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Context
As a Christian counselor, I am privileged to participate in the Lord’s work of redemption as He counters the fall and its consequences. My work is entirely dependent upon Him and is entirely for His purposes and His glory. I believe that the body of Christ—the church—is intended by God to be a powerful beacon of hope and help in a hurting world. The local church is an ideal environment for God’s people to heal and grow. I see my ministry as obedience to God’s calling and a use of God-given gifts to be exercised within the body and with its support. My counseling is under the authority of the leadership of Windsor Chapel.
Approach
Christian counseling is the act of coming together before the Lord for wisdom, help, and guidance. Both parties grow and experience the power of God’s good purposes. I view my role of counselor as one of equipping and encouraging my clients to put themselves in a position that allows the Lord to work healing and promote growth. Change is the work of the Holy Spirit. I do my best to be quick to listen and slow to speak. I make every effort to speak truth in love and with grace. I take the gentlest approach possible. I try to incorporate humor and cultural examples to mitigate the intense emotions that often accompany counseling.
Change and Growth
My focus is on “heart issues.” It is my conviction that deeply-rooted struggles often require more spiritual work than prayer and Bible study alone. Although cognitive-behavioral therapy is very prevalent and popular today, I believe a heart-focused approach is more Biblical. I believe that most struggles experienced by people are in part a consequence of the fall—significant wounds and difficult circumstances—and in part the result of replaying Eve’s choice in the Garden of Eden: just as Eve looked to meet her physical, spiritual, and emotional needs according to her own wisdom, so we, too, look to meet our needs by our own manipulations—even Christian manipulations! The invariable result is pain and frustration. Recovery—experiencing God’s redemption—is possible as we learn to grieve losses, forgive, and uncover our strategies to live our lives independent of God and repent of our pride. This repentance enables us to experience God’s grace working in us and through us.
