Lynn is a Tri-Cities native. He graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago in 1994 and studied at the University of Wisconsin before beginning his ministry to at-risk youth at Rawhide Boys Ranch in New London Wisconsin. After five years doing residential care, Lynn accepted the call to become the youth pastor at Appleton Alliance Church, where he lead one of the largest ministries to Jr. High Students in that state . It would be only four years however, before he felt the tug on his heart to return to residential care for some of the neediest children in the world…those without Parents.
In 2005, Lynn and his new wife, Jennie, moved from Wisconsin to Florida where they?lived in & opened a new emergency shelter for boys. Their second resident was a six year old boy that had been in and out of shelters his entire life. One year later Lynn and Jennie moved to Washington State to raise pursue their passion of adoption and that boy and his 10 year old sister became Jennie & Lynn’s first children. Just 2 days after their adoption was finalized, they welcomed their third child into their home, a 10-year-old boy from Washington.
Combined, Jennie and Lynn have lived with and worked closely with over 100 children in foster & group care over the past 20?years. Their passion to help abused and neglected children prompted them to found Forever Homes. As adoptive parents to three older foster children, They continue to receive on-the-job training in helping children heal every day. Their vision is to make sure that every abused, abandoned and orphaned child in the world will have a permanent safe and loving home.
Currently Lynn is the co-owner of Canyon Lakes Family Counseling Center and the Director of the Forever Homes?Child Trauma Treatment Center, a collaborative effort between Forever Homes and Canyon Lakes Family Counseling Center.
Training and Certifications
Lynn?received his Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regent University. He completed an 84 hour Post-Graduate Certificate in Attachment-Focused Therapy taught by Deborah Gray, MSW, MPA sponsored by Cascadia Training and Nurturing Attachments.
Additionally Lynn studied under Dr. Bruce Perry, MD and the Child Trauma Academy to receive Phase 1 certification in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics.?The ChildTrauma Academy acknowledges that Lynn Owens?has completed NMT Training Certification through?the Phase I level. For more information on NMT Training Certification and the NMT Assessment Process, Click Here.
As a member of the Washington Coalition?of Sexual Assault Programs, Lynn has received advanced training in the treatment of sexual assault and abuse.
Lynn is a Child Mental Health Specialist (CMHS) as defined under the Washington Administrative Code??388-865-0150.
Lynn is Board Certified (NCC) by the National Board of Certified Counselors.
