James Milner, LCSW, CSW

James Milner, LCSW, CSW, is a Georgia-based therapist whose work brings together clinical training and decades of professional counseling experience. He earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Savannah State University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia. He obtained his LMSW in 2006 and achieved clinical licensure in 2012, grounding his practice in both rigorous education and long-term service to the community.

Originally from Atlanta, he has spent his career serving the local area in roles that span direct care, program leadership, and agency development. He began as a Mental Health Specialist with Community Concerns, Inc., where he supervised a transitional housing program for severely mentally ill homeless men for 10 years. He later became Executive Director and helped design and implement multiple supportive housing programs, including emergency shelter services, transitional housing for women, a dual diagnosis substance abuse residential program, and an apartment complex with onsite supportive services for homeless families.

Alongside his nonprofit leadership, he established a private practice, S.H.A.N.T.I Psychotherapy, LLC (Spiritual Holistic and Natural Therapeutic Interventions), and contracted to provide services with Georgia State University in its Counseling and Testing Department for approximately three years. He later maintained an office in downtown Decatur, Georgia, before stepping away when promoted to Executive Director of his nonprofit agency.

James also brings a strong spiritual and holistic orientation to his work. He is a licensed and ordained Baptist minister and serves as Assistant Pastor and Lead Pastoral Counselor at the Chapel of Christian Love Baptist Church. He is a yogi, a Reiki Master, certified as a Meditation Instructor, and certified as an Anger Management trainer, and he is trained in hypnotherapy. He views culture, worldview, and personal belief systems as essential to building a strong therapeutic connection, and he integrates philosophy, psychology, and spirituality when appropriate to support client well-being.

His focus includes helping adults explore personal history and how earlier experiences relate to present-day challenges. He works with men, women, and couples, approaching each person as an individual rather than as a diagnosis. For him, assessment and diagnosis are tools that can help guide the search for practical, effective solutions that reduce suffering and support a better quality of life.