| Educator, Trainer
Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies |
Clinician
Master of Science in Counseling Psychology |
Career Highlights
Presenter of Washington Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Annual Conference, MFTs Are Essential To Filling Gaps In The Addiction Recovery Process: Relapse From Unresolved Grief, Sept. 19, 2025; Keynote speaker at Spokane County 5th Annual Hope Summit, 2025; presenter of A New View of Grief And The Neurobiology Of Grieving at 2024 Families Stronger Together Conference, hosted by Civil Legal Aid, Washington State Office of Public Defense, and Parents for Parents, in Yakima, Washington; provider of ‘Family-Centered Addiction Recovery®’, ‘Where Families Heal Addiction®’, facilitating the family as the center of recovery and healing including grief support for families surviving a drug related death; author of nationally published article ‘Neurobiology-Informed Addiction Recovery’ in Advances in Addiction & Recovery (NAADAC, 2014); presenter at the NAADAC Conference 2014, and the Association of Intervention Specialists National Conference 2013, advancing the integration of neurobiology comprehension into the family intervention equation; in 2001 awarded a rare dissertation research grant from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to study family addiction intervention; expert witness for courts litigating issues of family treatment practices, addiction diagnosis while effective in settling $1.5 million case of family intervention malpractice; facilitator for critical update in Association of Intervention Specialists Code of Ethics in 2015; practicing licensed mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist, having been a certified chemical dependency counselor for over 40 years with experience in drug prevention, intervention, and treatment; Full Member of the Association of Intervention Specialists and a Certified Intervention Professional using 15-distinct strategies in helping families; educator and trainer of addiction professionals since 1983 having been for 20-years a NAADAC Education Provider (addiction counselors); Washington State-approved marriage and family licensure supervisor 10 years; author of research-grounded concepts, skills, and objectives for the articulation of family intervention granted provisional patent in 2005; national internet radio talk show host for Overcoming Addiction: Hope with Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment with Dr. Joe, on the Voice America network (2.5 million listeners) in 2013-14; Graduate Fellowship Award, Eastern Washington University in 1979; author of training curricula for school teachers, social workers, and addiction counselors, parts adopted from Seattle to Georgia.
Post-Secondary Education
2005: Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA
1982: Additional graduate study in Clinical Psychology, Eastern Washington University
1981: Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, Eastern Washington University
1978: Certificate in Alcohol Studies, Eastern Washington University
1977: Bachelor of Arts in Education, Minor in Psychology, Central Washington University
Counseling Experience
(In Spokane, Washington, unless otherwise noted)
2001 to present: Family Therapist; Intervention Specialists, LLC: providing intervention and Family-Centered Addiction Recovery®, Where Families Heal Addiction®, systemic family counseling for family with the loved-one with addiction/mental illness, before, during, and after primary treatment, including facilitating healing for families experiencing grief from loss to a drug or mental health-related death.
2016-2026: Consultant to Consistent Care Program, Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, Emergency Department, coordinating care with family intervention services to reduce repeat drug crisis admissions to the emergency department; D. Neven, MD.
2010 – 2015: Owner and administrator of Harmony Grove Counseling, Inc., a state certified outpatient chemical dependency treatment center. (Closed January, 2015 in good standing with State of Washington Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery.)
1988 – 1996: Drug, Family, and Intervention Counselor; part-time private practice.
1985 – 1988: Drug and Family Counselor, Center for Drug Treatment; specialized in healing for families affected by addiction using a systemic family approach and providing interventions; established programs for adult children of addicted families at this state-certified treatment agency.
1982 – 1985: Clinical Director, Counselor and Alcohol/Drug Information School Instructor & Coordinator, Community Alcohol Center; developed many of the aftercare groups providing innovative and responsive treatment programs for drug users and their families including groups for children; conducted family interventions; responsible for supervising eight-clinical staff; coordinated the largest alcohol/drug information school in Eastern Washington at this state certified treatment agency.
1981: Alcoholism Counselor, Pioneer Cooperative of Seattle at Geiger Pre-Release Corrections Facility; provided pre-release evaluations, treatment, and referral for incarcerated inmates as part of a statewide correctional addiction network.
1979 – 1980: Practicum Counselor, University Counseling Center, Eastern Washington University.
1977 – 1981: Psychiatric Technician, Sacred Heart Medical Center Psychiatric Unit; working with all psychiatric diagnoses and a variety of treatment innovations.
Expert Witness
2011 to present: Expert witness to courts on issues of addiction diagnosis and family intervention from Spokane to Minneapolis; critical toward settling a case filed for $1.5 million regarding family intervention malpractice.
Professional Certifications
National
2016 to present: Master Addiction Counselor under the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (No: 509960)
2014 to present: Certified Intervention Professional (Issued by the PCB: no. I-0188), one of the very few in the Pacific Northwest
2006 – 2014: Board Registered Interventionist-I: Association of Intervention Specialists Credentialing Board (no. 26017 through IAODAPCA). Credentialing board discontinued in 2014 and transferred responsibility to PCB.
2006 – 2021: National Association of Addiction and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) Approved Education Provider (no: 90662)
2006 to present: Full-member: Association of Intervention Specialists
State of Washington
2009 to 2020: Approved supervisor for Washington State Marriage and Family Therapist licensure
1989 to present: Certificated since 1988, then licensed under law in 2001: Marriage and Family Therapist (no. LF00001053)
Mental Health Counselor (no. LH00005453)
1983 – 2014: Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor III, through the Chemical Dependency Counselor Certification Board, Washington State (no. CB 20000262). Certification Board discontinued operation in 2014.
1977 – 2005: Standard Teacher Certificate; endorsements in K-12 Special Education, K-8 Elementary Education, 4-12 Psychology
Awards
2003: Nominated for a Chase Youth Commission Award, Spokane
1979: Graduate Fellowship Award, Applied Psychology Department, Eastern Washington University
1976 – 77: Who’s Who Among Students In American Colleges and Universities, Education, Central Washington University
Research
2001: Awarded: National Institute on Drug Abuse Dissertation Research Grant, National Institutes of Health. Title: The Use and Perceived Efficacy of Family-Initiated Drug Intervention Strategies in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho
1984: Variability Among Assessment Counselors In Identifying Significant Alcohol Problems Within A Single Agency; unpublished
1980: Disparity Between Identifiable Alcohol Problems And Post-Discharge Referral To Treatment Services In Acute Care Psychiatric Inpatients; unpublished
Writing Credits
2019: Having written and implemented curriculum for family-centered services for addiction in 2005, granted servicemark/trademark for Family-Centered Addiction Recovery®, supporting the family in developing the skills for being the center of healing and recovery addressing sobriety, complicated grief, and trauma.
2018: Developer and author of Where Families Heal Addiction® servicemark.
2015-6: Authored the rewrite draft of the remuneration principle for the Association of Intervention Specialists Code of Ethics and ushered it through the consensus and approval process to include specific prohibition of contingency fees for family intervention services.
2014: Neurobiology-Informed Responsive Addiction Treatment: One Therapist’s Experience, in Advances in Addiction & Recovery (NAADAC), Summer, 2014.
2014: The Neurobiology Of Addiction: Why People Use Drugs and How To Help Them Quit, video produced by Silvertop Productions, Spokane, WA.
2005: Doctoral Dissertation: The Use and Perceived Efficacy of Family-Initiated Drug Intervention Strategies in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, Gonzaga University.
2005: Coauthor with Michael Smith, J.D. of Provisional and Final Patent Applications: Systems And Methods For Research-Grounded Concepts And Objectives Articulating A Counselor-Facilitated Process With A Recipient’s Social Network To Present Thoughts And Feelings For Motivating The Person To Seek Alcohol Or Other Drug Treatment. This application, Serial Number 11/241,448 filed September 29, 2005, claims the benefit of U.S. Application 60/595,811, filed August 8, 2005 under 35 U.S.C. 119(e); provisional patent granted. Case law added ‘tangible’ to approval criteria, with efforts then discontinued.
2003: Author: Research-Grounded Concepts and Theoretical Support Articulating the Johnson Institute-Style Family Intervention; unpublished.
1993: Coauthor with Patsy Etter, M.S.: Taking The Next Step: Drug-Free Schools Prevention Training For Rural and Remote Schools; these five credit graduate/undergraduate courses educated rural and remote school district personnel in establishing and maintaining prevention programs; funded by Drug-Free Schools, U.S. Department of Education.
1993 – 1994: Freelance reviewer; Alcohol/drug education text manuscripts pre-publication for Allyn and Bacon: Simon and Schuster Education Group.
1993: Co-author with Ben Camp, M.S.: MICA Case Management: A Curriculum Model; college curriculum model developed for the Washington Mental Health Division and the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DSHS); parts of this model were adopted by two states providing programmatic curriculum structure for educating personnel in effective case management of co-occurring mental and substance disorders.
1991: Principal author with Keetjie Ramo, Ph.D.: Working With Addiction; staff-training curriculum developed for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services for use statewide; effective in raising field staff competence identifying and intervening with alcohol/drug problems with social service clientele; revised and updated in 1993; used to train nearly 1,000 field staff 1991-92; parts of this curriculum are still in use across the United States.
College Teaching Experience
Spokane Falls Community College
2004 – 2011: Adjunct instructor, Chemical Dependency Program
Eastern Washington University, Cheney, Washington
2000 – 2002: Adjunct instructor; Alcohol/Drug Studies Program. Teaching strengths in pharmacology, ethics, prevention.
1990 – 1996: Director and Faculty Associate of Alcohol/Drug Studies; expanded the program enrollment by 75% on an 18% budget increase; managed campus and off-campus programs in five cities in Eastern Washington; participated in securing one-third of a million dollars in grants and contracts while adding novel programs including an academic minor in community prevention in 1993.
1984 – 1990: Adjunct and Faculty Field Instructor; Alcohol/Drug Studies Program
Notable Trainings Conducted
(In Spokane, Washington, unless otherwise noted)
Addictions and Prevention
2025: MFTs Are Essential To Filling Gaps In The Addiction Recovery Process: Relapse From Unresolved Grief, Washington State Marriage & Family Therapists Assoc. Annual Conference, September 19, 2025
2025: With Research Support, The River of Emotions: Illustrating Grieving As Essential For Emotional Health, Hope, And Long-Term Addiction Recovery: Hope Summit, Spokane
2024: From Research, A New View of Grief And The Neurobiology Of Grieving, at 2024 Families Stronger Together Conference, hosted by Civil Legal Aid, Washington State Office of Public Defense, and Parents for Parents, in Yakima, Washington
2017: Supporting Families in Addiction Recovery: Checking Genetics, Grief, and Trauma, 6.5 hours, Inland Empire Education Consortium (IEEC), Spokane
2017: Neurobiology-Informed Treatment and Motivation: Beyond PAWS, for Compass Behavioral Health, 6.5 hour training in Everett, Washington
2016 and 2017: Title 26 Family Law Guardian ad Litem Training: What a Guardian Ad Litem Should Know About Chemical Abuse/Dependency and Mental Health, approved for CLE
2015: Adaptation of Family Addiction Intervention Strategies for Emergency Room Counselors, Providence/Sacred Heart Medical Center Emergency Room Staff, November 2, 2015
2014: Neurobiology-Informed Treatment and Motivation: Beyond PAWS. NAADAC National Conference, Seattle, September 27, 2014
2014: Neurobiology-Informed Treatment and Motivation: Beyond PAWS. Spokane, May 16, 2014, sponsored by Inland Empire Education Consortium
2013: Presented at the Association of Intervention Specialists National Fall Conference, Palm Desert, California, October 31, 2013:
Neurobiology-Informed Addiction Intervention and Treatment (4 hour)
Delineating Abuse From Addiction In The Age Of DSM-5 (1.5 hour)
2013: Neurobiology-Informed Opioid Addiction Intervention and Treatment: Beyond PAWS for the nurses and clinical staff of Spokane Treatment Alternatives, September 12, 2013
2010: Update on Family Intervention and Family-Centered Addiction Treatment to the Spokane Substance Abuse Advisory Board
1996 – 2000: Designer and facilitator of the Ethics Forum in Chemical Dependency Practice, NAADAC-Approved ethics training
2009: A Research Basis for Delineating Substance Abuse from Addiction for College Chemical Dependency Instructors. Presented to Eastern Washington University faculty of the Alcohol/Drug Studies Program; NAADAC approved
2009: Research Supported Strategies of Family Intervention for Addiction. Presented to Washington State Psychological Association at their Winter meeting, approved for continuing education credit for state licensed psychologists
2008: What’s New With Family Intervention: Research Enlightened Approaches for Helping Someone Enter Treatment; May 2 and 9 in Kennewick and Spokane, Washington. Approved by Washington Mental Health Counselors Assoc. and Washington Marriage and Family Therapists Assoc. and NAADAC
2005, 2007-08: Trainer for Case Management for Adults and Older Adults with Co-occurring Mental and Substance Disorders; Linking & Quality Improvement, conducted by the Washington Institute for Mental Illness Research & Training, Western State Hospital and Spokane
2002: Theory and Logic in Prevention Program Evaluation; to the Prevention Roundtable, Spokane County Community Services
2000: Intervention: A Life-Saving Bridge Between The Neurological Impact of Drug Use/Eating Disorders And Treatment. Presented to the staff at The Center, Edmonds, Washington
1990: Skills and Procedures for Intervening with Impaired Employees; for Arby’s Restaurants supervisors; in association with Mountain View Hospital
1989: Assisting Students Affected by Someone Else’s Drug and Alcohol Use; for the Kootenai County Community Drug Intervention Council, Idaho
1985: Applying Current Research in Identifying Alcoholism at the Community Health Nurses Association State Conference on Alcoholism, Spokane
1985: Mapping the COA Roles of Members in an Addicted Family at the U.S. Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence Regional Conference, Seattle
1984 – 1986: Various trainings on pharmacology and ACoA for Washington State Bureau of Alcohol and Substance Abuse and the Alcohol Professional Staff Society of Washington
1984 – 1987: Various trainings (conducted more than 30) for community groups and schools on drugs/alcohol and psychiatric issues: Spokane School District #81; Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council; and Big Brothers and Sisters; et al.
Electronic Media
2013-2014: National internet radio talk show host for Overcoming Addiction: Hope with Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment with Dr. Joe on the Voice America network in 2013-14
Specialized Certificates
Addictions and Prevention
2002: Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training Certificate; issued by WESTCAPT, University of Nevada-Reno
1992: Certified HIV/AIDS Trainer; Washington State Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse
1990: Prevention Specialist Certificate; National Training Systems and the Washington State Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse
1983, 1985: Alcohol/Drug Information School Instructor; Washington State Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Significant Committee Work
Intervention
2016: Participated in the Association of Intervention Strategic Specialists Planning Process for the Association of Intervention Specialists, revising and updating from the 2011 strategic plan
2016: Initiated and facilitated consideration, generation, and ratification of new code of ethics item for family interventionists by the Association of Intervention Specialists
2016: Proposed and contributed to a definition of family intervention generalizable across various strategies and models for the Association of Intervention Specialists
2012: Committee member writing test items for national intervention specialist certification exam, under auspices of the Pennsylvania Certification Board
Prevention
2005: Addiction Educators Student Exercise Workgroup for Oregon Practice Improvement Collaborative-Oregon Health and Science University, Northwest Frontier Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Oregon Health & Science University
2002 – 2003: Washington State Prevention Specialist Certification Board; founding member
2001: College Academic Minor in Prevention Focus Group: Hosted by WESTCAPT, University of Nevada-Reno; reviewed content and configuration of a modal academic minor
1994 – 1996: Member of the Washington Prevention Professionals; founding chair
1994: Consultant to the Spokane County Health District, Subcommittee on Sales and Consumption of Alcohol at Public Facilities
1993 – 1995: Educational Service District #101 Alcohol/Drug Prevention Program Advisory Committee; member
Disability Advocacy
1992-1994: Committee member, advocate, and contributing author of Washington State Legislature ESSHB 2319, Birth to Six Interagency Coordinating Council Establishment Law; passed in 1994
Counseling
1990 – 1996: Member of the Northwest Consortium of Chemical Dependency Educators; Secretary 1992-1993; initiated a novel process for the development and ratification of model curricula for advanced courses
Notable Personal Experiences
2025: Detected and found elderly woman incapacitated two days without food or water and alerted emergency medical services, then rallying resident’s community cooperation
2008: Special Olympics of Washington: East Region Coach of the Year
2001 to present: Legal guardian of two adults with disabilities, in addition to power of attorney, and personal representative for the Will of an elderly woman with a child with disability
2007: Assistant Swimming Coach to the US Special Olympics Swim Team to World Games in Shanghai, China
2006: Two effective submerged-victim swimming pool water rescues with resuscitation
1986: Search, found, and helped with helicopter evacuation of rural auto crash victim
1980: Discovered and photographed the only known and beautiful waterfall flowing directly into Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, flowing from hidden locale, one mile deep in the hills, named to honor the Tribe of the Coeur d’Alenes
1975: During the Russian cold war, toured Russian freighter in Commencement Bay, Tacoma