Biography
Nicholas Grier’s writing, speaking, counseling, and community leadership privileges the experiences of the most vulnerable and marginalized people in society. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Willamette University College of Law, Associate Professor of Practical Theology, Spiritual Care, & Counseling at Claremont School of Theology, and a counselor at the Bishop Wellness Center at Willamette University.
He is author of the book Care for the Mental and Spiritual Health of Black Men: Hope to Keep Going, author of articles and book reviews, and Founder and CEO of Coloring Mental Health Collective, LLC.
Privileging the experiences of people on the margins of society, Grier enjoys nurturing cultures of self-awareness, resistance, healing, and liberation to make possible flourishing for everyone in the global village. He works to engage faith communities, clinical counseling practice, academic institutions, organizations, and the general public on issues related to justice, liberating faith, community organizing, and emotional and psychological well-being. As a professor, Grier works to inspire present and future leaders with tools to nurture care and justice in society. He is also currently serving a two-year term with the Oregon Department of Education as a member of the African American/Black Student Success Advisory Group.
He believes that everyone deserves fair opportunities to flourish and that it is important to draw from clients’ and a community’s strengths. In this sense, he teaches and engages institutional and community change from a strengths-based perspective.
In his downtime, he enjoys sports, listening to jazz & neo-soul music, playing piano, dancing, spending time in nature, and connecting with friends & family.
Nicholas Grier earned a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) degree from the Schwōb School of Music at Columbus State University, Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary on the campus of Northwestern University, and a certificate in psychotherapy from The Center for Religion and Psychotherapy of Chicago.