About

Galen E. Cole, PhD, MPH, LPC, NCC, ABCP, is a master of public health, licensed and board-certified professional counselor, nationally certified counselor, nationally certified hypnotherapist, an American Board Certified Psychotherapist, and has an extensive background in Sports Psychology. He has also received the designation as a World Certified Psychotherapist (WCPC) by the World Council of Psychotherapy in Vienna. Galen’s private practice consists largely of treating executives, celebrities, and professional athletes and their families. In addition to relying heavily on evidence-based individual and couples therapies, Galen has been recognized for his innovations around an emerging “3rd Wave CBT” psychotherapy known as Life Script Restructuring, which is described in his book by the same title. He has also been recognized for his innovations in the areas of Trauma-Informed Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TI-MCBT) which has resulted in a trademarked algorithm that is central to understanding and applying the “4th Wave of TI-MCBT.” Galen has taught counseling psychology, equine-assisted mental health, behavioral and evaluation research, and a number of other counseling and health-related courses at the university level. He’s been on the undergraduate and/or graduate faculty at Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University, Pennsylvania State University, and Emory University. Galen has extensive experience practicing what he teaches, including working on staff and as a consultant at numerous clinics, hospitals, and community-based organizations, consulting on a number of popular television series (e.g., The Young and the Restless, Private Practice, The Big C, 90210, Chasing Life, Hostages). He is the psychotherapist on the 7th and 8th seasons of the popular TLC reality show “The Seven Little Johnstons.” Dr. Cole has served as the Executive Director of two different 501(c)3 Foundations, worked as an Associate Director of the county public health department in Phoenix, Arizona, and worked for 23 years as a research psychologist, behavioral scientist, and director of research, evaluation, and strategic communication activities in various centers, institutes, and offices at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2003, Galen was appointed by the Governor of Georgia to serve on the Georgia Human Resources (DHR) Board. In this capacity, he served as chair of the DHR committee that provided policy guidance to the state Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases. After leaving CDC in 2014, Galen took a position as a Senior Mental Health Strategist and Thought Leader at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), headquartered in Washington, D.C. In this position, he led the development of AIR’s vision and creative strategies to address the nation's mental health needs. Galen has served on numerous local, regional, and national boards of directors, including the Board of Professional Counselors at the American Psychotherapy Association. He recently served as President of the Georgia Association of Licensed Professional Counselors. In addition to his private practice, Galen is currently the CEO of the Alive and Well Foundation (www.aliveandwellfoundation.org). He also currently travels throughout the U.S. conducting intensive continuing education workshops on “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques for Everyday Clinical Practice,” on behalf of PESI (pesi.com). Galen has been a trainer and consultant in the Central Asian Republics, Nigeria, China, Thailand, Kenya, Switzerland, Australia, Peru, Germany, Uganda, and the Middle East, where he has consulted and conducted training with the Palestinian Health Authority, the Israeli Ministry of Health, and many other NGOs. He has also provided technical support to several prominent international organizations, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); the World Bank; Hollywood, Health, and Society (HH&S); and the World Health Organization (WHO). Galen has published numerous books, scientific papers, and presentations at conferences and training seminars worldwide. In recognition of his many accomplishments, Galen has received distinguished alumni awards from two universities he attended. In 2020, he was designated an Expert Faculty Lecturer in the “Best of the Best” series sponsored by the American College of Psychology (https://acpsy.org). In 2023, Dr. Cole received the John C. Burns III Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia Licensed Professional Counseling Association for his work as a clinician and at the community level around his efforts to advocate for access to affordable and effective mental health services. He and his wife Priscilla have been married since 1975 and are the parents of 5 adult children.