Hi! I’m Josh, and I’m so glad you are here!
I was born and raised in Charlotte, NC, and attended Northeastern University in Boston, MA, where I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology. This is because they didn’t offer Fatherhood as a major. From an early age, I knew that my purpose in life was to be a dad, however that did not offer a path to paying the bills, yet. After earning my degree, I returned to the western mountains of my home state to work as a field guide at a wilderness therapy program for adolescents struggling with a variety of mental health and behavioral issues. In my years working in the field, I rose through the ranks to become a Master Field Instructor, all the while developing a passion for the therapeutic benefits of nature therapy with adolescent boys. I learned that through the power of nature, empowerment, and healthy communication skills, clients grow immensely and were able to achieving lasting change in maladaptive behaviors. I became so passionate about working with this population that I decided to leave the field to pursue a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health and Counseling from Western North Carolina University. During this time, I fostered another passion of mine by working as a fly-fishing guide on the rivers of Western North Carolina. Through this sport, I am able to find peace, tranquility, and mindfulness while fishing in some of the most beautiful aquatic ecosystems around. Also while in school, I worked at a sober living and intensive-outpatient facility for young men, as well as a substance abuse treatment program at a VA hospital. Through this work and my own research I learned about the severe lack of mental health support available to men and specifically dads. Finally, I saw my path and knew what I was going to do with my career. As I continued to research and learn about this desperate need, I also developed and ran a fatherhood group for disadvantaged young men in a residential job training program.
Upon graduation and receiving my Master’s degree, I returned to that same wilderness program, but this time as the primary therapist for the adolescent male group. During all this time I dreamt of creating a space where I could bring my love of the outdoors to my home town, to provide a space for the citizens of Charlotte to reconnect with nature and heal. My plan, to use all of the skills I spent developing over the past decade to develop a community space offering a wide variety of programs to help enrich the lives of members of the community. In March of 2020, at the very start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was offered the opportunity to help found and run a new start-up non-profit organization in Charlotte, NC. I left my job in the wilderness and returned to my hometown and started Greatwoods Nature Inc, a non-profit nature and wellness center in East Charlotte. I was excited to create this space that could help so many people reconnect with themselves and nature while also preparing to launch a private practice to support teenage boys, men, and fathers. After almost 2 years of running Greatwoods Nature as Executive Director, I was ready to focus all my attention to my clinical work, so I stepped away from my position and launched into private practice! When I’m not working with my clients or learning about new ways to support them, you can find me fly fishing the rivers and streams of Western North Carolina, hiking with my fiancé Emily and blue heeler Jasper, cheering on the Panther’s, and reconnecting with the city of my youth.
You can connect with Josh via email at josh@charlottetherapyassociates.com.