Rodney Black , LCSW, LISW

Rodney Black brings a lifetime of lived experience and a long career in community-based practice to his work with clients. He has spent over 26 years supporting people through addiction, trauma, relationship struggles, and major life transitions, and he approaches that work with humility and practical insight. He grew up in the Midwest, lived in California and South Carolina, and served in the US military with a deployment to Afghanistan where he was the highest-ranking enlisted member of the Human Intelligence component of a Brigade Combat Team.

He is currently licensed in Iowa and Nebraska and holds the credentials LCSW and LISW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Independent Social Worker. His personal history includes navigating a family system affected by serious mental illness and borderline personality traits, and he credits friendships in the queer community with helping him on his own healing journey. He is the parent of a grown gay son and speaks from both professional training and personal experience about issues affecting LGBT clients and families.

Rodney has worked through addiction, codependency, and mental health challenges himself and understands the value of ongoing recovery. He often quotes Brene' Brown: "I might just be a little further down the road in recovery is all." He views therapy as an artful, collaborative process in which skills and techniques shape a meaningful outcome, and he considers it a privilege to join others in exploring and understanding their life stories.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Rodney often integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Attachment-Based work into online sessions. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice and accept difficult thoughts and feelings while committing to actions that reflect their values - it can be useful for issues like addiction, anxiety, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on patterns in relationships that stem from early bonds and helps people develop healthier connections and emotional regulation - it can support work around family of origin issues, fatherhood concerns, and relationship struggles.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Rodney collaborates with each client to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. He frames therapy as a joint effort, adapting techniques over time to match how a person responds and what they hope to achieve.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility for those balancing work, family, or geographic constraints. Rodney provides sessions by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging so clients can choose the format that works best for them. These options make it easier to maintain consistency in care, attend sessions from wherever is convenient, and access licensed professionals without needing to travel.