Rodney Prather, MEd

I'm happy to introduce Rodney Prather (he/him) to the Roots & Keys roster. He is my husband, co-parent, and all-time favorite person. He's also a school counselor, girl dad, lifelong learner and student of humanity (and basketball coach!)

His style is warm, personable, curious, and calm. He's got what I refer to as Big "Daddy" Energy; he makes people feel safe and cared for.

Where I am direct and challenging, he is a little more gentle and patient (although still direct). We are a complementary pairing; it'll make sense why we work when you meet him.

You are welcome to see him or see us together. His availability is limited, but he is available for in person sessions during the summer months. Read more about him below or schedule a session here.

About Rodney

Rodney holds a Master of Education in Counseling degree from University of Missouri-St. Louis,

and a BS in Sociology from Florida A&M.

After spending a few years as a stay-at-home dad, and living a whole life before that, he has worked as a school counselor in public schools since 2018. He has been informally coaching and mentoring friends and loved ones for decades. (I've tried to convince him to do clinical supervision and licensing stuff so he can be a therapist, but he loves school-based work too much; you can't really argue with summers off!)

Rodney provides practical, solution-focused coaching to individuals and couples. He is warm, empathetic, authentic, and supportive. As an adjunct in my practice for the summer months, he is great for anyone I am already working with who might like a different perspective from what they get from me

and/or

anyone who would like to work with a coach using any of these specific lenses, expertises, or identities: male, Black, girl dad, adolescent development expert, athlete, example of safe, nontoxic masculinity.

Parents seeking support for navigating the teens years will find him particularly helpful, as he is masterful at connecting with youth and understanding their motivation and desires. This is where his patience really shines (and mine does not!)

He's also great with and enjoys helping folks with:

Decoding, empathizing with, and understanding the people in your life
General life advice
Emotional intelligence and healthy emotional expression for men (especially Black men)
Relationship dynamics of all sorts
Navigating ethical non-monogamy (including poly/swinger/LS) in healthy ways
How to manage jealousy and insecurity in relationships
Adolescent behavior “translation” for parents. (He can help you understand why your teen is acting how they are and how to handle it.)
Coaching support for other school counselors and social workers

Rodney works full-time as a school counselor, and is an active sports parent, so for now, he provides coaching services on a limited basis. In the summer, he uses my office for in-person (or virtual) appointments on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoon. We also occasionally offer workshops or sessions together.