Faith Drew, Ph.D.

My story began on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, or Atlantic depending on how you look at it. I was born in South Korea and, at 5 months old, settled into my life in the United States with my adoptive family. I grew up in Arizona, where I developed a love for the Latino culture. I became fluent in Spanish and taught a bilingual kindergarten class as an initial career. After devoting summers to volunteering at a camp for children who had experienced abuse and neglect, I wanted to do more to directly help people heal from painful experiences. To move toward this goal, I enrolled in graduate school and moved to West Texas where I began my training as a Marriage and Family Therapist.

During my clinical internship, I was paired with another classmate who would later become my husband (and business partner:-)). After we both completed our doctorate degrees,  career opportunities brought both of us to Charlotte in 2009. Following the move, I served as a faculty member and Clinic Director in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Pfeiffer University for four years. I then made the transition into the corporate world and served as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Director – and recently retired from EAP at the end of 2019.

I currently run operations, provide therapy virtually or in-person at our Arizona office location, & co-present workshops. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my husband, raising a daughter, training my Westie, named Rocky (who is currently a certified therapy dog), and traveling. I am working at learning French and can often be spotted at various foodie joints trying out new dishes.

In my clinical work, I seek out personal strengths in each of my clients and have an honest and direct approach in my feedback and observations. I believe that each of my clients has the ability to make deep and meaningful changes, so I work with each person in a way that honors their past and supports their future growth. I tend to ask questions exploring familial influences, highlighting patterns of interaction, and discovering how patterns are passed down from one generation to the next, often unconsciously. I also believe in the power of telling and making meaning of one’s personal story in a safe and supportive environment.

Read more from Faith here.

About Dr. Faith Drew

General Professional Background

• Ph.D. in Marriage & Family Therapy from Texas Tech University
• Recipient of both the AAMFT Graduate Student Research Award
• Recipient of the Graduate Student Research Grant, awarded by the Association for Creativity in Counseling Division of the American Counseling Association
• Past Associate Director of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
• Past Clinical Director of the Marriage & Family Therapy Program at Pfeiffer University
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and LPC Supervisor in Texas
• Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Arizona, North Carolina, South Carolina, & Texas
• Certification for Employee Assistance Professionals (CEAP)
• American Association of Marriage & Family Therapy – Clinical Member
• North Carolina Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (NCAMFT) – Member
• International Employee Assistance Professional Association – Member
• Past PR Committee Chair on NCAMFT and Treasurer for North Carolina Employee Assistance Professional Association
• Formally the EAP Director at the McLaughlin Young Group
• American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy Approved Supervisor
• Prepare/Enrich Certified Facilitator and Trainer for Premarital Counseling and Engaged Couples
• Certified Discernment Counselor
• Certified Neurodiverse Couples Therapist (trained and certified by AANE)

Advanced Trainings in Couples Therapy

Couples therapy and individual therapy require very different skill sets. Many therapist who primarily work with individuals tweak their approach in working with couples. Unfortunately, these slightly modified approaches have poor success and high relapse rates. Fortunately, a new generation of specialized treatments have emerged with high success rates (75%-90%). Dr. Drew has been extensively trained in these approaches, including Gottman Method Couples Therapy and Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy, Working with Neurodiverse Couples, in addition to having a Ph.D. in marriage therapy and over a decade of experience specializing in working with couples.

Gottman Method Couples Therapy (GMCT)

This model is based on the 40 years of pioneering work by Drs. John & Julie Gottman and is grounded in the science of what makes marriage succeed and fail. Their model has been shown to reduce divorce and significantly increase relationship satisfaction. Their methods are excellent in building communication skills and adding an educational component to couples therapy that most couples find very appealing.

Here is Dr. Drew’s speciality training in this approach:

• Certified Gottman Method Therapist.
  • This included extensive training with Drs. John & Julie Gottman in Seattle, WA.
  • Required extensive supervision and mentorship by other Certified therapists.
• Gottman Consultant
  • Provides consultation to licensed clinicians who want to increase their skills or who want to become certified in the Gottman Method.
• 7-Principles for Making Marriage Work Leader.
  • This is a workshop version of Dr. Gottman’s best selling book by the same name.
  • This allows for an educational component to couples therapy, when appropriate.
• Completed the advanced Gottman Couples, Addiction, & Recovery Training.
• Bringing Baby Home Educator.
• Gottman Marathon Couples Therapy.
  • This included exclusive training with Drs. John & Julie Gottman and Dr. Don Cole, Clinical Director, at the Gottman Institute & Dr. Carrie Cole, Research Director, at the Gottman Institute in Seattle, WA

Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)

This approach was created by Dr. Susan Johnson and is based on the significant body of scientific work on attachment theory. This model demonstrates high success rates (75%-90%) and low relapse rates in rigorous clinical trials. EFT is excellent at helping couples understand the deeper needs and longings that often underlie hostile and/or disconnecting cycles.

Here is Dr. Drew’s speciality training in this approach:

• Completed an Externship in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy in Toronto, CA.
• Completed Core Skills and ongoing supervision from an approved EFT Supervisor.
• Member of the International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy.
• Facilitator of the couples workshop based on this model.

Discernment Counselor

This approach is very useful when one or both partners are deeply ambivalent about whether they want to even invest in couples therapy to begin with and/or work on their marriage. This structure allows for each partner to gain greater clarity and a sense of direction in whether to begin couples therapy, leave things as they are, or move toward divorce mediation. Dr. Drew is a Certified Discernment Counselor and part of the Discernment Counseling Alliance for Marriage Professionals.