Present Position
John Heagle is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) in the State of Washington and the co-director of Therapy and Renewal Associates (TARA), a counseling and consultation resource in the Pacific Northwest. He also teaches courses on human sexuality and pastoral care skills, as an adjunct instructor, in the graduate School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. John is a frequent presenter at workshops, conferences, and retreats; he is engaged in national renewal ministry among clergy, career ministers, and other religious groups. He also gives presentations on mental health and spirituality, domestic violence, and recovery from sexual abuse.
Education and Professional Experience
- B.A. (Philosophy), Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 1960.
- M.A. (Philosophy), Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 1961.
- J.C.L. (Canon Law), Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, Italy, 1968.
- Additional post-graduate courses, workshops, and supervision in psychology and counseling, 1962-2008.
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), State of Washington, 2001.
- Board Certified Professional Counselor (BCPC), American Psychotherapy Association (APA), 2008.
A native of Menomonie, WI, John was ordained a Roman Catholic priest for the Diocese of La Crosse, WI, in 1965. He has had more than 42 years of pastoral and professional experience in a variety of fields including campus ministry, marriage and family service, college teaching, social justice ministry, and ten years as a pastor. For eight years he also served as a consultant and trainer for the Center for Human Development in Washington, DC.
In 1985, at the invitation of Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen, he joined Dr. Fran Ferder, Ph.D., FSPA, in co-founding and co-directing Therapy and Renewal Associates, and began serving as an adjunct faculty at Seattle University.
Publications
Books:
- A Contemporary Meditation on Hope. Chicago: Thomas More Press, 1975.
- Life to the Full. Chicago: Thomas More Press, 1976.
- Our Journey Toward God. Chicago: Thomas More Press, 1977
- On the Way. Chicago: Thomas More Press, 1981.
- Suffering and Evil. Chicago: Thomas More Press, 1987.
- Partnership: Women and Men in Ministry. (co-authored with Fran Ferder) Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 1989.
- Your Sexual Self: Pathway to Authentic Intimacy. (co-authored with
Fran Ferder). Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 1992.
- Jesus: Human and Divine: Reflections from Matthew. In the Intersections Small Group Series. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress. 1995.
- Tender Fires: The Spiritual Promise of Sexuality (Co-authored with Fran Ferder). New York: Crossroad Publications, 2002.
- Justice Rising: The Emerging Biblical Vision, Orbis Books, 2010.
Articles:
Several articles in various religious and other periodicals, including three years (1978-1981) of writing the monthly newsletter, You: Reflections on Personal Growth and Spirituality for the Thomas More Association.
Audio and Video Cassettes:
- Developing Your Own Spirituality. Thomas More Publications, Chicago.
- Women and Men: Partners in Ministry. With Fran Ferder. Ave Maria, 1986.
- Psychosexual Development. With Fran Ferder. Paulist Press, 1990.
- Living Justice. Session Six in the InterAction Series of ‘Gospel Attitudes’. Los Angeles: Franciscan Communications, 1992.
- Growing Pains. Session Two in the InterAction Series of ‘Life Crossroads’. Los Angeles: Franciscan Communications, 1992.
- Healing the Wounded Spirit: Recovering from Sexual Abuse. Diocese of Sioux City, IA, 1997.
- Heal My Heart: Pastoral Responses to Sexual and Relational Violence. St Anthony Messenger Press, 2002.
- Wired for Love: The Compelling Energy of Human Sexuality, CSC Digital Media, 2008.
Original Professional and Ministerial Projects:
- Life Review Program: A ten-session spiritual, personal integration and reflection program for career ministers; developed in 1986, revised in 1997; more than 200 persons have participated in this program.
- Member of original task force (1986-1987) to develop policies, guidelines, and protocol for cases involving sexual misconduct by clergy and other professional ministers in the Archdiocese of Seattle.
- In collaboration with Dr. Fran Ferder, John worked with the Archdiocese of Seattle, the Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence in developing and implementing an educational program on professional ethics in the Archdiocese of Seattle; also participated in a video training series by the CPSDV, including Hear Their Cries: Religious Response to Child Abuse, and Broken Vows: Religious Perspectives on Domestic Violence.
- With Dr. Fran Ferder, Fr. Heagle researched, designed and continues to present a workshop on professional ethics to priests, sisters, deacons, and other career ministers to dioceses, religious congregations nationally and internationally.
- Participated in the planning and implementation of InterAction, an interactive video series on Christian life and growth, originally produced by Franciscan Communications in Los Angeles (now Cincinnati).
- Participated in a training video series produced by the FaithTrust Institute: A Sacred Trust: Boundary Issues for Clergy and Spiritual Teachers, 2002.
In Dec. 2010, John and his colleague, Sr. Fran Ferder, spent a few weeks in Bangladesh working with a group of Holy Cross sisters and priests that have been teaching literacy skills to women and girls for 150 years. They also spent time with the Bangladesh headquarters of the international organization, “Stop the Traffik”—a group that rescues women and children from sex trade and provides them with resources for recovery.
Teaching at Other Jesuit Schools: Along with Fran Ferder, John has taught courses and given workshops at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA; Loyola University, New Orleans, LA.; Loyola Marymount, Los Angeles, CA.; Georgetown University, Washington DC.; and Jesuit Universities in Manila, the Philippines, and Seoul, South Korea.
Awards
- John XXIII Distinguished Service Award, given by Viterbo University, La Crosse, WI, 1977.
- Brother Miller Justice and Peace Award, Diocese of La Crosse, WI 1988.
- President’s Award, National Organization for the Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy (NOCERCC), 2001.