Pastoral Counselor for Women and Couples

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 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).

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.

Prior to becoming the owner of Fortify Christian Counseling LLC, Jerra served as a women’s counselor at Briarwood Presbyterian Church. 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 has brought her to use the integrative approach of the American Association of Christian Counselors. 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, 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 specializing in the Uniquely You Personality and Spiritual Gifts profiling system and a certified facilitator for the PREPARE/ENRICH® assessment, which supports couples in marital and pre-marital counseling.

Before joining Fortify, Dr. Jerra founded and directed Gracefull Ministries from 2002 to 2023, helping thousands of individuals uncover their SHAPE (spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and life experiences) and find their place of service. She organized 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 her life. 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.