Meet Geoff Andrist

My path into counseling runs through a life of service in the armed forces to my work as a volunteer chaplain starting in 2018 with a local fire agency. I work closely alongside firefighters, law enforcement, 911 dispatch personnel, and the medical examiner. Responding to fires, accidents, and traumatic incidents taught me that sometimes the most powerful thing you can offer is a steady non-judgmental presence and a willingness to listen.

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That is the foundation of my counseling approach. I walk alongside my clients, listen, and challenge when appropriate. I understand first-responder culture from the inside out and the burden that comes with duty. From the weight of difficult calls to the gap that can quietly grow between who you are at work and who you are at home. There is hope.

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Whether you’re carrying the heavy burdens of frontline service, navigating family transitions, processing grief, or simply seeking greater clarity, we’ll work together honestly and practically to help you move forward.

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I am trained in DBT and CBT, informed on meaning-making through Logotherapy and Bowen Family Systems Theory. My chaplaincy training includes grief, trauma, suicidality, and existential crisis, and I am an IAFF-certified Peer Support Counselor with additional training in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and Psychological First Aid. I hold a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University and have completed Forefront suicide prevention training developed by the University of Washington.

 

I have served as an American Foundation for Suicide Prevention “Talk Saves Lives” trainer, contributed to overdose fatality review and youth health task forces, and regularly provide academy training and outreach for emergency services agencies, as well as schools, hospitals, mental health conferences, even field exercises. I am also certified through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation to conduct CISM debriefings.