Counselor Spotlight: Drew
Drew Fort, LAC discusses Philly sports, faith and counseling, and ruling Catan.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I grew up here in South Jersey. I have three siblings: two younger brothers, and a younger sister. I’m super fortunate we all get along, for the most part at least! My parents have been a huge support in my life. They have stuck with me and loved me through all the ups and downs that come with pursuing a long journey through graduate school. I spend a lot of time with my family.
I went to Cedarville University for my undergrad degree in Psychology. It was a bit in the middle of nowhere, so we had to be creative when it came to having fun, but I had a great time with the friends I met there and grew so much in my faith. I have an old cat who is always bossing me around, but he is a nice guy as long as he gets his treats.
What was your journey to becoming a counselor?
It was long and difficult at times, but Christ had a plan and I followed the doors that He opened. I originally went to Eastern University and planned on being a sports journalist. I love everything Philly sports and thought it would be fun to ask athletes questions and write about my favorite teams. However, God had different plans. I went on a two-week mission trip to Slovakia after my freshman year of college and while doing Bible camps some of my spiritual gifts were revealed to me. When I got back that next year I couldn’t shake the idea that I was doing the wrong thing. After much prayer, I left that school and applied to Cedarville and changed my major to psychology. I had my own helpful experience going to counseling in high school and I felt God pulling on my heart to do the same for others. After a lot of changes and classes, I found myself at CCCRD. I am so glad my journey brought me here!
Describe your approach to counseling.
I find it really important to create a connection with people. My full focus is on getting to know the person in front of me and how they are struggling. I know how hard it can feel to be at a place where you don’t know the answers or in what direction to work through issues. Taking time to connect and build rapport is invaluable in the counseling process. Once that is accomplished the real work can get done!
In your eyes, how do faith and therapy interact?
As a believer, I think that a lot of mental and emotional issues can be affected by sin and struggles in our lives. Having an understanding of how Christ works in our lives and how He knows what we deal with can help when going through those struggles. So many times dealing with issues like depression, anxiety, trauma, and many other mental struggles have a spiritual component when that is a focus of someone’s life.
What do you do for fun?
I love sports and being outdoors. Always great to get into nature and see some of the beauty in my hometown and adventure through parts of Jersey. I also enjoy movies and board games with friends and can definitely get a bit overly competitive when it comes to ruling Catan.
What’s your favorite movie?
Thor: Ragnarok. It’s got action, humor, and a good storyline. Just a fun movie to watch any time!
What’s a unique hill you will die on?
Andy Bernard almost single-handedly ruined the legacy of The Office in the last 3 seasons.