Mark Sharp is a licensed clinical psychologist with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Houston. He has been providing therapy and counseling to couples, families and individuals for over twenty five years. He worked in a community mental health center for fourteen years where he was the coordinator of the child and adolescent therapy team. In addition to his clinical work and supervision of staff and students, he provided training and consultation to a number of community agencies and schools. 

Dr. Mark started in part time private practice in 1992 while maintaining a full time agency job. In 2006 he left the agency and founded the Aiki Relationship Institute to fulfill his vision of a practice focused on helping people maximize their relationships. This includes increasing intimacy and connection for couples, helping children develop in their families, and helping individuals find the relationships they desire and create balance in their lives. 

It was the work with singles that stimulated him to write this book. Single individuals don't often go into therapy saying they would like to get into a healthy relationship, though helping singles develop relationship skills and ready themselves to create a great relationship became a part of much of Dr. Mark's work. The vast majority of his work was with couples who were having problems in their relationships and he realized that helping people make better choices in the formative stages of relationships in would go a long way to improving them in the long term as well.

Dr. Mark has long been committed to the development of other therapists and was the coordinator of the practicum training program at his agency. In addition to extensive supervisory experience, he has taught classes at the undergraduate and graduate levels and has been a member of the training faculty at the Family Systems Program at the Institute for Juvenile Research and an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University and Argosy University Illinois. Currently he teaches one class a year in family therapy at Rosalind Franklin University.

Mark spent most of his growing up years overseas, so has a good sensitivity to cross cultural issues and issues of acculturation and adaptation to new environments. He has trained in the martial art of aikido for more than twenty years. He has a second degree black belt and a teaching certificate from Birankai North America. He is currently in charge of the children's program at his dojo, Oak Park Aikikai. The aiki in Aiki Relationship Institute is the same as that from aikido. It is a Japanese word that means “harmonizing energy.” 

You can reach Dr. Mark by email at drmark@notlonelyatthetop.com.