Taber Carlson
Growing up in South Dakota provided me with space to find my identity in God’s eyes. I was raised in a small town where faith always played a role. Though this role was often secondary or tertiary, I knew deep down that something was unusually special and important about my faith. It wasn’t until my time at South Dakota State University that I fully engaged in Catholicism. Shortly after school began, FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, reached out and assisted me in building intimacy with Jesus Christ. Through immense healing and virtuous community, I was launched onto a trajectory of service to His kingdom as a FOCUS missionary. After graduation, I served college students in the same manner as my missionaries at SDSU for one year in Arizona and two years in Texas. I retired from FOCUS in 2014 to discern a long term calling and vocation. During a short stint as a construction manager I found the woman who would become my wife, and though it was an exciting time, I was given the opportunity to return to the college setting as a campus minister for the Diocese of Tyler, Texas. Back on campus, all my experiences working with young adults again brought back into focus my passion for healing and a new possibility to serve as a mental health professional. It was then that I felt a call to pursue a masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Texas at Tyler. Post-graduation, my wife and I recognized opportunities in Alabama, and now I work in a private practice and with Catholic Family Services also. This is an exciting new chapter and opportunity to further serve the Kingdom of God. My goal as a counselor is to assist individuals in creating realistic goals, building strength to overcome obstacles, and seeking to find and maintain a sense of peace and freedom. Healing is my mission.
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