I first considered counseling as a career as a high-schooler in my native West Virginia. Ultimately, I decided to combine my love of music with my desire to help others and pursued a degree in music therapy. After completing my music therapy internship, I moved to McMinnville, TN, in 2004 and worked as a contract music therapist with two local school systems.

In 2009, I married my wife, a rare Nashville native and fellow music therapist, and we settled in Murfreesboro. We both experienced cuts to our jobs in 2011, leading us to open a private music therapy practice working mainly with children, teenagers, and adults with developmental disabilities. During that time, I also began providing music therapy in mental health settings, including private clients, the partial hospitalization program at Rolling Hills Hospital, the inpatient psychiatric program at Centennial Medical Center’s Parthenon Pavilion, and community-based groups at the Tennessee Mental Health Consumers’ Association.

While I enjoyed my work with individuals with disabilities, working in mental health is where I found my passion. Having experienced the power of counseling to help me through a rough time in my life, I decided to go back to school to become a licensed counselor in 2015, shortly after my son was born. I completed my practicum work and internship at Branches Counseling Center in Murfreesboro and worked there after graduation until opening Bolton Counseling Services in 2023. As a counselor, I feel honored that people choose me to help them walk through life’s challenges and trust me when they’re most vulnerable. My experience working with individuals with disabilities has given me a particular interest in working with autistic and other neurodiverse adults as well as parents of children with special needs.

My wife and I still live in Murfreesboro, now in a multigenerational home with our son and her parents. We lead a life group with Experience Community Church and recently started taekwondo with our son. In my free time, I enjoy reading (especially anything about Lord of the Rings or apologetics), playing video games, blacksmithing, camping, hiking, and participating in Cub Scouts with my son.