Jason holds a Master of Education degree focused on Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lindsey Wilson University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago.
Prior to his clinical career, Jason started as a police officer in 2007 in northern Illinois before moving to southern Illinois. His career includes time as a correctional officer, municipal police officer, and deputy sheriff.
"Jason believes that talking about, and through, issues is vital to understanding that it is okay to not be okay, but it is not okay to stay that way."
In 2021, Jason founded his department’s fully self-funded Therapy K-9 Unit alongside Paw-fficer Gary.
Specialized care for First Responders, Frontline Workers, and their families.
Comprehensive support including Individual, Group, Family, and Couples counseling sessions tailored to the unique lifestyle of service families.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy to help process traumatic memories and reduce lingering stress responses.
Debriefings (CISD) and Crisis Management for agencies or establishments dealing with recent traumatic incidents.
Managing job-related stress, preventing burnout, coping mechanisms, emotional regulation, mindfulness, and CBT techniques.
Customized presentations on mental health topics specifically for first responders and frontline workers. See below for past topics.
US Penitentiary Marion, IL 2023; Weathering the Storm Conference ’24, ’25
A first-hand account of challenges with mental health, from the call that changed my life to how I have persevered through it.
EMS Substance Misuse and Mental Health Awareness Conference ’25
Focused on the mental health epidemic in EMS and ways the population can self-check, self-care, and self-report.
US Penitentiary Marion, IL
How the therapy K-9 unit began, fundraising strategies, and maintaining a self-funded unit within the department.
Marion Unit 2 schools ’23-’25 (Created by Ohio State University)
Multi-part curriculum taught to 7th grade students focusing on the values of mental health and communication.
Department of Veterans Affairs
Instruction to VA Officers on response to crisis calls with mentally disturbed individuals from an officer standpoint.
Jason and Gary have a history of deep community involvement and creative self-funding, including:
Whether you are an individual first responder, a family member, or an agency leader, reach out today to discuss how we can move forward together.