About Brad
Brad’s Approach
Brad approaches his work with the belief that meaningful change begins with understanding. Rather than offering quick answers or prescriptive solutions, he focuses on creating space for thoughtful conversation, reflection, and careful listening.
His background as a writer and educator shapes how he listens and responds. Years spent teaching writing and leading workshops have given Brad a deep respect for language, nuance, and the ways people make meaning of their experiences. He brings that same attentiveness into counseling and coaching, helping individuals slow down, recognize patterns, clarify their thinking, and articulate what matters most to them.
Whether working with teens, adults, or writers, Brad emphasizes steady progress over pressure. His role is not to direct someone’s path, but to walk alongside them, asking careful questions and helping them break complex challenges into manageable steps that support clarity, confidence, and forward movement.
Brad meets with some clients as a Mental Health Coach and others as a Writing Coach. His starting point is always the same: slow down, listen carefully, and understand what's actually going on for the person in front of him.
His years as a writer and educator shaped how he hears people. Teaching writing taught him to pay close attention to language, to what someone is saying and what they're not quite saying yet. He brings that same quality of attention into counseling and writing instruction. The goal is to help people think more clearly, recognize patterns they might not be able to see on their own, and find language for what matters most to them.
Brad works with people of all ages. His approach is steady and collaborative, not directive. He is not there to tell you what to do, but to walk alongside, ask the right questions, and break the tasks that seem monumental into small, manageable steps.
Brad's Journey
Brad grew up in Iowa and earned his BA in English and Philosophy/Religion from Truman State University. He went on to complete an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Texas (Austin) and a PhD in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Missouri (Columbia). He taught a range of Literature and Creative Writing courses at the college level at both Mizzou and Truman State University before taking a job as a High School English Teacher at Liberty High School in Wentzville, MO. He still coaches football at Liberty.
Working with adolescents deepened his understanding of how identity, creativity, pressure, and uncertainty collide, especially during the years when young people are figuring out who they are and what they want. Those years in the classroom shaped him as much as anything else in his career.
Brad is a published writer with a background in poetry and literary criticism. His work has appeared in New American Writing and The Los Angeles Review.
His experience as a writer continues to inform how he teaches, counsels, and coaches, particularly in the writing workshops and in the reflective, language-centered conversations that sit at the heart of his work.
From the Classroom to Counseling
Brad's move into counseling and coaching wasn't a sharp turn. It was a natural progression.
Teaching creative writing, he noticed that conversations had a way of moving beyond the page. Questions about voice and story would open into deeper questions about identity, purpose, relationships, and change. Writing became a doorway into the human concerns underneath it.
As those conversations deepened, Brad expanded his work to include counseling and coaching, so he could support people more directly during moments of transition. The foundation stayed the same: careful listening, thoughtful questions, and helping people figure out what they're experiencing and where they want to go.
Today Brad works with teens and adults navigating uncertainty, personal challenges, and periods of change. His approach is conversational and collaborative. He helps people recognize patterns in their lives, gain new perspective, and take practical steps forward.
Brad works through an established practice in the St. Louis area, supporting adolescents and adults with questions around relationships, anxiety, spiritual struggles, purpose, and life direction.
Brad's services are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any medical or psychological condition. When a client's needs extend beyond the scope of his work, Brad draws on a trusted network of licensed therapists and professionals for referral. Confidentiality is central to his practice, and he takes care to create a space where people feel safe, respected, and heard.
Who Brad Works With
Brad works with people who are navigating moments of change and looking for clarity, perspective, and a steady place to think things through.
That includes:
- Teens and young adults who need a trusted, nonjudgmental space to work through personal, academic, or relational challenges
- Adults navigating relationships, anxiety, anger, questions of purpose, or significant life transitions
- Individuals who want help recognizing patterns in their lives and understanding how those patterns have shaped their decisions
- Writers and working adults with a book or project who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move forward
- Writers who benefit from structure, deadlines, honest feedback, and the support of a creative community
If you're not sure which service is the right fit, Brad is happy to talk it through. Just reach out.