Welcome
This is the website for Sky Kershner, LPC, LCSW.
I am an emotion-focused therapist in Charleston, WV, and I teach psychiatry residents at WVU School of Medicine.
I also supervise, consult, and train healthcare professions in Motivational Interviewing, Critical Incident Stress Management, Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy, Marriage and Couples Therapy, Cultural Sensitivity, and Trauma Informed Care.
My mission is to help people have better relationships with themselves and with others. I help ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. I support what motivates people to make positive changes in their lives.
Feel free to reach me on my Contact Page
Sky
PS - I Welcome all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, orientations, gender identities, kinds of relationships, and national origins. All are welcome here.
+ + + + Bio / Introduction + + + +
Sky Kershner, is an Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at WVU School of Medicine. Sky has a Doctor of Ministry degree as well as a Masters in Clinical Social Work. He is the retired Director of the KPCC Counseling in Charleston, WV.
Sky is a Member of MINT, the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (one of two in WV), and is a MINT Certified Trainer (one of 80 world-wide). Sky has trained over 5000 professions in MI across WV.
Sky is a certified ICISF instructor and has served onsite and debriefed teams of first responders at a number of Critical Incidents in WV, including the 2010 Upper Big Branch mine disaster, and the 2012 fire on Arlington Avenue in Charleston.
Sky has received several awards for his professional work, including the WV Civil Rights Award and WV Counselor of the Year.
Sky is an Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) trained practitioner, and is especially interested in way this approach can help First Responder successful process difficult images and memories, sometimes in just one session.
Sky’s biggest “15 minutes of fame” moment is that he once appeared as a guest therapist on the Discovery Studios show “Hoarders.” He is also a contributing author for the book “ACT Therapy for Pastoral Counselors,” edited by Steven Hayes.
Sky is the Pastor at the Unity Church in Charleston and teaches psychodynamics (fear of feelings) to psychiatric residents at WVU School of Medicine, Charleston Division.
Sky's presentation topics include Optimism and Resilience, Spirituality and Recovery, Trauma Informed Parenting, Trauma Informed Care, Cultural Sensitivity, and Professional Boundaries for Clergy, and Transitions.
Sky grew up in Eastern Pennsylvania, trained, practiced, and taught in New York City before making West Virginia his home over thirty years ago. Sky lives in Charleston with his wife, two kids in college, a little dog, and five talkative chickens.
+ + + + Presentation Partners + + + +
WVU School of Medicine
WVU School of Social Work
WVU School of Nursing
WVU Neuroscience
WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities
Marshall University
WV School of Osteopathic Medicine
WV State University
University of Charleston
MINT International Forum, New Orleans
MINT International Forum,Tallinn, Estonia
MINT International Forum, Online
WV-MI Network for Motivational Interviewing
Charleston Area Medical Center
Thomas Hospital
St Mary’s Hospital
Holzer Hospital
WV State Medical Association
WV Rural Health Care Association
DeVita Kidney Care
Fresenius Kidney Care
The Health Plan - WV
WV Public Safety Expo
Charleston Fire Department
Charleston Police Department
WV Mine Safety Board
Alpha Natural Resources
US Federal Court, Southern District of WV
WV State Supreme Court
Jackson Kelly Law
Steptoe Johnson Law
Spillman Law
WV Head Start
WV Early Childhood Educators
WV Early Childhood Training Center
WV Birth to Three
WV Perinatal Care
WV Social Emotional Institute
Mountain Child Advocacy Partnership
Allegheny Highlands PAT
Putnam County Board of Ed
WV College Counselors
Mountaineer Montessori
Charleston Montessori
Mary C Snow Elementary
Sacred Heart Elementary
Charleston Catholic HS
Black Diamond Girl Scouts
Genesis Youth Crisis Center
United Way of Central WV
The Snowshoe Institute
Rotary Club of Charleston
Workforce WV
Human Resources Development Foundation WV
WV Opioid Network
Help and Hope WV
Charleston Treatment Center
Partnership of African American Churches
Presbytery of WV
United Methodist Conference of WV
Lutheran Synod of WV
Episcopal Diocese of WV
Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
WV Council of Churches
United Theological Seminary
Louisville Presbyterian Seminary
Easter Baptist Theological Seminary
American Association of Pastoral Counselors
WV State Bureau for Behavioral Health
WV Department of Health and Human Resource
WV Higher Education Policy Commision
WV-NASW
WV-LPC Association
WV Counseling Association
WV Peer Recovery Network
+ + + + Testimonials and Resume + + + +
“You received great reviews from the staff conference! We would love to have you back next year.” Stephanie Ahart, Executive Director. HRDF-WV
“Thanks for the feedback and the extra session time, Sky. It is still my goal to develop some training internally that we can use with new staff and that these core folks are able to develop tools and conduct that training. Although I admit, I personally think your basic session for Trauma Informed Care and MI are hard to beat and I would love to make that an annual thing too!” - Susan Klinkoski RN BSN CCM, Director, Medical Management, The Health Plan, Wheeling
“I’ve been reviewing the training evaluations and comments, and reporting them to our cabinet, and I wanted to say thanks again for your leadership and presence at all of our trainings. You have a unique gift and ability to put people at ease, along with the expertise to facilitate wisely and compassionately. I have really appreciated watching you work, and have learned a lot from your approach.” - Rev Bonnie McDonald, WV Conference of the United Methodist Church
“It was such a blessing to have you as a teacher at our event! Your presentation was interesting, balanced, relevant, and extremely helpful. As one of the coordinators of the event, I was particularly appreciative of how you monitored your time and showed respect to our schedule. Your kindness and graciousness was front and center throughout your time. I could not be more pleased with nor more thankful for the presentation.” - Rev Christine Olson, Pastor, Trinity Lutheran, Martinsburg/Arden, WV
Presenting credentials, click here
Sky Kershner's Professional resume is available here
For a list of Sky’s speaking and workshop topics, click here
+ + + + Tidbits + + + +
Sky Kershner is best known for his work as a pastoral counselor and marriage therapist, his work on Interfaith initiatives, his care of families and workers after industrial disasters, and for his many presentations to professional, community, and corporate groups on stress, addiction, crisis response and resiliency, spirituality, and communication, and connection.
Sky is passionate about his life’s work: to help people have better relationships with themselves and with others, Sky sees understanding and acceptance as core values of his ministry.
Sky has traveled widely, before settling in WV in 1989. Photographs of his travels and humanitarian efforts have been featured on the front page of the Charleston Gazette-Mail https://goo.gl/rhcENK
A profile on Sky was done by Sandy Wells in the Charleston Gazette-Mail in 2014 and can be found here: https://goo.gl/i7f9Z