God Loves You!

We are concerned that the affects of youth, individual, and family dysfunction has hinder their success, and limited the hope of many within our community, and we as a ministry desire to stand in the gap by heeding the call to meet and aid those with clinical, practical, and spiritual therapy, counseling, and life coaching.

There are many types and forms of counseling today:

We will focus on the most common approaches to counseling.

The secular approaches strives to help the individual have a better life here on earth.

The faith based approach strives to help individuals have a right relationship with God and others; by making peace with their past, establishing Godly character, and looking through hope to a brighter future.

While spirituality and religiosity have been shown to be related to better quality of life, faster remission from depression, enhanced coping abilities, and increased sense of purpose and meaning in life; there is currently a scarcity of research focusing specifically on effectiveness of faith-based counseling and religious or spiritual interventions. The limited research available does, however, indicate that faith-based counseling shows promise in promoting the following outcomes:

• Reduction in general anxiety symptoms

• Decreased stress, alcoholism, and depression

• Increased sense of well-being

The mental health world uses a lot of professional titles that sound similar, and can be confusing even to mental health professionals. Having some clarity on definitions that often confuse those unfamiliar with these key differences, specifically: What’s the difference between a therapist and a counselor? What’s the difference between therapy and coaching? Can be extremely helpful!

Therapists

A therapist, as it is used in the mental health world, typically means a psychotherapist, one who has been trained in using psychotherapeutic techniques to treat mental illness. Therapists use a wide range of theories and perspectives in that treatment. Many US states consider psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors to be “psychotherapists” under state law, with some states adding other license types to that list. Psychotherapy is that specific field of work that emerges from psychology, the study of the mind.

Counselors

As a separately licensed profession, mental health counseling is relatively young, with most state licensure laws taking effect just within the past 30 years. Mental health counselors may have training in areas like career counseling that more traditional therapists may not be trained in. All that said, there is much more overlap than difference. And where differences exist, they are tendencies, not guarantees. Mental health counselors are generally licensed at the master’s degree level, though some also have doctorates. Some psychologists have degrees specifically in Counseling Psychology and may refer to themselves as counselors.

Coaches

Coaches meet their clients in the present moment and focus on the future. They clarify goals, identify obstacles, and create action plans. Coaches are not medical or healthcare professionals. They don’t have the credentials or accreditation to provide mental healthcare. Coaches focus on how to reach a goal. Their process is oriented towards action and results.