Michael is a product of the sixties and seventies. Like so many others he got caught up in the search for the truth and the meaning of life. He spent twelve years studying and practicing many religions and philosophies. After becoming a Christian in 1979 his focus shifted to helping hurting and addicted people change. He wanted answers as to why people who were stuck in destructive compulsive behaviors were unable to change. He pioneered many ministries including a soup kitchen, a mental hospital outreach, cult deprogramming, and drug and alcohol rehabs. In 1987 Michael and his wife Cathy became full time missionaries with Youth With A Mission. Here they had an opportunity to work with addicts in many cultural settings around the world. One common experience prevailed, hopelessness and chronic relapse.

Michael decided to go back to school in search of some answers. He graduated from the University Of The Nations Additive Behavioral School and the Bethany Collage State Addictions Certification Program and has over six hundred hours of continuing and education if the field. He became a California, National Level II and International Certified Addictions Counselor. In 1990 Michael and his wife Cathy opened their own residential treatment program and in 1996 became the Program Director for the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, a large one year residential program for eighty men and women. It was in these settings that he was able to apply his research and experience to develop the Genesis Process for relapse prevention. In 1999 due to the success of this program Michael has been working full time training counselors and churches in Genesis Counseling skills. Along with his private practice he works as a consultant to integrate Genesis into a variety of programs and churches. He currently lives in Auburn CA.