TL;DR

I don’t have a degree because I don’t need one to help people. Degrees exist to qualify someone for employment, but I don’t work for an institution—I work for results. My expertise comes from years of lived experience, relentless self-education, and a proven track record of helping others. A degree might teach theories, but it can’t teach the grit, accountability, and real-world strategies that come from actually living recovery. If my effectiveness depended on a piece of paper rather than the lives I’ve helped change, I’d be in the wrong business.

That said, I fully respect therapists and recognize that some people need clinical support. But therapy isn’t for everyone—many people don’t need years of talking about their problems, they need someone who will call them out, hold them accountable, and push them toward real change. That’s what I do. If someone values credentials over results, I encourage them to see a therapist. But if they want honest, experience-driven guidance that actually works, I’m here for that.

First off, let me say that I love helping people. It gives me great joy. Now, I do not want to spend years of my life and tens of thousands of dollars to do it. If you want/need a therapist, then feel free to do so. Most people get a degree so they can be employed by someone that requires it. I’m not interested in working for someone.

Furthermore, If I need a degree to gain your trust and validate my knowledge, then where should I get the degree from? Is an online degree the same as an ivy league degree? See where I’m going here? I don’t need your opinion to validate me. Knowledge is EVERYWHERE in this day and age. It is no longer restricted behind the paywall called college. Give me a month or two to study, give me the test and give me my degree. I’ve already proven I can do something consistently for 4-10 years.

Here, lemme help you decide if I’m going to be able to help you. I am going to be gentle at times and I’m am also going to be rough at other times. It’s obviously going to be situational. I am going to offer guidance with love, kindness and compassion. Ask anyone that knows me or read the reviews.

Many times, being abrasive and jarring the addicts mind is necessary. If I need to ask you, “Do you like being a piece of shit?” when I find out you are dating another man’s wife to get you to understand that doing that is a moral and ethical deficiency, then I’m going to ask it. Could I say it different? YUP! Would it have the same effect? NOPE!

If I did this in a clinical setting, I would get reported so fast it would make my head spin. Then I would lose my clinical/therapeutic license. But a license is not the same as a degree, you might say. Correct, but if I can’t practice then what was the point? If you need to know if I’m knowledgeable, just ask me a question.

Counterpoint 1: A Degree Provides Credibility & Standardized Knowledge

Objection:
A degree isn’t just about getting a job—it’s about proving you have a baseline of knowledge that meets a standard set by professionals in the field. Without it, how can people trust that your methods are sound?

My Response:

• I agree that degrees offer a standardized education, but standardized doesn’t necessarily mean superior. Many of the best thinkers and innovators in history didn’t have degrees—Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, and even Freud broke away from academia’s rigid structure.
• A degree proves you can complete coursework, not that you can help someone recover. Recovery is human, not academic. If we’re talking about trust, my experience, success stories, and results speak louder than a piece of paper.
• Who determines the “right” way to help someone? If we acknowledge that there are multiple therapeutic approaches (CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, etc.), then why can’t lived experience be one of them?

Counterpoint 2: Ethical & Clinical Boundaries Matter

Objection:
Therapists follow ethical guidelines and licensing regulations for a reason—to prevent harm. Without formal training, how do you ensure that you’re not doing more harm than good?

My Response:

• Ethics are essential, and I follow my own strict code—one that is rooted in honesty, integrity, and results.
• Therapists may have ethical guidelines, but they are often restricted by red tape, preventing them from saying what someone actually needs to hear.
• Example: A therapist can’t call someone out for sleeping with another man’s wife the way I can. But shock can be therapeutic. Addiction is a life-and-death battle. If you’re playing soft, people die.

Counterpoint 3: Personal Experience is Not a Substitute for Education

Objection:
Just because you’ve been through addiction and recovery doesn’t mean you’re qualified to teach it. If that logic held, every ex-addict would be a great coach, but that’s not the case.

My Response:

• Experience without reflection isn’t useful, but I have both. I don’t just have experience—I’ve analyzed it, systemized it, and created a method from it.
• Many psychologists who have never struggled with addiction are still allowed to treat addicts. Why? Because they studied it? Well, I’ve lived it, studied it, and helped others navigate it.
• If I had no results, this would be a fair argument. But I have real success stories—can a degree guarantee success?

Counterpoint 4: If You’re That Confident, Why Not Get the Degree Anyway?

Objection:
If you believe you already know the material and could pass the tests, why not just get the degree and remove all doubt?

My Response:

• Because I don’t need the degree. My goal isn’t to get approval from an institution—it’s to help people.
• The degree exists primarily to gatekeep employment. I’m self-employed. I don’t need a credential to validate my knowledge.
• If you’re looking for a traditional therapy experience, a licensed therapist may be a better fit. But if you want direct, action-driven coaching with someone who has been there, I offer that

Counterpoint 5: Degrees Hold You Accountable

Objection:
A licensed therapist has to follow professional guidelines and undergo continuing education. Without that, who holds you accountable?

My Response:

• My reputation holds me accountable. If I were ineffective, I wouldn’t have positive reviews, referrals, and long-term clients.
• Therapists are held accountable by bureaucracy, not necessarily effectiveness. I’m held accountable by whether or not people’s lives actually improve.
• Education is ongoing, but it’s no longer confined to a classroom. I continue to study addiction, psychology, and human behavior on my own terms, without paying $100K to do it.
• Even NARR, the national standard for recovery housing, recognizes that peer-driven recovery is just as effective as clinical intervention in many cases. Therapy has its place, but it is not the only solution. My role is different—and in many cases, more impactful for long-term sobriety.

Counterpoint 6: Degrees Teach Important Theories & Methods You Might Not Know

Objection:
Formal education teaches evidence-based practices like CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), and Motivational Interviewing. Without a degree, how do you know you’re using the best methods?

My Response:

• I actively study these methods myself. There is nothing stopping me from reading textbooks, taking online courses, and applying scientifically-backed techniques in my work.
• Just because someone learns CBT in a classroom doesn’t mean they can apply it effectively. Many therapists follow a one-size-fits-all model because that’s what they were taught.
• The best method is the one that works. If my approach gets results for people who weren’t helped by traditional therapy, does it matter that I didn’t sit in a classroom for four years?

Counterpoint 7: What About Liability? What If You Give Bad Advice?

Objection:
Therapists are licensed so that if they give harmful advice, there’s a system of accountability. If you make a mistake, who is responsible?

My Response:

• There’s a big difference between a sober coach and a therapist. I am not diagnosing mental illnesses or prescribing medications. I am coaching people based on real-world experience.
• Therapists make mistakes too, but they’re often protected by legal disclaimers and malpractice insurance. If a therapist gives bad advice, a client has little recourse other than filing a complaint—which may or may not result in consequences.
• If I were causing harm, word would spread quickly, and I’d lose credibility. My accountability is my reputation.

Counterpoint 8: Isn’t Therapy More Effective Than Coaching?

Objection:
Studies show that therapy is scientifically proven to help people recover from addiction. Coaching doesn’t have the same research backing.

My Response:

• Therapy can be effective, but not for everyone. Many people go through years of therapy without making meaningful progress.
• Coaching focuses on actionable change, while therapy often focuses on processing emotions. For some people, that’s valuable—but for addicts who need a direct, no-BS approach, coaching can be more effective.
• Not everyone needs to unpack their childhood traumas to get sober. Some people just need accountability, structure, and guidance—that’s where I come in.

Counterpoint 9: What If Someone Has Trauma or Mental Illness?

Objection:
Many people struggling with addiction also have underlying trauma, depression, or anxiety. Without a clinical background, how can you address these issues properly?

My Response:

• I fully acknowledge that some people need a licensed professional for deep trauma work. If someone’s issue goes beyond what I can help with, I’ll refer them to a therapist.
• That said, many people use therapy as an excuse to stay stuck—they keep digging into trauma but never actually change their behavior.
• I don’t treat trauma, but I help people build the discipline and mindset needed to move forward despite it.

Counterpoint 10: If Coaching is Just as Good, Why Do Therapy Degrees Exist?

Objection:
If degrees weren’t necessary, why do therapists go through years of training? Doesn’t that prove their expertise is valuable?

My Response:

• Degrees serve a purpose—but they aren’t the only path to expertise. Just like you don’t need a degree to be an expert mechanic, you don’t need one to be an expert in recovery.
• Therapy degrees exist because the system requires formal education for clinical work, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only valid way to learn.
• I respect therapists, but I’m not trying to be one. I’m providing a different type of support—one that is experience-driven, not academia-driven.

Counterpoint 11: Isn’t Coaching Just an Unregulated Version of Therapy?

Objection:
Coaching isn’t regulated the way therapy is. Isn’t that a bad thing?

My Response:

• Regulation doesn’t automatically mean quality. Many therapists get licensed, yet they still fail their clients.
• Unregulated doesn’t mean unethical. I hold myself to a higher personal standard than many therapists who are just clocking in for a paycheck.
• Real-world accountability is often stricter than licensing—if I don’t help people, I don’t get referrals. If a therapist doesn’t help you, you just become another patient on their schedule.

Counterpoint 12: Don’t You Want More Tools to Help People?

Objection:
Even if you don’t need a degree, wouldn’t it make you better at your job?

My Response:

• I constantly educate myself, but I don’t need a degree to do that.
• If a degree added something valuable, I’d consider it—but I won’t spend years and thousands of dollars just for a title.
• My best tool isn’t a certificate—it’s my ability to connect with people, hold them accountable, and get them results. No degree can teach that.

Final Position:

This isn’t about rejecting education—it’s about rejecting the outdated belief that a degree is the only path to credibility. I’m not trying to be a therapist. I’m trying to help people recover in a way that works. If someone values a degree over real-world experience and results, they can go to a therapist. But if they want hard truths, practical solutions, and real change, I’m here for that.