Dr. Ed Shoemaker, PhD (Psychology), LMHC, QS, TF-CBT- Dr. Ed Shoemaker, most commonly referred to as “Mr. Ed” by his clients is considered by many to be the premier pre and post adoption counselor in the Tampa Bay area due to his own personal experiences as an adoptive parent, former therapeutic foster parent, professional experience and education. His expertise has helped families achieve adoption when the adoption might have otherwise failed without his intensive work and helping children achieve adoption with the most severe issues who might have otherwise aged out in foster care without his advocacy, therapy, and hard work; “Mr. Ed” was nominated for the 2011 Irene Sullivan Adoption Advocacy Award. The Irene Sullivan Adoption Advocacy Award is designed to honor an individual who exemplifies advocacy for adoption; an “unsung hero."
Many professionals and families that work with “Mr. Ed” state that he has been a wonderful advocate for transitioning children to adoption. He works tirelessly with families and children and is available at a moment’s notice. “Mr. Ed” has been on assignments that required him to go above and beyond what would have been a reasonable expectation, including outings with families, numerous court appearances and countless staffing’s. Although he lives in Polk County, Florida – “Mr. Ed” works some of the most trying cases in Pinellas, Pasco, Sarasota, Hernando, Polk and Hillsborough Counties. Other professionals cited that “Mr. Ed” is easy to talk to and keeps an open mind when working with all clients – including children, families, foster parents and case managers. “Mr. Ed” is a valuable asset to the adoption community and professionals have grown to rely on his expertise and commitment of many of the most difficult cases.
Dr. Shoemaker is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (MH13244) and co-founder of Mr. Ed's Circle of Trust , Inc. He is a former Exceptional Student Education teacher at Mulberry High School, Florida; past-President of the Polk County Chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children; and former Awards chair of the Florida State Chapter of the Council for Exception Children. He also served on the Local Advocacy Council of the state of Florida appointed by former Governor Charlie Crist. Shoemaker is a Rotarian and serves on the School Advisory Committee at Medulla Elementary School; and served as Past Chair of the Polk County Schools District Advisory Council Executive Board. During the past twenty-eight years, Dr. Shoemaker has worked in a variety of positions with several organizations across the United States in direct care, administration, and at the executive level; beginning his career working with at-risk children and their families as family teacher along with his wife, Tonya, at Father Flanagan’s Boys Town in 1992 in Brooklyn, New York and Tallahassee, Florida.
Dr. Shoemaker is a 1978 graduate of Miami Trace High School, Washington Court House, Ohio. He and his wife, Tonya, reside in Lakeland, Florida and are adoptive parents of three children, grandparents of eight children, and former therapeutic foster parents. Dr. Shoemaker is a 1994 graduate of the Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, Ohio with a B.A. in Psychology, attended graduate school at Antioch University-McGregor, Yellow Springs, Ohio majoring in Counseling Psychology and earned a M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Trinity Bible College and Seminary, Newburgh, Indiana in 2001. And Ph.D. in Psychology at Northcentral University, Prescott Valley, Arizona.
Tonya A. Sharrett-Shoemaker, MA (Counseling Psychology)-Tonya A. Sharrett-Shoemaker is a Certified Professional Educator in the state of Florida certified in the subject areas of Exceptional Student Education K-12 and Elementary Education K-5. Tonya is an instructor at Medulla Elementary School, Polk County Florida and co-founder of Mr. Ed's Circle of Trust, Inc dba The Center for Faith Based Family Services. During the past twenty plus years, Tonya has worked in a variety of positions with several organizations across the United States in direct care, administration, and at the executive level; beginning her career working with at-risk children and their families as a family teacher along with her husband, Ed , at Father Flanagan’s Boys Town in 1992 in Brooklyn, New York and Tallahassee, Florida. Tonya is a 1981 graduate of Circleville High School, Circleville, Ohio. Tonya and her husband reside in Lakeland, Florida and are adoptive parents of three children, grandparents of eight children, and former therapeutic foster parents. Mrs. Sharrett-Shoemaker is a graduate of the Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, Ohio with a B.A. in Child Psychology and earned an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from McGregor-Antioch University, Yellow Springs, Ohio. Mrs. Sharrett-Shoemaker also earned an A.A. in Business Administration.