A masters in counseling from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology followed by an invitation to teach mark a mid-life career transition, after catastrophic loss, to Dave’s contributions in counseling and education. For over thirteen years he has maintained a private practice as a counselor. Dave also teaches foundational classes like spiritual formation, developmental psychology, research, and statistics; he also teaches upper-level courses in psychopathology, learning theory, and electives in grief and loss. His academic writing includes curricula for adult students; his courses appear in the Bachelors of Psychology program in Cornerstone University's Professional and Graduate Studies division in Grand Rapids, MI. He won the 2017 Colleen Smith Award for Excellence in Teaching.

In 2018, he completed a Doctor of Ministry degree in Spiritual Formation and Leadership at Portland Seminary of George Fox University. His ongoing research and concentration of studies focuses on suffering in the Christian tradition. His dissertation, Following the Man of Sorrows, was recently added to the digital commons of George Fox University. His dissertation also earned him the Frederick Buechner Award for Excellence in Writing.

His nonfiction work appears in books like Hope in the Mourning Bible (Zondervan, 2013) and The Essential Bible Companion to the Psalms (Zondervan, 2010). He regularly presents on themes of suffering at gatherings for ministry interns and writers, like Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and Breathe Christian Writer’s Conference. (See breatheconference.com.)

Recently Dave was invited to join the Johnson-Brower Foundation as Mental Health Director, where he will implement his research on suffering, the psychology of trauma, and post-trauma growth arcs.