Phone: 425-263-7188
Emails: gregwhite.trainings@gmail.com; gwhite@nwfamilylife.org
Website: gregwhitetrainings.com
Education and Professional Experience
I received a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy in 1983 from Seattle Pacific University in Washington state, six years after receiving a BA in Biblical Studies, also from SPU.
My clinical background began in Washington in 1980 when I worked at a residential treatment program for teens in the city of Mountlake Terrace. That followed with a private practice setting in Shoreline where I provided counseling to couples and individuals. During that time I also contracted with the state as a crisis outreach counselor to families in King County through Family Reconciliation Services. In 1991, I took a job at the Snohomish County Jail in Everett as a mental health professional and, over the span of 23 years, had extensive experience working with varied and diverse populations (including persons with formal thought disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma disorders, personality disorders, substance abuse disorders, suicidal and self-harm behaviors, and domestic violence factors).
Over the years I have received hundreds of continuing education and training hours in areas such as Supervision & Leadership, Professionalism/Ethics/Law, Diversity, Mental Health Disorders, Treatment Models, Critical Incident & Crisis Intervention, Substance Abuse, and Anger/Violence.
I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, a Certified Correctional Health Professional, and an ordained minister.
Instructor Experience
I feel most at home and energized when I can teach a subject to others that equips them to do their work more practically and efficiently. During my pastoral ministry years I became very comfortable speaking to audiences large and small, with invitations to speak in Latin America, Asia, and Europe. From 1999-2007 I was a certified instructor for the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, where I taught over 100 four-to-eight hour classes on the subjects of mental health disorders, substance abuse, and suicide prevention. In 2010 I developed and instructed my first 6 hour suicide risk training for jail professionals and had attendees from Pierce, King, Snohomish, and Skagit counties. In 2013 I had the privilege of speaking on jail suicide risk at a national conference sponsored by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. Also in 2013, I was approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors to provide 6 CEs on suicide risk trainings and am making every effort to promote this critical training locally and nationally (for professionals in Washington state, visit www.doh.wa.gov and search “SuicideAssessmentTreamentandManagementCE” for important licensing information).
Supervision Approach
I love to encourage others to succeed! Therefore, providing clinical supervision to counselors is one of my primary objectives as an affiliate with NWFL. I have had experience since 1993 supervising undergraduate and graduate student interns from various universities such as Seattle University, City University, Antioch University, Western Washington University, and the University of Washington.
From 2006-2014 I was the clinical supervisor for 13 mental health professionals at the Snohomish County Jail. In that role, I was involved in the interview and hiring process and provided supervision for their initial orientation and probation periods, their schedules and timesheets, weekly workload statistics, charting and documentation, treatment plans, medication referrals, correspondence with courts and attorneys, duty-to-warn referrals, discharge plans, and their weekly team consultation meetings.
My goal as a supervisor is to support the supervisee in their clinical practice, overseeing their counseling and decision-making skills, so that they will grow in their confidence and competence as a counselor/therapist. I am very process oriented and enjoy a “Social Role Models” style of supervision, wearing the various hats of teacher, counselor, consultant, and administrator to match the supervisee’s learning style and developmental stage as a clinician.
Personal Interests My faith and family come first! Of course, that includes a variety of family activities, staying active in our church, and supporting school events for my children. Outside of those, I also enjoy camping, hiking, biking, beach combing, tennis, soccer, playing the piano, traveling, cooking, and relaxing with either a good movie or a good book.