Start a Group!

Using these online materials, you can start a group study for the addicted, families of the addicted, or parents of prodigals.


All Counselor Training

Online courses for the addiction counselor

View all

Annual TAC Summit

Missed our annual event? Stream all workshops with a COUNSEL subscription


Commissioning (CABC)

Course required if pursuing Commissioned Addictions Biblical Counselor (CABC) credential


Courses in ASL

While all of our courses include Closed Captioning (CC), this is the first time we have offered a course in American Sign Language!

Oliver Underwood

Commissioned Addictions Biblical Counselor (CABC) with TAC

"I first heard about The Addiction Connection when I received an invite to attend their conference (Leadership Summit) in 2016. At the time, I was leading as the Executive Director for a biblical residential ministry in WA. I was experiencing a season of weariness and even a sense of loneliness in my understanding of the sufficiency for God’s Word in everything pertaining to life and godliness. When I found out that there was a network of like-minded individuals that had a heart for the lost and a love for God and His Word, I was greatly encouraged and discovered something truly special through the Body of Christ at TAC."

Gregory Kirk

United Gospel Rescue Mission of MO; CABC

"I first heard of Mark Shaw while attending Southern Baptist Theological Seminary as a doctoral student in Biblical Counseling...one of the books we read for one class was The Heart of Addiction. As I read this book, I quickly saw I finally found someone who believes as I do. As an integrationist counselor for many years, I had long ago rejected the disease model of addictions and was attempting to mold Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Biblical precepts. Needless to say, I was failing. I cannot thank TAC enough for the support and the friendship that is offered. I worked hard and received my CABC two years ago and am also using Next Steps: Be TRANSFORMED with our men at the United Gospel Rescue Mission in Poplar Bluff MO. Thank you for your vision and desire to see the most marginalized portion of society."

Jeff Carter

Executive Director of The Jeremiah Tree residential treatment center

"Hurt in an accident, got hooked on pain pills, progressed to street drugs. In a span of about 13 years, I went from a married guy who had never broken the law in his life to a divorced, addicted criminal. In 2005, I was my home state's most wanted person. After being arrested, I made a confession of faith and had an encounter with Jesus in A pod, section 4, cell 4 and he set me free on June 2, 2005. I'm now the Executive Director of a ministry in Xenia, Ohio with 2 houses of men working on that freedom. I have a college diploma in Christian Addiction Counseling and love Jesus and the guys we minister to. We use "Cross Talking" book and the Relapse Prevention material from The Addiction Connection & Mark Shaw and it has had a great impact on us, as well as our residents."

Meet Our Instructors!

DMin, Biblical Counseling, ACBC since 2002, CADAC II Dr. Mark E. Shaw

Dr. Mark E. Shaw, Founder of The Addiction Connection, is an ordained minister and author over 28 published resources. Starting his counseling career in residential addiction treatment and medication-assisted treatment centers in Mobile, Alabama, Mark was introduced to Biblical Counseling in 1999. He has been certified with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) since 2002, and he obtained a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Biblical Counseling in 2008. Dr. Shaw serves full-time as the Pastor of Counseling at the Nocatee Campus of First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, FL.

Pastor Andrew Ward

Andrew Ward is the pastor of Community Baptist Church in Bunnell, FL and the author of the Overcoming Addictions in Christ curriculum, which is used at Community Baptist. Andrew earned a bachelor’s degree from Liberty University and studied biblical counseling at the Master’s University. Pastor Andrew knows the devastation of addiction all too well after having two family members die from addiction-related causes. Since his son-in-law’s death, he has felt a tremendous burden to help others find hope and help and that’s how Overcoming Addictions in Christ came to be. 

Brett and Shirley Johns

Brett is a Jacksonville native and has been married to his wife Shirley since July 2020; their first spouses went home to be with the Lord and God graciously brought them together in 2019. They have four adult children who live across the country. He serves as an ordained elder at Christian Family Chapel since 2015 and is active in the counseling ministry as both an ACBC certified biblical counselor and faculty member for the Counseling and Discipleship Training. Brett has a passion to bring God and His Word into lives of those who are hurting. He believes “Christ Makes a Difference” and will often say, “It is not about experiencing Christ; it is about being in relationship with Christ”. Brett and Shirley enjoy music, biking, sitting at the beach as well as home projects and helping others with theirs. Shirley is also a Jacksonville native and has been a certified biblical counselor through ACBC since 2008. In 2010 she earned a Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling through the Master’s University in Santa Clarita, CA. In addition, she has earned the “Foundations of Biblical Counseling” certificate through CCEF and has received the ACBC “Marriage” and “Reconciliation and Mediation” specializations. She serves as a lay counselor at the Hope Center at Christian Family Chapel and is a faculty member for the Counseling and Discipleship Training. Her heart for worship is evident as she expresses herself musically. Shirley is an accomplished and degreed pianist and accompanist and teaches private piano lessons in her home.

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