Christian Counseling

Common Thoughts & Feelings

“Here I am again, sitting in my small group at church with this huge burden on my heart wanting to open up and share, but unsure if I should. The things I’m going through are personal and I’m just not sure if it would be appropriate to share them in a group setting. I know I need to share and asking for help is how the healing will begin, but I just don’t want people in my business. What will they think after they hear what I’m struggling with, and worse, will they talk about me or look at or treat me differently when they find out? I know I need to talk to someone but I am afraid of being seen as needy, broken, dysfunctional, unfit for any sort of church leadership, or just a burden and that’s the last thing I want.

Maybe I’ll keep this to myself, it will get better with time, right?”

If these thoughts describe you, let me introduce myself and how I can help you. My name is Hope and for 19 years I have been helping individuals and couples find hope and healing by integrating their Christian faith into their counseling sessions.

Whether you want to explore couples therapy, you’re struggling with anxiety, dealing with depression, experiencing grief, or going through a significant life-change , it is important to know that while these things are very real and can cause great pain and discouragement, these seasons do not have to define the rest of your life. In fact, these experiences can help you grow in your personal relationship with God. Meeting with a trained professional counselor who shares your Christian faith can help provide a space for spiritual growth and development to happen.

It is my aim to create warmth and hospitality during our visits, and to provide a safe place for you to talk about difficult and private things. My therapeutic approach combines Christian faith and Biblical counseling with long-standing, proven therapeutic strategies such as Choice Theory, Client-Centered, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Each of these therapeutic approaches hold within them biblical concepts such as but not limited to: human responsibility and the ability to choose one’s thoughts and behaviors thus improving relationships and one’s overall quality of life, general kindness and compassion demonstrated in sessions, and a strong emphasis on the importance of thought-control.

I share and recognize the importance and value of your Christian beliefs and know they are imperative to your overall healing, wholeness, and health. We will work together to help equip you with the necessary tools based in Biblical counseling and other therapeutic approaches to help you overcome challenges that are unique to you.

Suffering, trials, difficulties, failure, and disconnection, are meant to bring us to salvation in Christ and/or grow us in sanctification. We were created by God to know and worship Him. In fact, wrestling with our faith can be what enables our faith to grow and often it is in our darkest moments when we can feel God’s presence in a powerful way as we begin to come to terms with our human frailty and our need of Him.

It is okay to be at a place where you need a little more one-on-one care than your friends, family, or church family can offer. Just because you are seeking counseling does not mean something is wrong with you, you are weak, your faith is small, or you’re unstable. It simply means you are ready to change and start your journey toward making those changes. Reaching out and exploring counseling is a demonstration of bravery and courage as you are proving to yourself you are ready to get started on your healing journey!

You don’t have to choose between therapy and your Christian faith, in fact, when they are combined they can bring the hope and healing you want. You can heal from your past, stop fearing the future, and learn to live in the present moment with peace and happiness.

Contact me today and let’s explore how Christian counseling can help you finally make the changes you have longed to make but until now, have been unsure how.

“Courage, Dear Heart.”

- C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader