Dr. Mark Liston

Mark Liston, PhD, is a former pastor and an ordained minister. In 1990 he was licensed as a professional counselor (Missouri) and practiced for three years before then as a pastoral counselor. He taught part-time at three universities and has graduate degrees in ministry, counseling psychology, and education. His PhD (University of Missouri – St.Louis) focused on Positive Psychology and character development.

Mark spoke at numerous national and international conferences, including the International Positive Psychology Association, the International Positive Education Network, the Christian Association for Psychological Studies [CAPS], the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), the Character Education Partnership [CEP], and numerous others.

Mark is author of C2: Character Challenge, a curriculum using Positive Psychology and popular movies to develop one’s character. For his PhD dissertation, he created and validated the Character Growth Index, the first test of character that can assess growth. His research on these subjects is ongoing.

Mark’s specialties are relationships (marriage, infidelity, separation, divorce, recovery, and singleness), family, teens, depression and anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and dissociation (including multiple personality disorder). Mark has been at ground zero after Hurricane Katrina and the Joplin, MO and Moore, OK tornadoes and is asked by national companies (WalMart, Union Pacific, AT&T, etc.) to help their employees deal with grief, loss, and tragic death.

Mark is a pioneer in the use of prayer in therapy when requested by clients. He has trained hundreds of therapists in Therapeutic Prayer, where Jesus is invited by the client to heal their brokenness (Luke 4:17-19). He is certified in mediation, couple communication, and crisis and trauma intervention.

Mark is the father of four adult children and counsels from the foundation of scripture, psychology, 36 years experience, and his own difficult life experiences, including childhood abuse, bullying, trauma, job loss, divorce, prolonged singleness, and remarriage. He enjoys walking, working out, golf, and time with his wife and grandchildren.