Counselor, Paraplegic to Direct Family Emphasis Week

Charles R. Poor, psychologist and former director of pastoral ministries at First Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, will lead Oklahoma Baptist University's Marriage and Family Emphasis Week, March 6-8.

He will be the featured speaker for the Wednesday and Friday chapel services at 10 a.m.

Renowned for his lively, humorous style, Poor is an eloquent and nationally acclaimed expert on psychology and rehabilitation. Along with his 35-year professional background in the academic, legal, governmental, church and clinical settings, he brings his personal experience as a lifelong paraplegic and as a father who lost his own college-age daughter to cancer.

He will also speaking in several OBU classes and will be available for individual conferences on Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday.

Poor currently owns and operates a consulting firm, named "Questions & Answers" that provides expert witnesses, mediation, organizational development and counselor supervision services.

The native of Oklahoma City graduated from OBU in 1958 and earned a master's degree in psychology at Oklahoma State University.

He holds state licensure in Texas as a psychologist, professional counselor and marriage and family therapist, along with other national certifications including vocational expert with the U.S. Social Security Administration and certified rehabilitation counselor.

Poor served on the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine as assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation for 20 years. He also worked in many functions at the Institute for Rehabilitation and Research in Houston and authored several publications dealing with wheel chairs, handicaps and spinal cord injuries.

He joined the staff of Houston's FBC in 1983 and founded and directed one of the first church-based counseling ministries for 15 years. During his career as a Christian counseling psychologist, Poor has had more than 25,000 appointments with individuals and families. He has worked with more than 750 engaged couples through a marriage preparation program he designed for the church.

The church's counseling organization, Julianna Poor Memorial Counseling Center, is named in honor of the Poor's only daughter who died of cancer in 1991. A student at OBU when she was diagnosed with cancer, Julianna was 21 years old when she died. In honor of Poor's contributions to the counseling center, which he founded and directed until his retirement in 1998, the center was renamed for his daughter.

Poor was awarded OBU's Alumni Achievement Award in 1985. In his acceptance remarks, he said, "This is the most prestigious honor I have ever received, or ever could receive. I love and value OBU beyond words."

He also has been named to the National Distinguished Service Registry in Medical and vocational fields and has been nominated to the President's National Council on the Handicapped

He and his wife, Joanna, have a grown son.