A New Path: Franzman moves forward with own private counseling practice

Oct. 20—Gregory Franzman can often be seen around town as the newest drummer of The Velvet Bombers or with the jazz group Charlene Blay & 2nd Edition.

But at the age of 68, Franzman decided to open a private counseling practice at 3032 Alvey Park Dr. W, Suite 301.

Franzman said he and colleague Sara Wilson talked about the venture for some time, and he decided to join Wilson after leaving RiverValley Behavioral Health in July 2021 to finish his doctorate in clinical pastoral counseling from the Agape Seminary of Louisville.

"I decided years and years ago that there's a need that's not being fulfilled," he said. "I believe in the model mind-body-spirit; and the spiritual aspect of healing is not being dealt with in the secular world.

"I don't have all the answers, but I feel like I can be a beacon of light on the pathway to finding joy in their lives."

Word about his new endeavor has spread quickly.

"I haven't even advertised yet, and I'm already getting referrals from other therapists," he said.

A graduate of Hancock County High School in 1973, Franzman attended Brescia University for a year before heading out to play music on the road full-time. He eventually returned to Brescia while working in production at the Aleris aluminum facility (now Commonwealth Rolled Products) for over 30 years.

Franzman has earned multiple degrees, including a bachelors in sociology in 1994 and a bachelors in psychology in 1995. He received a masters in mental health counseling from Western Kentucky University in 1999 and became a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in 2001, while also completing a two-year program in reality therapy from the Glasser Institute.

Franzman worked at RVBH for 10 years, both in Daviess and Ohio counties, serving as a qualified mental health professional in therapeutic child services, outpatient psychotherapy and a clinical supervisor.

While Franzman said he had a tough childhood, he recalls helping a blind man off a bus at a conference for the Kentucky School for the Blind at The Brown Hotel in Louisville as part of earning a merit badge for the Boy Scouts of America, and that is when a career in therapy became a thought.

"I take him into the convention center and stuff, and then I take some other people (before) it was time to take him back to his room, and along the way he goes, 'Would you mind stopping and sitting with me for a minute and just talking?,' " he said. "I said, 'Sure.' So, we sat and he wanted me to fill out some addresses for his family back in New Jersey ... and then he just started asking some general questions like 'What's your favorite subject in school?,' 'What do you do for fun?,' 'Tell me about yourself.' "

Franzman said he "poured out" during the conversation.

"I wasn't used to an adult asking me (about) what I like to do; I never experienced it before," he said. "We talked and talked, and I told him everything."

Though Franzman planned to see the man again the next day, it never happened, as he was not needed to volunteer at the hotel. But the experience and a certain quote has stuck with Franzman since.

"He said, 'Hey, don't take any wooden nickels,' and I didn't know what that meant," he said. "I was 12, but it stuck.

"That one weekend, out of the life of a 12 year old, I remember, because that was the weekend I discovered compassion for another human being. I was able to step outside what I wanted and just by someone asking me questions made such an impact."

Franzman said that pastoral counseling sometimes can get shunned due to the therapy being rooted in theology and "very limited (with) mental health," but he plans to stand out.

"What I've done is that I got the pastoral counseling degree with the LPCC, which makes me a licensed pastoral counselor; which those are rare," he said. "I'm sure there's some somewhere, but far and few between."

Franzman said many of his former clients have been supportive of his journey over the past few years.

"(They) were tickled to death for me getting my doctorate and going to school, because that meant I was still learning; and I'll always feel that way," he said. "You don't ever reach a pinnacle and go, 'I've done it all.' There's always stuff to learn and things change so much in today's world, too."

One of the goals Franzman has is to "work myself out of the job" through an eight- to 12-week program in order to teach different techniques and ways of thinking, "of getting in touch with the unconscious and seeing things from a different perspective."

"If I can teach them to do that, they can hopefully use that to help with whatever problem comes down the pipe that they have to deal with," he said.

He also plans to start an online course with the Institute for Applied Jungian Studies to become certified in Jungian Therapy — a "type of in-depth, talk-based psychoanalytic therapy."

"That's my ultimate goal, I think," he said.

But Franzman looks to keep moving forward in his new journey without losing sight of his objectives.

"I really believe my purpose, and a lot of people's purpose, is to serve others," he said. "That's key.

"I discovered it's not so much about education, but transformation."