Rodney Black, LCSW, LISW

Rodney Black is a licensed social worker who brings decades of experience to his clinical work, holding both LCSW and LISW credentials. He has worked for many years in community-based settings where he felt he could give back to the people and communities that supported him and his family of origin.

Raised in the Midwest, he has also lived in California and South Carolina and served in the U.S. military, including a deployment to Afghanistan where he served as the highest-ranking enlisted member of the human intelligence component of a brigade combat team. Those life chapters, along with personal challenges such as divorce, struggles with addiction, co-dependency, and periods of his own mental health diagnoses, have shaped his approach to helping others. He also cites meaningful friendships within the queer community and his experience as the parent of an adult gay son as important influences on his perspective and gratitude toward that community.

Rodney describes therapy as an artful process that combines learned skills and techniques with a collaborative relationship that allows a person’s truth to emerge. He draws on many clinical approaches - including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, attachment-based work, and trauma-focused methods - to tailor care to each person's needs. He sees it as a privilege to join others in understanding their lives and aims to bring both professional training and personal insight to support clients through recovery and life transitions.

LCSW stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker and LISW stands for Licensed Independent Social Worker, professional credentials that indicate specialized training and state licensure to provide clinical mental health services. Rodney works from a client-centered perspective and accepts new clients, including international clients, from his base in Iowa.