Alternative Group
William C. Shearer, Ph.D., Ed.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., M.A.
Licensed Psychologist PSY 5077
Robin L. Shearer, M.A., M.P.H., R.N., M.F.T.
Marriage and Family Therapist MFC 37291
PO Box 208
Forest Falls CA, 92339
951-235-3409
Dr. Bills Bio
Hi - I'm Dr. Bill Shearer and I am a couples counselor.
My wife Robin and I are both therapists and we see clients with a variety of issues in individual, family, and couples therapy. Our focus is on anxiety disorders, relationship issues, addictions and compulsions, and eating disorders. My primary focus is working with couples and relationship issues.
Robin and I are the authors of Mindful Choices for Well-Being, and our approach although largely cognitive behavioral combines a number of modalities. We are also editing the manuscript for our next book Being the Right Partner, Mindful Choices for Couples.
Our work is based upon nearly forty years of clinical and personal experience and represents an integration of diverse approaches. While we have included applications from theoretical approaches, such as object relations, social learning theory, cognitive behavioral strategies, interpersonal or systems theory, and systems thinking, there is a primary emphasis on the following four pillars:
1. Mindfulness, contemplative practices, Buddhist psychology, Stoicism.
2. Mindfulness and acceptance-based behavioral therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). A significant part of our work is inspired by ACT. We also draw heavily upon Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT), utilizing the earlier form Rational Emotive Therapy (RET). We include Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Schema Therapy (ST).
3. Positive psychology and the science of happiness and wellbeing.
4. Neuroscience and brain-based change strategies, psychobiology, mind-body medicine, and cognitive neuroscience.
Being the Right Partner, Mindful Choices for Couples will be released in the spring of 2021.
Robin and I love what we do in our clinical work almost as much as we love hanging out together with our Dalmatian Burney, and our cat Xena in a small mountain community that seems far removed from mainstream California.
I'm also a historical and wildlife artist and photographer and my biggest conflict is not being able to spend more time in the wild. Both Robin and I are passionate about nature and animals.
I've had a varied career. I started out in New Jersey as a high school United States history teacher until accepting an Air Force commission. I continue to have a love of history and have taught history classes for a dozen colleges and universities.
I entered the Air Force in 1966 and was stationed initially at Vandenberg Air Force Base California as a brand-new second Lieutenant. Prior to retiring as a Lt. Col. I had served as a nuclear weapons instructor, an adviser to the Royal Saudi Air Force, an ROTC instructor, and the director of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program and Air Force counseling center. I know those things don't really go together, but that's often the case with a military officer's career.
My psychology doctorate is from the University of Tennessee. My MBA is from Pepperdine. My MPH (Masters in Public Health) is from Loma Linda University. I also have graduate degrees in education, and health services administration, five graduate degrees altogether. I guess that means I'm into education and I like variety (or it means I've been a long time figuring out what I'm going to do when I grow up).
I teach organizational leadership classes, human services classes, mediation, and various graduate psychology classes for several universities, both online and face-to-face.
I have been continuously involved in teaching since 1964, when I became a twelfth grade US history teacher at Shore Regional High School in West Long branch, New Jersey. Upon entering the Air Force and throughout my Air Force career, I taught college classes wherever I was stationed, including teaching English to Saudi students while stationed in Saudi Arabia in 1970.
Altogether, I have taught for 14 colleges and universities and I am presently affiliated with several. Having degrees in five different areas, I enjoy teaching in each area and the schools I work for have been very accommodating in providing diverse assignments. As a result, I teach courses as varied as Human Nutrition, Professional and Technical Writing, Addictions Treatment, Organizational Behavior, Team Building, Organizational Consulting, Human Sexuality, Cultural Diversity, The Science of Obesity, and others. I believe that teaching adds a special dimension to my life.
I'm a licensed psychologist and also licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist. My main professional interest is in couples therapy. I enjoy facilitating growth and change in couples and knowing that I have been a part of a couple not only being successful as a couple but thriving. I have over 90,000 face-to-face counseling hours, much of it working with relationships. I have a passion for helping couples achieve aliveness and deep satisfaction in their relationship. I look forward to being a part of your relationship growth.
I'm delighted to be a part of your journey and I look forward to getting to know each of you.
Dr. Bill
William Carey Shearer
www.calmchoices.com
www.mindfulchoicesforwellbeing.com
951-235-3409
Robin's Bio
(under construction)