My Mission
I help individuals, couples, and groups interpret behaviors and thoughts to facilitate growth toward therapeutic goals so they are empowered to unlock their full potential and experience healing relationships and ultimately improve well-being in society.
About Justin
I am Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) with the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (#LAC-21099).
Why did I become a counselor?
I became a counselor to redeem my own experiences of suffering. Pain is universal to the human condition, but I am convinced recovery and peace can be, too. I use intuition born from contemplation of my experiences linked with excellent academic preparation and my intense personality to sojourn with co-strugglers and be with them an agent of growth and hope.
A brief bio
I have been married 17 years to my amazing wife, Heather, who is the paragon of patience. We have three amazing kids (all teenagers) and thrive, labor, learn, and crank the air-conditioning in the metro-Phoenix area of Arizona. I am a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy Reserve. As a civilian, I’ve worked at more types of jobs than I can keep track of, from diesel mechanics to personal training. I once served as an associate pastor of a small independent Baptist church. The journey of faith is like crafting wine. New grapes grow, mature, are plucked and crushed to bleeding, and then their life is aged to greater maturity. Through many challenges of life, my family was eventually received into the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Importantly, I am back in seminary to fulfill training obligations for eventual ordination to the priesthood in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.
Education
My education includes a bachelors in philosophy from Wayne State University in Detroit, a masters in Bible and theology from Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, and a Master of Science in marriage and family therapy from Fuller Theological Seminary in Phoenix. I am a student at the Antiochian House of Studies working on my Master of Divinity (ex 2026). My therapist continuing education currently involves ongoing, advanced training in the treatment of sex addiction.
Professional affiliation
In addition to my state license with the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners, I teach family counseling to undergraduates at Arizona Christian University in Glendale, AZ. I am also a program coordinator at one of Arizona’s largest community mental health providers. My professional memberships include the Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology and Religion (OCAMPR), and the National Philosophical Counseling Association (NPCA).
About Olmstead Therapy
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial streak. After my honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, I ventured into a succession of three business startups. My first was as a Red Bull energy drink distributor, which taught me a lot of lessons the hard way. I became a personal trainer after than and subcontracted with gyms and launched a solo practice called Agape Wellness. I took initial steps to branch this practice into a natural, Western herbalism supplement brand. My entrepreneural adventures abruptly ended, however, when I received recall orders from the Marine Corps for overseas duty.
Because of the deployment, my business itch was never satisfactorily scratched. Symboulos, LLC DBA Olmstead Therapy was founded in 2021 for the express purpose of opening a supervised private practice and conduct the business of therapy. I performed a test launch midyear 2022. After retooling and revising, I re-launched in July, 2023, which has been successful.
As a native Arizonan, I’m proud to serve my hometown of Mesa, Arizona with a convenient location in my wife’s hometown, Apache Junction, Arizona. I serve the entire state of Arizona via Telehealth and the East Valley in-person: Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Florence, and more. Connect with your local Arizona counselor today!
Connect with me today
Get in touch by sending me a message or asking your questions.