Our principal partner, Dr Philip B Terry-Smith, is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (MD & NM), a Clinically Certified Trauma Professional, Certified Religious Trauma Specialist, a Certified  Hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner, and life coach.

 He has studied mindfulness practices and is a master in visualization and meditation. Dr. Phil is an ordained minister and elder and since 1983 has served as a non-denominational member of clergy, celebrating with and assisting countless individuals, couples, families and groups over the years in ceremony, ritual and rites of passage. His spiritual beliefs honor the practices and traditions of many faiths, with strong roots in the spirituality and practices of the indigenous people native to the Americas, Africa and Europe. He is a US Army Veteran and proud military officer currently serving in the State of Maryland Military Department, Maryland Defense Force. 

Clinically, he has been practicing counseling and therapy for nearly 35 years and has worked with many diverse populations, noted for using creative approaches and techniques to assist his clients in developing wholistic lifestyles. His practice has expanded to include personal, organizational and executive coaching. He teaches and guides research of graduate students primarily focused on the management and clinical supervision of human services and emergency management as well as in counseling programs.  

An avid humanitarian has worked with Emergency and International Services for the American Red Cross.

His compassion, insight and connection with those he works with is noteworthy and is key to his success in the work he does. He brings all of these experiences to work with his clients and event participants.

Our Associate Partner,  Dr. Justin B Terry-Smith is Certified Life Coach and a Clinical Mental Health Intern with Coach Positive. His focus amongst many areas is on LGBTQ + issues, as well as Military Families and Culture. 

He has studied Human Sexuality, meditation, and visualization. He is known for his writing, activism, and speaking appearances. He writes and has written for many publications including Black AIDS Institute, thebody.com, GBMNews.com, Baltimore Gay Life, POZIAM Radio and Swerve Magazine.  He has been interviewed by Washington, D.C. areas media outlets Fox 5 News, NBC 4, WUSA News 9, Washington Blade, and the Logo Network, GLO TV, and other national news video and radio outlets.

Dr. J is an Enlisted Air Force veteran, honorably discharged with awards and decorations in 2003 and proudly served in the State of Maryland Military Department, Maryland Defense Force as an officer. Terry-Smith is Jewish and works with all religions and spiritualties. He has his Doctorate in Public Health with a concentration in Infectious Disease and is finalizing studies for a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Clinically, he focuses on Cognitive Behavior, Humanistic, Feminist, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapies. His coaching focuses on education, career, and relationship (intimate and non-intimate) goals. He challenges his clients to see beyond their limitations.

After completing advanced studies on public health, Dr, Justin Terry-Smith expanded his work to include life and personal coaching, taking his activism to another level by encouraging others to take control of their own lives expanding further with the Clinical Mental Health studies.