Women, Couples, & Groups
Licensed Human Behavior Coach, Biblical Counselor
Dr. Jerra Dooley is passionate about sharing God’s transformative grace with others, enabling them to experience the profound power of His redemptive love. Her deep compassion for women who have faced childhood or partner abuse has inspired her lifelong commitment to supporting those who have been abused, abandoned, impoverished, homeless, wounded, depressed, or angry. With over 30 years of experience in women’s ministry leadership, Jerra has led Bible studies and conferences while providing biblical counseling and coaching to women in shelters and work release programs. She is dedicated to helping women turn their struggles into strength, allowing Jesus Christ to transform their ashes into beauty (Isaiah 61:3).
Dr. Jerra holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in pastoral care and counseling from Liberty University, with a specialization in addictions and recovery. She also serves as a dissertation chair for doctoral students in the School of Community Care and Counseling at Liberty.
Special Focus: Addresses abuse (as victim or perpetrator), abortion, addiction recovery, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), anxiety, chronic panic, divine design discovery, divorce recovery, grief, and other life transitions. She uses an eclectic approach that integrates biblical counseling/coaching with clinical practices, including the Christian Emotional Freedom Technique (C-EFT Tapping), cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), talk therapy, journaling, prayer, bibliotherapy (reading books), and more from a biblical worldview. She offers Uniquely You Personality and Spiritual Gifts Assessments, and is a certified facilitator for Prepare-Enrich, the #1 remarriage and marriage assessment tool. Her goal is to help her clients see themselves through the lens of God’s love and grace, as they become the person He designed them to be!
Jerra served as a women’s counselor at Briarwood Presbyterian Church between 2013 and 2021. She was a certified biblical counselor accredited by the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) for over ten years. Now she has chosen to apply a redemptive approach to counseling that is both biblically sound and clinically informed, which is an integrative approach of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). She focuses on helping clients reconnect with their identity in Christ, understand God’s design and purpose for their lives, and embrace the freedom and joy of becoming their best selves. Jerra employs various methods, including Christian cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, brief solution-focused therapy, Christian Tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique) and more, to highlight God’s intention for humans to thrive in reciprocal relationships with Him, each other, and creation. Additionally, Jerra is a licensed human behavior coach for the Uniquely You Personality and Spiritual Gifts profiling system, a certified facilitator for the PREPARE/ENRICH®, the #1 premarital and marital assessment, and an Certified Advanced Life Coach specializing in trauma informed care, Caring for People God’s Way, divorce recovery coaching, women’s issues, and more through the AACC.
Before assuming the ownership of Fortify Christian Counseling, Dr. Jerra founded and directed Gracefull Ministries (2002 to 2023). Through this ministry, she has assisted thousands of individuals in discovering their SHAPE (spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and life experiences) and finding their place of service in the church, as well as in non-religious professions. She has also developed and led numerous women’s conferences across the Southeast, including Designed to Shine, Broken to Beautiful, and LifeSaveHer domestic violence training.
Jerra is married to Randy Dooley, a licensed minister and Bible study leader who plays a vital role behind the scenes at Fortify. In 1993, they started blending a family, bringing together five children. Today, they are blessed with a robust number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren! Family and faith hold the highest priority in their lives. She finds joy in both personal and communal worship, particularly when she plays the piano for the wonderful worship choir at First Baptist Church Pelham (Dr. Daven Watkins, pastor; Brett Fuller, worship pastor).
Dr. Jerra accepts new clients at $145 for a 50-minute counseling session. To book an appointment, email [email protected], call (205) 974-2124, or use the contact form to the right.
