Nicholas Grier

Nicholas Grier’s writing, speaking, counseling, and community leadership privileges the experiences of the most vulnerable and marginalized people in society. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Willamette University College of Law, Associate Professor of Practical Theology, Spiritual Care, and Counseling at Claremont School of Theology, and a counselor at Sankofa Counseling in Portland, Oregon.

He is author of the book Care for the Mental and Spiritual Health of Black Men: Hope to Keep Going, author of a number of chapters, articles, and book reviews, and Founder and CEO of Coloring Mental Health Collective, LLC.

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 global 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 leaders with tools to nurture care and justice in society. 

He believes that everyone deserves fair opportunities to flourish and that it is important to draw from clients’ and a community’s strengths. In this sense, he teaches and engages institutional and community change from a strengths-based perspective.

In his downtime, he enjoys sports, listening to jazz & neo-soul music, playing piano, dancing, spending time in nature, and connecting with friends & family.