Christian Counselling River Heights, Winnipeg, MB. Find a Christian Therapist Near You.

Dr. Donald Russell know that it matters what your counsellor believes. If working with a therapist who shares your values and worldview is important to you, then Dr. Russell can be a good fit for you. Dr. Don Russell has been helping believers reach and experience the abundant life for 15 years. In fact he has been teaching the next generation of Christian Counselling for nearly as long. So you can be assured that your help is biblically sound. God's plan for your life is wholeness, healing and redemption. Dr. Don Russell can help you get there.

Proponents of holistic health care are quickly recognizing the benefits of addressing spiritual health in therapy since this is a vital part of a person’s identity. Health is therefore tied to accepting all aspects of ourselves. As Spiritual Director David Benner states, “Only when you accept who you really are, can you become who you are most deeply called to be.” Spiritual beliefs have a powerful influence on our behaviour and view of the self, others, the world, and God and provide meaning, direction, and hope. However, for some, spiritual experiences have been harmful, damaging their identity and concept of God. Therapy can provide a place to process these affects on your health.

In order to live your best life possible, you need to consider the many dimensions of who you are and how you were created--the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual. Like the supporting legs of a chair, you can only be balanced and healthy when these four areas are balanced and healthy. In working with a Christian counsellor who understands the importance of your spirituality and relationship with God, you will be able to answer the question “Where is God in all of this?” and explore how having a deeper and truer personal relationship with God will transform your life.

It was the late psychiatrist M. Scott Peck who suggested a translation of Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount, to say we are blessed when we are confused. Pursuing faith, or any life examined really, will leave us at times with periods of questions, ones we don't always have answers for. And yet we struggle onward. Peck also said that the God who comes after real scrutiny, bears little resemblance to the one before we wrestle with our deep, dark questions of the soul. I endeavor to honor the pursuit of a living, vibrant life of faith.

I feel blessed to have a Christian background. It has provided me with the tools to bring healing, peace and love back into people's lives. There is so many ways that spirituality can help individuals, but to me, the most important aspect is that of community. Humans are not meant to be isolated, and in fact, guilt and shame love isolation. Christianity helps us to reach out to others, and be vulnerable, because we know we are loved no matter what. It helps us love ourselves and in doing that we love others. It is a beautiful cycle ! In saying this, I do try to 'feel out' my clients to see whether or not they are longing for this type of spiritual guidance, and respond appropriately.

Christian counseling is pastoral/spiritual counseling which uses psychology and Christian teaching to address issues of the heart and soul. As a Christian therapist I seek to help clients work through psychological and spiritual issues using both traditional therapeutic methods and a philosophy based on traditional Christian beliefs and the teachings of the Bible; I endeavour to honour a client's particular spiritual beliefs and faith. I believe a person's faith is a resource and strength as they journey on their path to wholeness. Consequently I address issues from a spiritually integrated perspective that goes beyond just the physical, psychological and emotional aspects of a client's life

Coming to this work with a foundation of faith means that I believe we are not alone in this world - we are all deeply loved - that everyone has profound worth- that we are all vulnerable and fall short in our lives. It is in our vulnerability and suffering that we can seek deeper meaning and relationship with God. That we all have gifts within us - we all have a hunch of what we need - however - are sometimes difficult to touch these gifts because of obstacles in our lives. A quote that I love from Martin Buber speaks to what I mean by coming from a Christian perspective “Within each person who comes into the world - there is something new that has never existed before - something tot

We are not built to carry the burdens of life. Jesus died for us so we no longer have to carry our burdens. Therefore it is only by giving them to God that we are truly set free. "Come to me all those who are weary and heavy laden for I will give you rest" (Matthew 11 v 28). Christian counseling is what God has called Margriet to do. She has a passion to see people healed and live the life God has destined for them. Margriet believes the Lord has "plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future" (Jer 29:11). By using the Word, prayer, and discovering who you are in Christ, Margriet will help you transform your life.

Some people ask if we are a Christian counselling group, and my answer is always the same. No, but we have many Christians who work here. Most importantly, all our therapists understand the importance of spirituality in people's lives, and we want to help cultivate a spiritual growth aspect. We aren't hung up on the type of church one attends, or the boundless ideologies of theology that have been debated for centuries, but we are interested and supportive of people's spiritual growth.

I believe that there is nothing deeper to human beings than our faith. For believers of the King, He is the key to every problem we encounter in life. I respect that we are all at different places in our faith. While I believe that it is only by God's grace that we even live and breathe, I respect the pace and place of where other's are at. I also recognize that some of us have trust issues with God. I have been there. I want to walk with people and their issues, and help them grow in their faith so that they can eventually be set free to be all that God created them to be.

To truly experience the abundant life, we need to come to the place of dependence on God for not only the material things in life, but for deep healing and transformation so that we become what God created us to be. I have a deep passion to help believers come to this place of healing and dependence in their lives and will show you how by using the many skills, discernment and leading of the Holy Spirit, that I have come to depend on in my many years of counselling and personal experience.