Author. Speaker. Therapist.
Guide for deeper relationships.
Chris O’Rear draws on more than 30 years of experience to help individuals, communities, and organizations cultivate resilience, deepen relationships, and embrace meaningful change.
About Chris
Chris O’Rear is a licensed clinical pastoral therapist, author, and speaker based in Nashville. With more than 30 years of experience, he helps individuals, churches, and organizations navigate life’s challenges, deepen relationships, and grow in resilience. Chris is the owner of The Counseling Center, PLLC and the author of Therapeutic Friendship: Cultivating Relationships that Heal.
Learn more below about Chris’ story and how he can support your organization through speaking, workshops, and leadership training.
In a world that feels more connected yet lonelier than ever, Chris O’Rear offers practical wisdom for building relationships that truly make a difference. Drawing from over three decades of therapy and ministry, Chris shares how we can navigate conflict, support loved ones, and find resilience through deeper connection.
Therapeutic Friendship:
Cultivating Relationships that Heal
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Speaking and Workshops
Chris O’Rear brings more than three decades of experience as a therapist, minister, and teacher into his speaking and workshop leadership. With a style that is both practical and compassionate, Chris helps audiences explore the connections between mental health, spirituality, and relationships.
He has spoken at churches, conferences, retreats, and community events, offering insight that equips people to grow personally and collectively. Whether addressing clergy wellness, therapeutic friendship, or navigating life’s transitions, Chris’ talks are designed to inspire reflection and spark meaningful change.
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Speaking Topics
Spirituality & Mental Health Integration
Grief, Loss, and Resilience
Therapeutic Friendship: Building Relationships That Heal
Clergy Wellness & Congregational Care
Family Systems in the Church
Anxiety, Stress, and Life Transitions
Therapy and Supervision
Alongside his writing and speaking, Chris continues to provide therapy and supervision through The Counseling Center, LLC, the group practice he founded and directs. The Counseling Center is a network of counseling centers serving the Middle Tennessee community, where therapists combine clinical expertise with pastoral training.
As a licensed clinical pastoral therapist with more than 30 years of experience, Chris offers thoughtful care for adults navigating anxiety, grief, life transitions, and spiritual questions. He also provides supervision for therapists and pastoral counselors, helping them integrate clinical depth with spiritual understanding.
Media and Publications
Chris’ voice has been featured in national and local media, from television and radio to podcasts and print. He has also published extensively, including Therapeutic Friendship: Cultivating Relationships that Heal (2024) and numerous articles, lessons, and essays on relationships, grief, and pastoral care.
Check out Chris’ media appearances and published works to learn more about his insights and expertise.
What Others Are Saying
Chris’ work has been affirmed by colleagues, professors, and readers alike:
“Straightforward and wise.
Whether you want to be a better therapist, friend, or family member, this book will be a resource you turn to again and again.”
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— Bruce Rogers-Vaughn, Vanderbilt Divinity School (ret.)
“Layers of practical wisdom for how we can relate, grow, and learn in community.”
— Judy Skeen, Belmont University
“...wisdom, honesty, and bravery, in league with vulnerability, humility, and love. This book has all these qualities, as does Chris O’Rear himself.”
— Russell Siler Jones, Psychotherapist & Author