Our team is getting bigger with the addition of our newest counselor, Patrick Herzer! Our goal as a team continues to help as many people heal, grow, and thrive as possible. We believe Patrick is going to help us help more people!
1. What’s been your career journey up to this point?
I began my career in pastoral ministry and decided to attended seminary, achieving a Bachelors’s Degree in Religious Studies and a Masters’s Degree in Theology. I had planned to return to pastoral ministry after my masters, but God had another plan.
With two weeks to go before graduating, both my wife and I recognized a new call into counseling ministry. This required I go back to school, so we moved to Denver and I attended Denver Seminary, graduating with a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health. We then moved to Washington and I practiced for just over 6 years while also functioning as an associate pastor at my church.(I was ordained in the Free Methodist Church during this time).
In the fall of 2019, we were asked to step into a lead pastor role and revitalize a church in Denver. Just 2 months after beginning this process, the pandemic hit and changed everything. The need for counseling has grown as people are learning to cope with everything this year has thrown at them. I believe God has called me back into the profession I love.
2. Why did you join the Cornerstone team? What are you excited about?
Cornerstone has an impeccable reputation for providing solid counseling from a Christian perspective. I knew about Cornerstone back when I was attending Denver Seminary. I have many counselor friends in the area who have affirmed that Cornerstone is great. I have to say that I am blown away by the solid culture within the team and the care they have for each other.
3. What drew you into the counseling field? Why did you become a therapist?
My life’s calling is to ‘Impact families for Christ’. As I worked my way through different ministry roles, I found that I was pretty good at pastoral counseling and that I could be a part of changing the dynamics of families even further if I was to become a therapist. I love walking beside someone as they wrestle through difficult situations and celebrating with them when they hit their goals!
4. Have you been through counseling yourself? What was that like for you?
I have kept several therapists full time employed through my visits. Haha. I have done counseling for working on life goals, working through anxiety, grief, and even trauma. I was even able to do EMDR therapy to work through some childhood trauma, something that helped me in ways I could never have imagined (even when I didn’t want to do it, I was always grateful after!). I’ll admit, I was nervous the first time I saw a counselor, but found that my worries were unfounded and it was great to be known and to process things with someone who cared. The breakthroughs I had were astounding!
5. What would you tell someone thinking about counseling?
Take it from NIKE and ‘Just Do It’. Honestly, having someone walk alongside you with whom you can practice life skills, without worrying about hurting them or failing them, is a great gift. We were designed by God for relationships so why not practice at it so you can be great at it!
