 2000
Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University, 1993

I am not now who I was Nor am I Who I will become. So the journey continues.

Ready to take the next step?

This button opens my secure client portal. From there you can schedule a free consultation or a first session at a time that works for you. If you want to know how it all works first, the What to Expect page walks you through the first session step by step.