A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Nicholas Grier’s writing, speaking, counseling, and community leadership privileges the experiences of the most vulnerable and marginalized people in society. He is Associate Professor of Practical Theology, Spiritual Care, & Counseling at Claremont School of Theology and a counselor at the Bishop Wellness Center at Willamette University.

Privileging the experiences of people on the margins of society, Grier enjoys nurturing cultures of self-awareness, resistance, healing, and liberation to make possible flourishing for everyone in the human village. He works to engage faith communities, clinical counseling practice, academic institutions, organizations, and the general public on issues related to justice, liberating faith, community organizing, and emotional and psychological well-being. As a professor, Grier works to inspire present and future faith leaders with tools to cultivate life-giving ministries of care and justice.

He is author of the book Care for the Mental and Spiritual Health of Black Men: Hope to Keep Going, Founder and CEO of Coloring Mental Health Collective, LLC, and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). In his downtime, he enjoys sports, listening to jazz & neo-soul music, playing piano, dancing, spending time in nature, and connecting with friends & family.

Grier is an ordained minister in the Progressive National Baptist Convention tradition and served as Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care at Second Baptist Church, Evanston, IL. He also served as Associate Staff Minister at Third Baptist Church of Chicago.

Nicholas Grier earned a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) degree from the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary on the campus of Northwestern University, and a certificate in psychotherapy from The Center for Religion and Psychotherapy of Chicago.