Robert Rust, MA, MFTI, NCC

Robert is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern (MFTI). He retired from his three decade career as a computer chip designer and then attended graduate school to get his Masters of the Arts degree in counseling. While many remark that this seems to be a dramatic career shift, Robert disagrees. Even though much of the knowledge of deep-sub micron design is not very useful in counseling, the human interactions in the engineering job prepared him for his counseling career. Many engineering colleagues sought him out for advice over the years, and Robert enjoyed this aspect of his job.

Even though Robert grew up in a Christian family, he didn’t grasp the reality that Jesus was God or that God cared to be in our lives. When Robert was 35 years old, he began investigating Christianity with a different perspective. Over time, he began to believe in the Christian God and added prayer to his life. At 39, Robert joined the Catholic Church. His spiritual life deepened and he entered the diaconate formation program for ordination at 45. He received the sacrament of Holy Orders in Idaho at the age of 50. Today, he ministers to the parishioners of All Saints Catholic Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.