Where do I start? This has been a long time coming, and to finally see it begin to bear fruit is a little surreal. I have had a vision for a center for families for at least two decades now. A place where parents, grandparents, children, teens, and anyone else a part of any kind of family could come to grow and be strengthened through the healing power of connection. One of the unique things about this counseling center, website, and blog is the different groups served. The first group is the parents. Actually, here we will call you caregivers because you may not be the biological parents but you are giving care to someone and we want to support you! I want you to have a place to interact with the professionals at the center as well as find a genuine community of like-minded caregivers to share experiences and offer encouragement to each other. The second group is the therapists and graduate student counselors who are looking for training in the Needs-Connection Model and expanding knowledge and experience in the field of counseling, particularly in the high-demand field of play therapy. The last group served by this center, website, and blog is the volunteers and donors of 316 Counseling Center. I want you to know the huge and impactful work you are doing in the lives of so many families; giving me and others on the 316 team the ability to serve and minister, counsel, train, and supervise at the highest level and in the name of Jesus Christ, in a way we could never do without you. I am deeply grateful for all you do.
What does that mean? Well, it means sometimes the blog will be more about parenting issues, sometimes more about a professional or training subject, and sometimes more about an amazing story to tell about what God has done through 316. Though those differences will be there, a common link will also be present. And that link is connection. I believe that connection is the core to healthy relationships, healthy relationships are the core of a strong family, and a strong family is the core of a strong community. If I can leave a legacy of strong families who are grounded in the love of Jesus and train others to do the same, I can't think of a better way to use my education, experience, and expertise. I want this blog to be informative but practical. I want it to be challenging because that's the only way we grow. I want it to be interactive because we are all about connection. And most of all, I want it to be a place where you can feel the genuine care, love, and support we offer only because of the love of God poured into us. God has brought me through some tough things, healed me, changed me more than I ever thought possible, and has now positioned me to be right here, right now to help you do the same. No matter if you are a parent, a counselor, a student, a donor, or a volunteer, God has something big planned for you here. I just know it. I can't wait to see what it is.
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