Christopher Atkins, MSW


Phone: 423.236.2649
E-mail: catkins@southern.edu

PROFESSIONAL

My educational background includes:

After graduating from Southern and then the University of Michigan, my practice involved Child Welfare, School Social Work, as well as child and adolescent mental health art and play therapy for children having experienced physical or sexual abuse. I joined the Southern social work faculty in 2005. I have been an Army Reserve Social Worker since 2002, and during the 2007-2008 academic year was deployed to Iraq where I provided supportive counseling and social work services to thousands of individuals and groups in Baghdad while under rocket fire. I was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for counseling services rendered to soldiers and their families, and will be awarded the Southern Young Alumnus of the Year Award in Fall, 2008.

My research interests include Couples and Family Therapy with Survivors of Combat Related Trauma, Trauma and its Impact on Couples Relationships, and Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Foster Care.

PERSONAL

I live in the Ooltewah suburbs with my loving wife Miranda and cute baby Ian, Grace (1st Grade), and Hannah (4th Grade).

I greatly enjoy writing and playing music for the acoustic guitar.

I was born and raised in Lansing, Michigan.

I gave my life back to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on December 26, 1996.

I can play the Blues Harmonica with the best of them. :)

FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT SOUTHERN ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY

Southern's landscape has always been peaceful and calming to me.

I came here as a student in 1997 for the incredibly spiritual climate... thankfully some things never change.

Southern is a place where one can "enter to learn... then part to serve."

YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO KNOW…

The two smallest toes on my left foot are webbed, hence I am quite the avid swimmer (especially when turning right).