Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Fowler.
Hi Mike, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Today I’m a husband, a father, a man of faith, and I specialize professionally in helping restore relationships as a Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist. This particular trajectory actually started almost two decades ago, but looking back I can see how my experiences were leading me here. The drive to help marriages actually comes from a drive to see families thrive. When a marriage is out of sorts, it impacts the entire household-the kids, parenting, individual well-being, and especially times where support is really needed in times of tragedy. I love being able to help with that.
Prior to recognizing this call, I had started college as a business major. Not for any particular reason or insight, but just because college seemed like the only route and I had to choose a major. Thankfully, a professor was honest with me about the challenges I would face as a business major due to my struggles in math. This happened right around the time I was taking a philosophy class that really had me questioning why people are the way they are and function the way they do. This led me from a required philosophy credit to checking out my first psychology course. I had struggled in college so far and psychology was the first time I started to really enjoy my studies. That is likely what kept me there initially. Early on I was drawn to couples counseling because couples were talked about as if they were some impenetrable challenge that no one liked to work with. This was intriguing, so I continued my studies despite the good counsel I received from loved ones that this would require a lot of work and might prove to be a challenging career path.
Another significant piece of influence was my Uncle Dean. He had struggles with alcoholism in his life and had provided drug counseling to others after recovery. In addition to these efforts, he has always been one of the more consistent, faithful, and respectable men in my life. He showed me what it means to be there for people in the midst of their suffering and how to love people with truth even when it is hard things that need to be said. In a way, I saw this path as following in his footsteps.
In the broader backdrop of these influences I met my wife-to-be and we started dating. She shared my drive to help families and our conversations (then and still) stoke the fire of interest and curiosity in this field. I also found my footing in my faith that went from a cultural influence that I just added to my life to something with depth and conviction in the way I lived and thought about the world and my purpose in it. This is where my drive went from simply making money in a career to a conviction of being able to help restore marriages, help kids live in a home with reliable, consistent parents, and having the opportunity to minister to the suffering. The drive for helping couples only grew. In school I met other professionals who cared about families the way I did and specialized in helping those families. I could see God taking the influence of my uncle, the struggles I experienced growing up, and the way He pulled me out of it and built character in me through those experiences coming together to help me help others with the most important relationships in their lives.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There’s been a lot of life between then and now-absolutely. I don’t think that’s unique. I’ve grown in appreciation for good supervisors. I have had several that have been willing to push and challenge to help me grow-they were good teachers, good people, and clearly cared about what they did. And they helped me know I was in bad situations with the variety of bad supervisors I have had. Some people in leadership are not there because of leadership skills-I’m grateful to be in private practice now, but I also think those experiences are some of the times that God used to grow my character.
There’s also been a great deal of personal pain along the way. My wife and I have seen friends lose their kids, we’ve seen friends go through divorce, we’ve lost family members close to us, we’ve had friends we realized to not be friends-the list could go on.
As any good relational therapist though, I have to acknowledge what brought me through these times.
John Gottman, a famous martial researcher, has said that a secure marriage is like a port in a storm. Everything around you can be chaos and brokenness, but your relationship is a safe haven in the midst of that. That’s been my wife. She has been there through all of these things. She is one of few relationships I find real consistent peace in. She’s a blessing.
I also have a couple friends who have been there through all of these times as well. They have been depths of care, but also wisdom in challenging situations. Not everyone has relationships like these, or they struggle to find support in them. I see that every day. It makes me cherish them.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Fowler Family Therapy?
Fowler Family Therapy exists to foster human flourishing, treat people with dignity, and see them thrive. We specialize in marriage counseling, trauma therapy, parenting education, and men’s therapy. In Texas, many of the programs produce counselors that focus on the individual. There is certainly a need for that, but we believe Fowler Family Therapy is specially equipped to help with hurting relationships as well as a unique perspective on individuals since we consider the entire system. We have many clients that have gone to a large variety of counselors before and don’t experience healing until they work with us. I believe that’s because of this specialized approach and perspective we take. In addition to individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, and parenting education we offer intensives for marriages or trauma processing and consultations or seminars.
What matters most to you?
My faith. All of the things I have described are perspectives that come from my faith. My care of people comes from knowing that I am cared for by my creator. He cares so much that despite my failures He sent His son to die in my place. As a result, I can help and care for people that know and love Him as well as people who don’t. That was me many years ago. Without this foundation, I don’t think I would be the husband, the father, the professional, or the man that I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fowlerfamilytherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fowlerfamilytherapy/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fowler-family-therapy/
