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Biographical Sketch

Rev. Dr. Myrna Thurmond-Malone was raised in New Jersey and is the proud daughter of Mary, and sister of Myriam and Al’Tericke.  She is married to Darcy Sr. and the mother of three beautiful children Fontashia, Asante, and Jacqueline.  Her educational pursuit allowed her to study across various disciplines.  She studied music for three years at the College of St. Elizabeth, law and paralegal studies at Berkeley College earning her an A.S. degree and a certificate in paralegal studies, Mercer University pursuing an interest in the social sciences earning a B.S.S.S. with an emphasis in criminal justice and social work, the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) earning the Master of Divinity degree, with a concentration in Psychology of Religion, and Pastoral Care and Counseling, a certified Anger Management Specialist (CAMS II), and the Doctorate of Theology and Pastoral Counseling degree at Columbia Theological Seminary.  She is a licensed christian counselor and therapist, national board certified pastoral counselor, ordained minister, social activist, and educator.

 

In her quest for learning, cultivating and crafting her skills, she pursued additional extensive training in clinical pastoral education, and clinical pastoral counseling and psychotherapy.  She completed 12 months of clinical pastoral education at St. Luke's Counseling Center and Emory Center for Pastoral Services; and 18 months of clinical pastoral counseling and psychotherapy training at Care and Counseling Center of Georgia, and served as a volunteer Chaplain and grief and loss counselor for three and half years at Metro State Women's prison. 

 

In addition to operating her clinical practice she serves as a staff Chaplain in the department of Spiritual Health at Emory Healthcare and has taught Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling within the Atlanta Theological Association (Candler School of Theology of Emory University, The Interdenominational Theological Centering, and Columbia Theological Seminary).  Currently she is an adjunct professor at the Interdenominational Theological Center where she teaches Clinical Introduction to Psychology of Pastoral Care, Embodiment in Pastoral Care and Counseling:  Theological Reflection on Dis/Ability, Marginalization, and Inclusion, and Womanist Theology.  Rev. Dr. Thurmond-Malone's love of teaching, history, and culture allowed her an opportunity to teach American History: An African Americans Woman’s Perspective in Bangalore, India.   

 

In addition to teaching Rev. Dr. Thurmond-Malone is a member of Selah, a group of African American ordained clergy women post graduates researching self-care practices for women of color.  She is the co-author (Selah) of Daughters of the Desert: The Journey Towards Letting Go, Surrendering, and Trusting God that explores the voices of women of color, their relationship to God, and community and Selah:  Reflections on Sabbath and Self-Care explores ways to implement self-care and rest.

 

After working for nine plus years as a paralegal in the field of family and contract law, and volunteering in various outreach ministries she answered the call to ministry and began to work full-time in ministry serving and being an advocate for the voiceless, oppressed, and marginalized founding The Margie Ree Hansford Thurmond Family Life Center in 2008.  The MHT Family Life Center is a faith based 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that provides pastoral care and counseling, mentoring, and psycho-education to the wider community and The Women of Color Counseling Network (WCCN) a referral system of trained mental health, pastoral counselors, and psychotherapist networking to provide care for persons in distress.  Rev. Dr. Thurmond-Malone’s interest in wholeness, healing, and transformation allowed her to facilitate groups that empower, explore self, and offer a safe space for persons in distress.  She offers the following groups:  The Black Women’s Experience, Recovering from Trauma, Why am I Angry, Who Am I, Transition and Change, and Anxiety and Meditation. 

 

Rev. Dr. Thurmond-Malone's areas of specialization are women’s issues with a focus on women of color and intimate violence, Marriage & Family Therapy, and clergy care integrating faith and psychology to treat the whole person - mind, body, and spirit.  She has specialized training in multicultural, narrative, and multisystems counseling modalities.  Lastly, her love of community has afforded her the opportunity to work within diverse populations providing pastoral care and counseling to communities such as HIV/AIDS, Mentally Ill, Metro Atlanta prison systems, and homeless that allows her to be present and available to serve those in need. 

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