Dottie Presley was among the first to graduate from Faulkner University’s Mobile campus with a Bachelor of Science in Counseling in 2015.
She began her masters at Capella University in fall of 2015 and graduated with honors in March of 2019 with a Masters of Marriage and family Counseling/Therapy. She has a play therapy certification from Capella and will soon be a Registered Play Therapist. She also has a certification called Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist. She earned her Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) credential and received her LPC from the state of Alabama in 2021.
In 2022 she started her own private practice called Aspirations Counseling Services LLC. in Mobile, Alabama while still continuing to work for the Lifevesting Group in Mobile.
She was honored at the 2023 Marketplace Faith Friday Forums as the Accomplished Alumna for the College of Arts and Sciences’ Social and Behavioral Sciences department.
“My experience at Faulkner was great, of course I knew several of my professors and the director of the Mobile campus was a member at Central Church of Christ where I attend,” Presley said. “Diane Newell is the one who told me about the program and I am so glad she did. I also worked at the front desk while I attended as a work study student and enjoyed working in a Christian environment. They did seem to care more about their students than some of the other colleges that I attended.”
“Dr. Guy and Professor House were great mentors and teachers too,” she added. “They were always willing to help you if you needed extra help and they are just awesome people. I am so glad that I attended Faulkner University and that it was Christian based.”
Her other credentials include a certification in EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for trauma, which is mostly used with first responders, police , fire and military personnel and a certification called SSP, Safe and Sound protocol, which is used with ASD clients.
“Most of my work is with children 4-17,” Presley explained. “I work with lots of level 1 autism/Asperger’s/ high functioning. I also work with ADHD, Dyslexia and other learning disabilities. However, I do see adults occasionally. I use Play therapy, sand tray therapy, art, crafts and other modalities in therapy. I love my job working with these children are the high light of my day. Play therapy is fun and I love too see my clients achieve their goals.”
Presley is a member of Central Church of Christ where she has taught children’s Bible class for 25 years. She is married to Nathan Presley who is also a member there. They have been married 30 years and have three children, Mike ,27, who is high functioning autistic, Miranda, 24, and married to William Dabney III, and Malina who is 14, who was recently diagnosed with DiGeorges syndrome and has schizophrenia.