Justin D. Nutt

Early Life
Justin Nutt was born July 10, 1976 at Saint Mary's hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Nutt was the second child of Gary Nutt and Joan (Fairfield) Nutt of Overland Park, Kansas. Around 6 months of age Nutt and his family moved to Olathe, Kansas was along with his older sister Kimberly he spent his adolescent and teenage years. Justin attended Havencroft Elementary until winter break of 5th grade when his family moved and he attended Scarbrough Elementary for a a year and a half. Nutt later attended Indian Trail Junior High School (Kansas) followed by Olathe South High School. Nutt has stated in private interviews that it was at Olathe South High School that he met one of the most influential people in his life, Mark Taylor, who was his psychology teacher. Though it would not be until years later that Nutt would choose a career in the field of therapy he has stated it was from Taylor that the original spark came.

After high school Nutt attended Johnson County Community College where he originally majored in Criminal justice with aspirations of becoming a law enforcement officer. Nutt never completed this degree due to the death of his paternal grandfather who was diagnosed and subsequently died of lung cancer during Nutt's first year of college. Nutt spent an additional year and a half at Johnson County Community College before deciding to not continue with school.

Mid-Life
In 2005 Nutt met his first wife Alice Marie Jimerson (b. 1968) also a native of Olathe. The two were married September 16, 2006. In 2006 Nutt also returned to Johnson County Community College to complete the prerequisites for a degree in Social Work. In August of 2007 Nutt left his first wife and filed for divorce, which was finalized on December 5, 2007. Nutt stated in several interviews that the marriage was a rocky one filled with hurt that left him feeling as though there was something wrong with him. This led to Nutt sinking into a deep depression and Nutt admits openly that he drank heavily at that time as a means of "self-medication." Nutt, however persevered and gained high marks and was accepted to the Bachelor of Social Work program at The University of Kansas where he he excelled in classes, being inducted as a member of Sigma Alpha Lambda honor society, though he faltered in relationships. Nutt had many relationships which were unhealthy in numerous different ways.

In October of 2010 Nutt began work on his critically acclaimed book The Good Guy, the Bad Guy, and the Ugly Truth which he completed in December of the same year. Following the completeion of writing his book, in January of 2011 Nutt began work at an emergency shelter for abused and neglected children in Kansas City met his fiancee, Shannon Michelle Sulanke (b.1985) who Nutt proposed to on August 19, 2012. It was also in January of 2011 that Nutt began classes at The University of Missouriat Kansas City, in the Advanced Standing Master of Social Work program which he completed a year later. In May of 2011 Nutt created a relief organization, Acts of Random Kindness (ARK) as a result of the Joplin tornado. Nutt and Acts of Random Kindness (ARK) aided the victim of the tornado through the provision of temporary housing and helping individuals to find permanent housing. Nutt as executive director also was responsible for the logistics of collection and transportation of much need relief supplies to the effected area. Nutt and Acts of Random Kindness (ARK)also helped to connect victims of the Texas Wildfires that occurred in 2011 with housing and relief supplies as well.

The Good Guy, the Bad Guy, and the Ugly Truth
The Good Guy, the Bad Guy, and the Ugly Truth was released on March 28, 2012 and was warmly received by those in the therapy and dating advice community. Nutt was called upon to do numerous interviews for broadcast and internet radio programs and offered a position as host of his own radio program, which he declined, desiring to do direct practice work. Nutt also has given several talks on the book to international audiences.

Press release synopsis
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Truth is a book written as an explanatory work on the reason people end up with the same wrong type of person time and time again. The exercises which are included in the book were created to help people improve their self image along with shift thinking patterns where partner selection is concerned and the way a person views themselves and their past relationships. Through a blending a clinical knowledge written in an easy to understand style and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Psychodynamic exercises, Justin Nutt opens the door to a new life for individuals seeking healthy and loving relationships. In a conversational style he welcomes the reader to walk through the door he has opened. Through explanation of the desire to love and be loved, the way which an operant condition effect created by past relationships leads to selecting new mates which are unhealthy. The exercises, designed by Justin specifically for the book, help lead the reader one step at a time from the cold of the world filled with repeated unhealthy relationships into a world where healthy and loving relationships are the norm. These exercises help deal with the entire gambit of damage that can be created by unhealthy relationships; low self-esteem, guilt, shame, resentments, and more.

Synopsis of theoretical foundations
The Good Guy, the Bad Guy, and the Ugly Truth looks at the fact that when a man or woman is in more than one unhealthy relationship, be it physical, verbal or emotional abuse that comes to be seen as normal. While the person may state that they desire a healthy and loving relationship they tend to reject those potential partners where a healthy relationship is possible and tend to accept those partners who treat them poorly as that is what they understand. Two reasons exist for this 1. they have come to believe that the "good guy" (or girl) is an act and when the truly good person doesn't change into the "bad guy" or girl they feel they are still experiencing the act. 2. They have a damaged self esteem and self-worth and feel as thought they don't deserve better and this leads to them rejecting the person. Generally it is a combination of the two.

The book examines this idea and explains it in an easy to read way without losing therapeutic value. After the subjects and ideas have been explained there are multiple Cognitive behavioral therapy exercises which I designed which are intended to help the person examine him or herself as well as their past relationships and what they truly want. They include things like the persons strengths, their weaknesses, guilt, and resentments, accountability of self and other and many more. The last section of the book talks about how a healthy relationship should exist as far as communication, sharing, time apart, respect, sexuality, and other aspects.

The book is designed not only for those who have been through unhealthy relationship, but also those who have been effected by attempting to or being in a relationship with those who had unhealthy relationships. The exercises work for both men and women no matter which side they were on as well as individuals of any sexual orientation.

Present Day
Nutt currently lives in Overland Park, Kansas with his fiancee where he does private coaching sessions with individuals from all around the world who are dealing with self-esteem and self-worth issues which are affecting their personal relationships. Nutt also works as a volunteer therapist for a small faith based agency in the urban core of Kansas City, Missouri. Nutt also conducts a group based upon his book as well as performs trainings for other professionals who wish to lead similar groups. Nutt is currently working on another self-help book which uses cognitive behavior therapy to help individuals to work through past trauma as well as a supernatural crime novel set in New Orleans, Louisiana. Later in 2012 Nutt will release 25 Days, 25 Facts on the History of Christmas which gives fun facts on the story Christmas and how the items and traditions which are associated with Christmas came to be a part of the holiday.