Marcus Shumate

Marcus Shumate, MA, LCAS is the Director of Growth at Advaita Health, which includes Green Hill Recovery and Advaita Integrated Medicine. Marcus is a North Carolina native who grew up in the eastern part of the state. He has served in various clinical roles, providing individual therapy, family counseling, group counseling, and clinical supervision to support staff development. Throughout his career, Marcus has cultivated strong relationships across treatment systems to coordinate care and improve outcomes for individuals.

Marcus holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling, both from Gardner-Webb University. He has extensive experience in residential substance use disorder treatment, working with a broad clinical demographic in multiple roles. Eventually, he helped develop a young men’s program where he led the design and implementation of clinical programming and curriculum, provided clinical supervision, and oversaw both clinical care and staff management.

Marcus is passionate about innovation in the field of substance use treatment and about challenging assumed constraints. As his professional interests have evolved, he has become increasingly interested in how personal and systemic biases form and limit both individuals and the field as a whole. This curiosity fuels his exploration of how contemplative practices can help uncover and transcend these biases. Additionally, he has a deep-rooted interest in human flourishing that began in his undergraduate studies, where he was first introduced to classical philosophy. Given his passion for advancing wellbeing through reflection and integration, Marcus was drawn to the alignment he experienced with Advaita Health’s mission.

Marcus currently resides just outside of Asheville, NC. He loves the beauty of Western North Carolina and spends as much time as he can outdoors with his three dogs. A lifelong martial artist, he views the practice as a path toward growth and confronting unhealthy aspects of ego. In his free time, you can often find him training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, or wrestling. He’s also an avid cook, sports enthusiast, and podcast listener—so if you spend more than a few minutes with him, expect at least one reference to the latest episode that’s captured his attention.

Education:

Gardner Webb University (Boiling Springs, NC) — MA, EDs. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Gardner Webb University (Boiling Springs, NC) — B.S.. in Psychology