Derek is a licensed addiction and mental health therapist and supervisor in Oklahoma. He is a skilled program director and clinician with experience in various outpatient and residential addiction treatment centers. His work has included outpatient adult, adolescent and family work at Specialized Outpatient Services in Oklahoma City, intensive family and individual therapeutic work at Four Winds Ranch in Guthrie Oklahoma; Derek has previously sat as the Clinical Director of Second Story Ranch Recovery Community and as Executive Director of Parents Helping Parents, an Oklahoma based non-profit agency aimed at supporting families with children, of any age, affected by substance use and addiction. Derek was a co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at CLASSEN9, a premier treatment, consulting and community development firm in Oklahoma City and hosted The Chasing Sanity podcast. Currently Derek serves as the Clinical Director of Country Road, a Pathways Recovery Center.

Derek believes recovery involves creating healing and balance in all aspects of life in order to combat the pain and loneliness at the root of addiction. To keep his own life in balance, Derek often spends time with friends and family enjoying the great outdoors, good coffee, a competitive dominoes game or a challenging new book. It is through these new experiences with loved ones that Derek keeps his spirit fresh and his zeal for life and clinical work flourishing.