Dr. Francis Flynn earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Nova Southeastern University and is a state licensed Certified Addictions Professional, knows something about miracles.

He has been a Catholic priest for 32 years, including eleven years of service as a chaplain in the Florida prison system. He has made seven trips to China where he has lectured about addiction, counseling and psychology in medical and nursing schools. In June of 2008, he ended eighteen months of service as a chaplain at the Hanley Center in West Palm Beach – one of the nation’s premier addictions counseling centers to fully dedicate himself to Brain Training and the launch of the Centers.

Dr. Francis J. FlynnProfessional Biography and Experience

Academic History:

Certification, Addictions Counseling – 2001, Center for Addictions Studies and Education, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida

Doctor of Psychology, Clinical Psychology – 1986, Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, Florida

  • Dissertation: “Locus of Control As A Measure of Personality Dynamics Among Practitioners of the Afro-Cuban Religion Santeria”

  • Residency: University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida

  • Master of Divinity – 1976, Maryknoll Seminary, Maryknoll, New York

  • Bachelor’s of Arts – 1967, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida

Professional Certifications:

  • Certified Addictions Professional – 2003

  • Florida Certification Board/International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium – Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, Inc.

Professional Associations:

  • Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association (FADAA)

  • National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC)

  • American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC)

Lectures & Publications:

The Killing Secret: The Sexual Abuse of Boys and the Murder of American Men

  • Privately published and distributed through the Internet. 1999.

The Killing Secret Handbook

  • Privately published and distributed through the Internet. 1999.

“Addictions: Don’t Go There.”

  • Keynote speech of the University of Miami Inter fraternity Council Addictions Awareness Week

  • February 2002

“An Introduction to Addiction as a Disease of the Brain.”

  • Beijing Conference on HIV/AIDS and Addictions

  • April 2002

“A New Approach to Addictions – a Disease of the Brain.”

  • Jilin and Harbin Conferences on HIV/AIDS and Addictions

  • September 2002

“A Neuro-Scientific Understanding of Addictions as Diseases of the Changed Brain.”

  • Hohhot and Ningxia Conferences on HIV/AIDS and Addictions

  • September 2003

“The Changed Brain Disease – Addictions – Alcohol, Drugs, Gambling and Sex.”

  • 11th Annual Maryknoll Seminar for Chinese Scholars Studying in the U.S.

  • December 2003.

“Addictions and Addictions Counseling – Model Approaches.”

  • Xi’an Jiaotong University School of Medicine

  • July, 2004

“Addiction: A Disease of the Brain.”

  • Zhuhai Conference on Addictions and Addictions Counseling

  • July 2004

“The Challenges of College Substance Abuse: A Training Program for Students and Faculty.”

  • Florida Southern College

  • October 2005

“Introduction to Group Counseling: A Model for China.”

  • Shaanxi Provincial Psychological Association

  • May, 2005

“Psycho therapeutic Issues and the Treatment of Depression in Post-Liver-Transplant Patients.”

  • Number One Teaching Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University Medical School

  • May 2006

Priest & Member – Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America (Maryknoll Missioners)

  • Maryknoll, New York

  • 1976 – 2008

  • Ordained to the priesthood May 22, 1976, following studies in the US, Bolivia, and Chile; served for eleven years as associate pastor of a multi-cultural parish in Miami, Florida; maintains a free private practice as a pastoral counselor and addictions counselor for ex-offenders and individuals in addictions and recovery.

Adjunct Faculty – School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University

  • Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, People’s Republic of China

  • 2004 – Present

  • Developed and taught courses on Addictions and Addictions Counseling; Child and Adolescent Psychology; Diagnosis of Mental Disorders; and Basic Counseling Techniques in both the Medical School and the School of Nursing of Xi’an Jiaotong University. Lecturer in the Number One and Number Two Teaching Hospitals and for the International Affairs Department of the University.

Director of Client Counseling Services – The Guest House Inc

  • Miami, Florida

  • 2002 – Present

  • Responsible for screening, admissions, orientation, treatment planning, case management and crisis intervention at this 40 bed, long-term residential (three-quarter way) facility for men and women in the active process of recovery from drug and alcohol addictions; provides individualized addictions/relapse prevention counseling and 12-Step oriented spiritual direction and counseling.

Coordinator of the Addictions Education Program – Maryknoll China Service Project

  • Hong Kong

  • 2001 – Present

  • Responsible for the development of the teaching team and curriculum, primary lecturer/instructor for Addictions and Addictions Counseling education programs sponsored by the Hong Kong AIDS Foundation, the China Foundation for the Preventions of STDs and HIV/AIDS, and the Maryknoll China Service Project; presented in Beijing, Jilin, Harbin, Hohhot, Ningxia, Xi’an and Zhuhai; guest lecturer in the Beihua University School of Medicine, Jilin, China, People’s Republic of China; lecturer on Addictions and Addictions Counseling, Xi’an Jiaotong University; lecturer for the Departments of Psychology, Liver Transplant Team and Department of Psychology at Xi’an Jiaotong University.

Founder, Director of Client Services – The Hook and Ladder Foundation

  • Miami, Florida

  • 1998 – Present

  • Responsible for the development and direction of this privately funded

  • counseling service specifically designed to serve individuals in recovery from drug and alcohol addictions through individualized counseling with an emphasis on Relapse Prevention and the pursuit of a college education.

Group Counseling Moderator & Lecturer – Challenges, Inc.

  • Coconut Creek, Florida

  • 2001 – 2003

  • Responsible for developing and executing a bi-weekly lecture/group counseling program emphasizing the roles of 12-Step Program participation and spirituality in Recovery and Relapse Prevention.

Supervising Chaplain – South Florida Reception Center, Florida Department of Corrections

  • Miami, Florida

  • 1986 – 1997

  • Responsible for the development and supervision of all religious and volunteer services, as well as educational and 12-Step recovery programming, HIV/AIDS interventions and family counseling in an 1800 inmate maximum security state prison.

Adjunct Faculty – University of Miami, Department of Religious Studies

  • Coral Gables, Florida

  • 1990 – 1996

  • Developed and taught undergraduate “Contemporary Moral Issues and Ethics,” “A Survey of Cult Religions,” and “A Survey of World Religions” courses.

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