Hello everyone!  My name is Paul Engles and I am a Licensed Social Worker (LSW).  I am passionate about helping people of all ages and backgrounds, and I provide counseling for children, adolescents and adults.  I am here to meet you where you are at in life, and I will listen to you with empathy, compassion and warmth, and without judgment.  Every individual is unique and everyone faces different challenges in life, and I am here to support you with whatever you might be going through.  My style is relaxed, laid back and conversational, and I believe that you are the best expert on you!  My areas of focus include depression, anxiety, trauma, life changes, relationship issues (friends/ family/ partners) and school/ work-related challenges, but I am very open to working with you on other issues as well.  I use a variety of therapeutic approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused, Person-Centered and Play Therapy (for children).  I am open to incorporating faith into your therapy, but that is not expected or required by any means.  I will always have full respect for your beliefs and points of view.  

Fun Facts About Me:

I am married to my wife Karina, who is also a social worker - and a therapist at Firm Foundation Counseling! 

I love dogs and we have a Cavapoo named Mumford. 

I am a huge sports fan, especially football, basketball, baseball and soccer.  My favorite teams/ schools are the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Dayton Flyers (my alma mater), Chicago Bears, Chicago White Sox, Liverpool FC, the USMNT and USWNT.

I am an Eagle Scout and the Boy Scouts was a big part of my life growing up.  Scouting taught me the importance of service to other people and to my community.  I have a great appreciation of nature and enjoy spending time outdoors. 

In between high school and college, I took a “gap year” and worked as an Americorps Literacy Tutor at two inner-city schools on the Southside of Chicago, where I lived on my own as a 19 year old.  This experience was life changing and gave me an entirely new perspective and worldview.  It also fueled my passion for helping people of all races and backgrounds. 

My Education and Background:

I graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from the University of Dayton in 2008.  Over the years, I worked in the case management field with adults with chronic mental illnesses, and children and adults with disabilities.  From 2014-2020, I was a Family Specialist for a Christian non-profit agency, where I supported and mentored children in foster care and their foster families. In May 2020, I graduated from Indiana University with a Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in School Social Work.  Since the Fall of 2020, I have been a School Social Worker at a Pre-K through 8th grade public school in South Bend, so I am very comfortable working with children of all ages and supporting them with a wide array of challenges and needs.  I continue to work as a School Social Worker while working part time as a therapist here.

 Thank you for taking the time to read about me and I look forward to working with you!