AACC Announces National HERO Council to Champion Human Flourishing for America’s Heroes

Initial focus will be on equipping and certifying faith-informed coaches and clinicians to walk alongside warfighters, veterans, first responders, and their families

FOREST, Va., Sept. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) is proud to announce the launch of the HERO Council, a groundbreaking advisory group uniting mental health and ministry leaders and experts in clinical care, research, and academia to advance human flourishing for warfighters, veterans, first responders, and their families.

HERO, an acronym for Human Flourishing, Excellence, Resilience, and Oversight, reflects the Council’s commitment to promoting holistic well-being through an integrated approach that combines spiritual insight with rigorous scientific practice. The initial focus will be on equipping and certifying faith-informed Human Flourishing Coaches and clinicians to restore hope, strengthen families, build resilience, and reduce despair including suicide by walking alongside our Nation’s heroes.

The HERO Council will be chaired by Dr. Tim Clinton, President of the AACC and Executive Director of the Global Center for Human Flourishing at Liberty University. This distinguished group of scholars, clinicians, and leaders in faith and behavioral health will ensure that care and training are evidence-based, ethically grounded, spiritually anchored, and rooted in the pursuit of human flourishing. The Council will take the lead on setting priorities and building partnerships with like-minded organizations to deliver real solutions for America’s heroes and their families.

Inaugural members of the HERO Council include:

Dr. Tyler VanderWeele, Director of the Human Flourishing Program, Professor of Epidemiology in Departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Byron Johnson, Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences, Baylor University
Dr. Harold Koenig, Director, Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, Duke University
Bishop Kelvin Cobaris, New Life Church International; National Faith Advisory Board
Pastor Jentezen Franklin, Senior Pastor, Free Chapel
Dr. Jack Graham, Senior Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church
Bill McCarthy, CEO, Logos
Dr. Tim Murphy, Former U.S. Representative (PA-18); Psychologist; Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh
Chad Robichaux, Founder, Mighty Oaks Foundation
John Sanders, CEO, LUKE
Father Charles Sikorsky, L.C., President, Divine Mercy University
Chaplain Major General (Retired) Tom Solhjem, Founding Partner, Global Spiritual Awakening & Renewal, LLC, Military Co-Chair, Global Church Network
Dr. Matthew Stanford, CEO/Executive Director, Hope and Healing Center, Baylor University
Dr. Jay Strack, President and Founder, Student Leadership University
Dr. Jennifer Wortham, Research Associate, Human Flourishing Program, Harvard Institute for Quantitative Social Science
Ben Allison, CEO, American Association of Christian Counselors
Dr. Zach Clinton, Vice President, American Association of Christian Counselors
Dr. Ron Hawkins, Licensed Professional Counselor, Executive Advisory Board Chair, AACC, Former Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Liberty University

Dr. Clinton said, “We are at a pivotal moment in our nation, where the integration of rigorous scientific research and timeless biblical wisdom is essential. The HERO Council embodies this commitment, striving to guide individuals toward lives marked by resilience, purpose, and meaningful relationships. This Council will ensure that those who defend our freedom, protect our communities, and carry the burdens of sacrifice are never left without hope, care, or the support of evidence-based practice.”

The launch of the HERO Council also aligns with renewed federal support for faith-based initiatives, highlighted by Executive Orders that affirm the role of faith communities in health and ensure partners can draw on trusted certified coaches. The HERO Council stands as a key driver of this movement, championing comprehensive solutions that reflect America’s traditions of community strength, moral clarity, and spiritual renewal, ultimately fostering a flourishing society.

The HERO Council is committed to helping America’s heroes flourish and invites churches, communities, and leaders nationwide to join in building trusted partnerships with military, veteran, and first responder organizations.

About AACC

The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) is committed to encouraging, strengthening and serving Christian mental health professionals including licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychotherapists, marriage and family therapists, addictions counselors, and counselors, as well as Christian life and mental health coaches, pastors, lay counselors and the community at large. AACC’s goal is to equip those in the helping profession with research-based biopsychosocial knowledge and spiritual truths to aid in counseling and ministering to those who seek assistance in achieving mental wellness, personal wholeness, interpersonal competence, and spiritual maturity. To learn more, visit https://aacc.net/.

Media Contact:
Amy Hunter, AACC
423-480-5537
Amy.Hunter@aacc.net

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