John Prentice
10/22/25Psychologist, Valley Health Systems
A graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan and Marshall University, John Prentice began working in clinical psychology at Valley Health Systems in Huntington in 2023.
Prentice has dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia–a collection of learning disabilities that affect reading, writing and math skills by interfering with the mental processes required for those tasks. As a result, he requires the assistance of software to help him navigate everyday tasks.
Kelly Whitley, director of behavioral health at Valley Health Systems, said she’s noticed several distinct improvements to the facility’s outreach since Prentice joined the staff.
“We have increased our support for our patients experiencing homelessness by providing those services directly to them where they’re located, and that has largely been driven by Dr. Prentice and his efforts in that area,” she said.
“Dr. Prentice has also been largely responsible for the development of some additional supportive services and programming for patients in the LGBT+ community,” she added.
In order to achieve his dream of helping others through his career in mental health services, Prentice had to overcome several major challenges posed by his disability.
“For me, one of the biggest limits with my disability was the belief that I could not do things,” Prentice said. “I wasn’t aware of the workarounds or the accommodations that exist out there, so that really affected my sense of self.”
The West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services paid for Prentice to receive a type of neurocognitive therapy that not only helps him adapt, it helps treat the disability by rewiring parts of the brain. The therapy helped boost him from a pre-kindergarten reading level when he started college to a sixth-grade reading level by the time he completed his undergraduate studies.
Prentice began working with WV DRS caseworker Donna Cain in 2012. He said she still checks in with him regularly even though he’s out of school.
“She has been a huge source of motivation and drive to keep going, even when things are difficult,” Prentice said.
Prentice was referred to Kaine for assistance with ACT accommodations required for college admission. Kaine helped him compile the necessary documentation. When Prentice started college, he knew he wanted a career in a helping profession and ultimately chose psychology.
“He’s an individual with empathy and he has a caring nature. He has tenacity and he has perseverance, and he wants to make a difference in the world,” Kaine said.
Prentice is grateful for the financial assistance he’s received through WV DRS.
“I can confidently say that without DRS, I wouldn’t have been able to do any of what I’m doing now,” he said. “They paid for a large portion of my schooling, so they removed some pretty significant financial barriers.”
He also credits his family, including parents, siblings, and husband, with providing him support and encouragement toward achieving his goals.
A native of Elkins, Prentice said he’s still getting to know different communities throughout the state. He enjoys connecting with people through his passion for audiobooks, video games and antiquing.
A self-described book nerd, he loves to swap book recommendations with his peers.
“I love this community, which is why I want to serve it as long as I can,” he said.