Biblical and Christian Counseling in 97116: Forest Grove, OR.

I believe that spiritual beliefs can play an important part in the healing process. I follow the client's lead in bringing spirituality in the room. I am not a pastoral counselor, and do not consider myself a biblical counselor. However, I am Christian, familiar with the Bible, and am comfortable with bringing Christian beliefs into the room if that is what is best for the client.

You can trust that God knows you personally because He designed you exactly as you are! All healing and permanent change comes through Him. When you "confess your sins (brokenness, distress, mistakes) to each other and pray for each other you will be healed" James 5:16. As a pastoral counselor, I am uniquely qualified to walk this path with you. Religion is not the answer, only God is.

As a Christian, I place a high value on the written Word as well as the spirit that it was written in. I am not a theologian and will not pretend to be. I will, however, honor and respect the tenants of Christianity and be very sensitive to your Faith as you see it. I believe in prayer and respect and honor what that means to you as an individual without judgement.

Faith and spirituality can provide comfort and meaning to those guided by their beliefs. I was raised in a Christian household myself so I have an appreciation for the values instilled by religion, the importance of tradition, and the strength of community. My approach to counseling is humanistic and welcoming of all spiritualities. Though I do not incorporate any specific pastoral counsel, I encourage my spiritual clients to draw on their beliefs during the counseling process.

I am a lifelong Christian and being a counselor is how I see myself living out Jesus' call for me to be in the world. I help my clients to find God's grace and peace at work in their lives. The parables that Jesus taught are powerful inspirations for deep reflection and application to clients' lives. The Psalms convey God's love, compassion and commitment to His people. Faith and spirituality are tremendous supports in people's lives and knowing that we have a loving God enables us to deal with great challenges in life.

As a general rule, both Christian counseling and secular counseling share the same desire to help people overcome their problems, find meaning and joy in life, and become healthy and well-adjusted individuals, both mentally and emotionally. Most counselors have graduate degrees and have spent years learning their craft. The word "counseling" can have multiple meanings, including offering advice and encouragement, sharing wisdom and skills, setting goals, resolving conflict, etc. Counselors usually probe the past (whether the problem happened a week ago or during childhood) in an attempt to repair the present.

I was a family pastor for 20 years. I have since deconstructed and reconstructed my faith. I now identify as a progressive follower of the teachings of Jesus. I am LGBTQ+ affirming and supportive of people who are on their own spiritual journey. I will respect your beliefs and values and convictions. I will not impose my own biases on you. I am comfortable incorporating scripture or prayer in ways that are helpful for you.

Through the dynamic of the Holy Spirit I will seek to mine, define and refine the gold that has been placed in each one of us. Over the decades of my life, this has become clearer as my calling. Biblical Scripture guides, forms and refines me and I am honored to share this with those placed in this time and space with me. My undergrad degree is in Christian Education and I served as a professional in parish settings for a number of years before returning to school for my Masters.

For many, faith is an important part of life, and it should be no less so in counseling. You deserve to have a safe place where your faith and family values will be honored, and where you can explore your woundings, struggles, and questions in the light of your faith. I personally operate from a Christian worldview and I am happy to incorporate this into our counseling relationship.

As someone who has worked with people in the church and has an understanding of Biblical doctrine, I recognize the value of integrating sessions with scripture. The advantage of choosing a counselor outside of one's church is that a client can feel more comfortable sharing his or her feelings and his or her experience with a counselor whom he or she does not worship. The other side of Christian counseling for me is working with those who are trying to figure out a way to leave the culture of their denomination while still retaining their belief in Christ and His Word. To me, this is some of the most important work with which one can help clients.