Courtney M. Dennis

In a robust career spanning two decades, Courtney M. Dennis has excelled as a life coach, consultant, mental health specialist, behavioral health provider, community service provider, and trainer, with a specialization in mental health care and therapeutic recovery—largely within the prison system. Since 2022, she has utilized her experience and skills as the director of clinical programming and a counselor at Rhyse Therapy—a substance abuse and mental health counseling and consulting firm—through which she helps those either coming out of jail or on probation or parole, with the main goal of helping them find solutions and stay on the right track across weekly sessions. In addition to these responsibilities, she serves as chief executive officer, life coach, and consultant at the Donald P. Dennis Foundation—a nonprofit she started in order to help people in the community of Gilbert, Arizona gain access to resources they may not normally have. Pulling from 20 years of experience, she offers assistance in building evidence-based clinical programs based on the population being served.

Attributing her success to her eagerness to learn, her willingness to be taught, and her open-mindedness, Ms. Dennis was raised by an artistic mother who instilled in her a love for serving the community. Upon graduating from high school, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving as a supply petty officer, a presidential honor guard, and a legal secretary over the course of five years. In addition, she created a training program in the military for the division she was in to help new staff learn that proved to be more effective than what was already in place—she exited the military with six medals, a Commendation Medal, and an Achievement Medal. She happened upon a career in mental health by accident; already equipped with an associate degree in paralegal studies from Purdue University Global, she gravitated toward mental health counseling while in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the institution. She ultimately attained a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in criminal justice before bolstering her education with a Master of Science in general psychology.

Ms. Dennis launched her career in the field as an Adult Case Manager within Hiwassee Mental Health Center’s Recovery and Release Program in 2008 and then as a probation and parole officer within the Tennessee State Department of Corrections, Probation, and Parole for a year—before she decided she wanted to focus on keeping people out of prison as opposed to putting people back in. Her subsequent positions include being a coordinator at the Tennessee Early Intervention System; a facility director at Omni Visions; a master’s level behavioral sciences counselor at Corizon Health Care; a therapist at Oasis Behavioral Health; and an adjunct instructor at Brown Mackie College. In addition, she was active as a treatment counselor at the Red Rock Correctional Facility within CoreCivic; a clinician at A-Making Changes; and a therapist at Serenity Care Centers and Helping Hands Health Services.

Ms. Dennis has long been active as a board member at the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Services, a Girl Scout troop leader, and a volunteer for charitable and community events through Rhyse Therapy. She’s also a dedicated member of the American Counseling Association and the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors. Currently pursuing a master’s degree in mental health counseling and forensic psychology, she plans on one day attaining a doctorate in the latter subject as well. She wants to continue to help people, especially those in underserved areas, build themselves up.

Outside of her primary endeavors, she has utilized her lifelong creativity as a freelance photographer for 20 years—capturing people, places, and things as a form of personal self-care. She loves spending time with her three children and two grandchildren.