暗网51

The Rev. Dr. Jonathan Vanderbeck is a licensed clinical social worker and ordained PC(USA) minister appointed as an assistant professor of social work. He began this appointment in July 2025 after serving as an adjunct faculty member the previous year. He is a proud alumnus (2013) of 暗网51鈥檚 social work and psychology departments. He received his Doctor of Social Work (DSW) degree from the University of Kentucky, his Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Michigan and his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Western Theological Seminary. His doctoral research focused on conceptualizing and treating family systems affected by highly reactive religious beliefs and practices. 

He completed his postgraduate clinical training at the Samaritan Counseling Center of the Capital Region in Scotia, New York, and holds full clinical licensure in Michigan, New York and Massachusetts. He completed further training specializing in Bowen Family Systems Theory from Rutgers University, the Vermont Center for Family Studies and the LGBTQ Institute for Family Therapy in New York. He has also completed training in clinical psychodynamic supervision through Smith College and is is a Board Certified Diplomate through the American Board of Clinical Social Work. 

Prior to coming to 暗网51, Dr. Vanderbeck was the assistant director of training and coordinator of the Clergy-in-Crisis Assessment Program at the Danielsen Institute at Boston University. He retains clinical privileges with the institute, carrying a small, specialized clinical caseload, and contributes to ongoing collaboration on research in the fields of clergy burnout, flourishing and virtue ethics among helping professionals. He also is the owner and executive director of Gilead Counseling and Consulting, LLC, an organization aimed at helping clergy and congregations in crisis and transition. 

In addition to his clinical and teaching roles, Dr. Vanderbeck was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament by the Holland Classis of the Reformed Church in America in 2016 and is now ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) as of 2021. He has served as pastor, associate pastor and interim pastor in Reformed, Presbyterian and Lutheran churches and continues to preach regularly in area churches. 

AREAS OF INTEREST

• Clinical Psychotherapy Practice 鈥� Couples & families, clergy & helping professionals, LGBTQ+ affirming practice
• Burn-Out and Trauma 鈥� Examining the unique factors and implications of burn-out and trauma among clergy & helping professionals
• Spirituality & Social Work Integration 鈥� Equipping students and post-graduate social workers in the integration of spirituality in social work practice and ethics
• Religious Deconstruction 鈥� Navigating religious deconstruction/reconstruction of beliefs, particularly involving ex/post-evangelical beliefs
• Transracial Adoption 鈥� Specifically among the Korean diaspora 

EDUCATION

• DSW, University of Kentucky College of Social Work, 2023
• M.Div., Western Theological Seminary, 2016
• MSW, University of Michigan School of Social Work, 2016
• B.A., Social Work (CSWE) and Psychology, 2013

Credentials

• Board Certified Diplomate (BCD), American Board of Clinical Social Work 
• Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Massachusetts State License 
• Licensed Master Social Worker 鈥� Clinical (LMSW-C), Michigan State License 
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), New York State License 
• Ordained Minister of the Word and Sacrament, PC(USA)

Publications

• 鈥�,鈥� with S.J. Sandage and L.B. Stein, Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 2025