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A Few of my Experiences

Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family TherapistInstructor for the Rehabilitation & Mental Health Counseling (RMHC) ProgramExecutive Director of the National Board of Forensic Evaluators

My Work

Aaron Norton, PhD

• To read more about why and how I ended up in the counseling profession and my counseling background, check out this article published in the April 2022 issue of the

Get to Know Me

Florida Mental Health Counselors Association’s InSession Magazine.

With a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision and over 20 years of experience in mental health and forensic evaluation, I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Marriage and Family Therapist.

• To read the articles or view my publications, please visit the

“articles and publications” page on my practice website.

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About Me

I earned my BA in Psychology, MA in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling, and PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of South Florida (USF). I've worked in human services since I was 20, starting in substance abuse and mental health treatment within the criminal justice system, before transitioning to private practice. My practice includes psychotherapy, forensic evaluations, expert witness testimony, supervision, and training. I’ve contributed to AMHCA’s Standards for the Practice of Clinical Mental Health Counseling, proposed the forensic evaluation credential, and helped create the Florida Certification Board’s telehealth credential. I also chair AMHCA’s International Counseling Task Force and Florida’s Mental Health Counselors Association's Government Relations Committee. I am difficult to offend, and I have a relatively positive view of humanity. I believe that most people who disagree with each other are well-intentioned and share the same core principles and values (even when it doesn't seem like it at first glance), so I am passionate about people seeking to understand and respect those they disagree with instead of judging and vilifying them. I come from a family that lacked the resources to support me in my college education, so I empathize with the difficulty students have when working and studying while still trying to live a balanced life. I live in St. Petersburg, am happily married to a Cuban American man, own the cutest dog in the world (although every dog owner thinks they own the cutest dog in the world), love sci-fi/fantasy, history, and the ancient philosophy of Stoicism (that informs cognitive-behavioral theory), and I fill my spare time in with exercise, nature parks, video games, virtual reality, good movies, kung fu, reading, music, theme parks, and quality time with family, friends, and colleagues. I really want to travel more and look forward to doing so.

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Executive Director of the National Board of Forensic Evaluators

I am an Executive Director of the National Board of Forensic Evaluators, a national not-for-profit board officially endorsed by the American Mental Health Counselors Association that provides training, certification, and professional advocacy for licensed mental health professionals specializing in forensic mental health evaluation.

Instructor for the Rehabilitation & Mental Health Counseling (RMHC) Program

I am an Instructor for the Rehabilitation & Mental Health Counseling (RMHC) Program at the University of South Florida. Which is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) through 2032.The mission of the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program is to promote quality behavioral health care for all, particularly people with disabilities, and to help the state and nation meet their human service and workforce needs in the area of rehabilitation and mental health counseling through teaching, research and service. The program prepares students with a solid grounding to become Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRC) and Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC).

Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

I have certifications in addictions, alcohol and drug counseling, rehabilitation counseling, clinical mental health counseling, trauma treatment, forensic mental health evaluation, and forensic behavioral analysis.