In Loving Memory
Dr. Douglas Eugene Rosenau
1947 - 2022
Born June 25, 1947, in French Equatorial Africa to missionary parents, Doug grew up in Africa with his parents and siblings, Vernon and Anna Kay, until coming to the United States in his teens for High School. He received his Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary before pursuing a doctorate in Counselor Education (Ed.D.) from Northern Illinois University. It was there he raised support to study sex therapy at Loyola University.
Doug became a licensed psychologist, marriage and family therapist, and certified sex therapist, setting up practice in Atlanta, Georgia. He has helped countless individuals, couples and families, providing over 50,000 hours of expert counseling and compassionate care.
While in Atlanta he met and married his wife, Cathy. Together they raised their daughter Merrill and his granddaughter Caitlyn, who was truly the apple of his eye. All you had to do was ask about her and his eyes sparkled! He was a kind, caring, loving and gentle husband and father to Cathy and Merrill.
Doug carried on his family’s missionary history by becoming “a missionary for sexual wholeness,” developing a vision and passion for cultivating a sexually healthy church. Through his gentle spirit, jokes, and love for Christ Doug became a respected voice encouraging the Church to deal with sexuality. He authored A Celebration of Sex in 1994 (revised in 2002), Soul Virgins: Redefining Single Sexuality (2006/2012), and Total Intimacy (2014), and several others. He was a frequent speaker at national conferences and loved teaching singles and couples in churches and seminars.
In 2000 he joined with three other Christian sex therapists to found Sexual Wholeness, Inc. Through this ministry he taught hundreds of counselors, therapists, pastors, and educators in healthy sexuality and sex therapy. He was a professor at multiple graduate schools including Richmont Graduate University, Dallas Theological Seminary, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Denver Seminary. Doug called many to join him in being a “missionary for sexual wholeness” and today there are hundreds of students and supervisees who carry on his passion and legacy.
Doug was preceded in death by his parents Eugene Vernon and Ernestine (Healan) Rosenau and his brother Vernon. He is survived by his wife Catherine (Brown), daughter Merrill Rosenau, and granddaughter Caitlyn Sorensen of Atlanta, as well as his sister Anna Kay Haskell of Mauldin, SC, and many nieces and nephews.
The family requests that those who wish to express sympathy consider making a donation to Sexual Wholeness, Inc. to help in carrying on his passion and legacy.
