Tom Knowles-Bagwell, D.Min., L-CPT, CSAT, is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and a Tennessee Licensed Clinical Pastoral Therapist. He currently serves as Professor and Director of Doctoral Studies and Spiritual Integration in the Department of Mental Health Counseling at Belmont University’s College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.

With over 29 years of clinical practice, Dr. Knowles-Bagwell specializes in clinical pastoral therapy with persons struggling with sexual addiction and provides clinical supervision of experiential and psychodynamic psychotherapy. He is experienced in working with individuals, couples, families, and groups across the lifespan from adolescent to senior adult. His career includes serving as Executive Director of the Carolina Institute for Clinical Pastoral Training, Clinical Pastoral Therapist and Core Training Faculty at the Pastoral Counseling Centers of Tennessee, pastor of two congregations, supervisor of a shelter for the homeless, and psychiatric hospital chaplain. He has been an Executive Council Member of the Pastoral Center for Healing since 2007.

Dr. Knowles-Bagwell earned his Doctor of Ministry and Master of Divinity degrees in Pastoral Theology & Counseling from Vanderbilt University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Baylor University. He is certified as a Diplomate in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and as a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist through the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals.

Since 1998, he has served on the adjunct faculty of Belmont University’s College of Theology & Christian Ministry, teaching courses such as Understanding the Bible and Spirituality in World Religions, as well as upper-level courses in pastoral care and psychology of religion. His research and teaching interests focus on pastoral theological method—interpreting human life situations through a theological lens—as well as understanding the nature of psychopathology and human suffering.