Jonathan Decker is the CEO of Your Family Expert, PLLC as well as a licensed marriage and family therapist, husband, father, and entertainment critic.
Personal
Jonathan was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona, the youngest of five children to happily-married parents. When asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he replied “Superman, because I want to save the world.” He’s since dialed it down, but that desire to help continues as a family therapist. His father taught him how to be a good man, husband, and father, while his mother helped him to develop kindness and insight.
Jonathan was bullied in elementary school, an experience he credits with giving him greater compassion for “people who don’t quite fit in.” This empathy, along with like-minded peers, led to the creation of an open group of friends in middle and high school that strove to help people feel safe and accepted, no matter who they were. He spent middle and high school playing basketball and football, running track and cross country, and making action movies.
Jonathan served a two-year mission in Chile for his church, an experience he credits with giving him an appreciation of cultures and beliefs different than his own. It also gave him many opportunities for service, assisting the poor, comforting the sick, and helping after disaster. While visiting with couples and families in their homes, helping them with their problems, Jonathan realized that he wanted to become a therapist.
Tragedy struck in college when Jonathan’s mother passed away unexpectedly. Although he still considers this the most agonizing experience of his life, he maintains that it brought him closer to his father and siblings while giving him experience that has helped him to counsel those who are grieving.
For years Jonathan wanted nothing more than to marry and have a family. He was single far longer than he wanted to be, an experience that gave him insight into healthy dating and the loneliness felt by some singles. It also helped him to appreciate his future wife, Alicia, even more once they met. She had a son from a previous marriage, so he instantly became a parent. Jonathan’s father remarried after his mother’s passing, making him a member of two stepfamilies.
Academic
Jonathan received a scholarship to Brigham Young University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology. He received an assistantship to Auburn University where he earned a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. His master’s thesis was selected for the 2010 dean’s list of exemplary theses. During this time he worked with the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative to promote healthy relationships in the state.
Professional
Jonathan is the CEO of Your Family Expert, PLLC. He is a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice since 2013. Previous to this Jonathan was a mental health counselor at Southwest Behavioral Health, specializing in treating anxiety and depression through building family support systems. He also co-ran a DBT therapy group for women at the center.
Jonathan is a certified facilitator of the singles’ education course How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk(ette). He worked for six years as a mentor, counselor, and case manager for at-risk teenagers. Currently he moonlights training business owners in systems and leadership for Entrepreneur Simplified.
Entertainment
Jonathan is an actor, author, television personality, and film critic. In high school and college he made a series of action-comedies with his friends, culminating in the feature-length “24” parody CTU: Provo, co-starring Donny Osmond. For two years he performed with the popular humor group Divine Comedy.
Jonathan was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona, the youngest of five children to happily-married parents. When asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he replied “Superman, because I want to save the world.” He’s since dialed it down, but that desire to help continues as a family therapist. His father taught him how to be a good man, husband, and father, while his mother helped him to develop kindness and insight.
