Ask a Christian Counselor: Christian Counseling |

In this episode, we talk about revival — what it is, and how to seek it. We talk about the 1970 revival that occurred at Asbury University and the current revival at Asbury taking place in 2023.

In this episode, Tres discusses how to find a counselor if you are seeking mental health services. He talks about some practical steps you can take to find a provider who accepts your insurance as well as some other resources available for those looking to find help they can afford. Read the article at: https://www.arizonachristiancounseling.com/uploads/1/4/0/4/14048760/find-counselor.pdf

In this episode, Tres discusses the topic of depression, its symptoms, and the various resources available for those struggling with depression. For more information: https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Depression/Overview If you are suicidal or have a mental health emergency, dial: 988

In this episode, Tres discusses the importance of providing spiritually-integrated care and counseling that is client-centered. This doesn't mean that counselors of faith have to leave their convictions at the door, but keeping the focus on the client and learning about who they are spiritually can allow us to connect with them on a deeper level, and even inspire them to foster a closer relationship with God on their own. For more on this topic, see our episode on What is Pastoral Counseling?

In this episode, Tres talks about the art of reflective listening, a foundational skill for any counseling approach. Reflective listening is a powerful tool that can be used by pastors, leaders, volunteers, and anyone who wants to help those in need. The content from this episode is an excerpt from the Pastoral Care Specialist program, a new spiritually-integrated mental health aid training for healers in a variety of settings. To learn more about the Pastoral Care Specialist program, go to: arizonachristiancounseling.com/pcs

The next offering of the Pastoral Care Specialist training program will be this January 2023. This is a 48-hour course that provides the knowledge and skills pastoral caregivers in churches and faith communities need to help others effectively, ethically, and safely. The content of this course is also applicable and valuable for lay leaders, church volunteers, or anyone who wants to help others more effectively.  Learn more at: https://www.arizonachristiancounseling.com/pastoral-care-specialist

In this episode, Tres discusses the importance of taking care of one's physical health and how it relates to spiritual and mental health. He tells his story of how he made changes in his own health over the years and gives practical advice for those looking to do the same. Tres' personal training website: https://personaltrainerarizona.com

In this episode, Tres discusses how the field of Christian Counseling is changing and discusses how his counseling approach has developed over the years. While church attendance continues to decline, there is still a cultural interest in faith and spirituality. Meanwhile, the need for mental health resources continues to increase. Be sure to share our resources: Our Counseling Website The Pastoral Care Specialist Training Program Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Connect on LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube

This date marks the Tenncennial Anniversary of our practice. 10 years ago on September 1st, 2012, our founder, Tres Adames launched a small website to promote his pastoral counseling services. Over the years, it grew to include several other therapists, a personality assessment, a continuing education program, a nationwide directory of faith-based therapists, and two office locations. We have had the privilege of serving thousands of clients, helping them find strength for today and hope for tomorrow. Here's to another 10 years!

To commemorate our 10-year anniversary, we are promoting our most popular Christian Counseling resources at 50% off, including the Christian DISC® Certification Course. Learn more at: https://arizonachristiancounseling.com/10

This is a final reminder for those who are interested in joining our next offering of the ACPE Pastoral Care Specialist course — a pastoral counseling and mental health first aid training. This 48-hour live course provides the knowledge and skills pastoral caregivers in churches and faith communities need to help others effectively, ethically, and safely. Class starts Tuesday, August 23rd with applications due by Saturday, August 20th. For more information, go to: https://www.arizonachristiancounseling.com/pcs

What does it truly mean to be someone’s friend? Why is friendship important? How do I make more friends? These are some of the things we talk about in this episode of the podcast. It may seem elementary to talk about, it might be the kind of thing you hear in kindergarten, but friendship is so incredibly valuable both psychologically and spiritually. Having deep, quality relationships can mean the difference between being happy or being majorly depressed.

In this episode, we talk about some important things to keep in mind for pastors and churches who want to minister to those who are deconstructing. We talk about common misconceptions around deconstruction and how to be there for those who are experiencing a deconstruction of their faith. Learn more about our course on deconstruction for faith-based counselors and therapists at: https://www.arizonachristiancounseling.com/deconstruction.html

In this episode, we talk with Whitney Owens from Faith in Practice about an upcoming conference for faith-based counselors. We also briefly discuss the topic of deconstruction, which Tres will be speaking on at the conference. For more information about the conference, go to: https://practiceofthepractice.com/faithinpracticeconference

In times of crisis, the first place many turn to is their local church or faith community. Studies show that 25% of those seeking help for mental illness first turn to a clergyperson. This is higher than the percentage of people who first go to a psychiatrist or medical doctor.* ​The ACPE Pastoral Care Specialist (PCS) Training Program is a 16 week, 48-hour live course providing the knowledge and skills pastoral caregivers in churches and faith communities need to help others effectively, ethically, and safely. Issues and topics covered include: Pastoral Theology & Our Images of Pastoral Care Ethics of Pastoral Care & Counseling Marriage & Family Issues in Systemic Perspective Listening in the Service of Healing  Motivational Interviewing Spiritual Assessment & Diagnosis Harmful Spirituality & Spiritual Struggles Grief, Loss, & Resilience Mental Health & the Role of the Faith Community Trauma-Informed Spiritual Care Understanding & Responding Effectively to Domestic Violence  Substance Abuse, Addiction, & the Role of the Faith Community  The PCS Training program is a new curriculum developed by the Psychotherapy Commission of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) and the former American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC), which consolidated with ACPE in 2019. Arizona Christian Counseling has piloted two offerings of the PCS program in 2021 and will be offering another training starting February 8th, 2022. Learn more at: https://www.arizonachristiancounseling.com/pastoral-care-specialist

Have you ever asked God for something but didn’t receive it? If we are honest, we all have. Yet prayer is not something similar to wishing on a star. There is nothing inherently wrong with asking God for things — sometimes we do get what we ask for. But a lot of times we don’t. It's heartbreaking when it’s something huge, like praying for healing from a serious illness or praying for some type of suffering to end. ​ A lot of people are hesitant about prayer. Some feel guilty that they don’t do it enough. Some have been let down by its results. What does it mean that “prayer changes things?” Also, what does it not mean? In this podcast, we will be discussing some insights on understanding the purpose of prayer and how to more deeply utilize prayer in your own faith journey.

In times of crisis, the first place many turn to is their local church or faith community. Studies show that 25% of those seeking help for mental illness first turn to a clergyperson. This is higher than the percentage of people who first go to a psychiatrist or medical doctor.* ​The ACPE Pastoral Care Specialist (PCS) Training Program is a 16 week, 48-hour live course providing the knowledge and skills pastoral caregivers in churches and faith communities need to help others effectively, ethically, and safely. Issues and topics covered include: ​ Ethics of Pastoral Care Marriage and Family Issues in Systemic Perspective Spiritual Assessment and Diagnosis Listening in the Service of Healing  Harmful Spirituality and Spiritual Struggles Grief, Loss, and Resilience Mental Health and the Role of the Faith Community Understanding and Responding Effectively to Domestic Violence  Trauma-Informed Spiritual Care Substance Abuse, Addiction, and the Role of the Faith Community  ​ The PCS Training program is a new curriculum developed by the Psychotherapy Commission of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). The course will be taught by Tres Adames, MDiv, BCPC who currently serves on the ACPE Psychotherapy Commission and is co-chair of the Pastoral Care Specialist Task Force.  Apply at: https://www.arizonachristiancounseling.com/pastoral-care-specialist.html

The early bird rate of $300 for the Pastoral Care Specialist Training Program ends on January 1st, 2021. Learn more and apply at: https://www.arizonachristiancounseling.com/pastoral-care-specialist.html

This episode features an interview with Aaron Pawelek, who is a pastoral counselor and Chair of the Pastoral Care Specialist Training Program, a new curriculum developed by ACPE. The 48-hour program focuses on providing the knowledge and skills pastors and leaders in churches and faith communities need to help others effectively, ethically, and safely. Learn more about the Pastoral Care Specialist program here: https://www.arizonachristiancounseling.com/pastoral-care-specialist.html

Since the pandemic began, one-third of Americans are now suffering from anxiety, stress, and/or depression. In this episode, we discuss practical ways to implement self-care to better our mental health and spiritual life. Faithful Counseling provides confidential one-on-one counseling with Christian licensed therapists. Get 10% off your first month: http://www.faithfulcounseling.com/acc This is an affiliate link — when you click the link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.