Sometimes it is hard for potential clients to understand exactly what is accomplished in a typical counseling session so we have included a few real life examples of what can be done through the application of our counseling principles in cooperation with the work of the Holy Spirit.
(names and some facts have been changed to protect the privacy of counselees).
Jennifer's Story
Jennifer projected an air of superiority towards everyone with whom she came into contact. It was negatively affecting all of her relationships whenever she attempted to offer input, advice, counsel or help. A friend finally told Jennifer that she acted like she was better than everyone; yet this friend knew that was not who Jennifer really was. This revelation hurt Jennifer very deeply since she only had good intentions; but it helped her understand why people had misunderstood her intentions over the years. During her counseling session she heard the word “superior” and then saw her younger siblings. At first it made no sense and then she remembered that her siblings called her “sister superior” when she was a teen saddled with the responsibility of getting them to do their chores. Jennifer had embraced the name calling taunt deciding that “if that is what it takes” to get the uncooperative youngsters to comply, she could not care less. Unfortunately she became the epitome of that innocent and seemingly harmless little title. In the session she asked the Lord to forgive her for embracing an air of superiority, and she also forgave her siblings for mocking her authority. Jennifer then asked the Lord Jesus Christ to remove the “Sister Superior” entity from her life. In her mind’s eye she saw the Flying Nun (from the TV series of her youth) soar away. It was so amusing that it made her laugh and Jennifer felt the weight of that heavy responsibility lift from her shoulders. Since that time it has been reported that her interpersonal relationships have improved significantly.
Chris's Story
Chris was expelled from school because he threatened to kill some boys who had been bullying him in the hallways. He was becoming an angry and volatile youth feeling as though no one cared and no one was going to help him. Chris desperately needed to vocalize his needs and manage his emotions but just could not master those skills. In counseling Chris was able to replay the scenario in his mind and see that Jesus was there in that hallway when he was being kicked and beaten and if he had called on the name of the Lord he would have been delivered from the abuse. Jesus also told Chris that he should ask for help and not just assume no one cares. Finally Jesus assured Chris that He loved him and that He would always be there even if others could not be there. This was all Chris needed to hear to let go of the anger and bitterness that was driving his dark moods. The radical healing in Chris was so evident to his mother that she called us later to say “I have my little boy back!”
Sarah's Story
Sarah hated it when her mom talked on the phone and would angrily interrupt repeatedly and pitch a fit if she could not get her mother’s attention. It seemed that no amount of discipline for these rude intrusions would change this childish behavior. This pre-teen who was ordinarily very mature would act like a toddler and it completely baffled her mother. In counseling the girl saw a replay in her mind’s eye of a scenario in which she was shut off from her mother when the phone rang. Apparently at the age of two, Sarah wanted attention but her mother who worked out of her home office asked her to wait a moment. When Sarah began to cry, her mother had to close her home office door in Sarah’s face in order to take the call without interruption. This so traumatized this child that her personality was fractured when this event took place. In counseling Sarah hesitated to share this vivid scenario because she had no conscious memory of it ever happening but Sarah’s mother recalled it clearly. The mother was able to ask her forgiveness and as a pre-teen Sarah was able to accept that she was one and the same girl as the hurt two-year old. The split personality was healed and her mother’s phone calls never upset Sarah again.
Jackie's Story
Jackie had experienced two abortions while dating the high school sweet heart she eventually married. They later went on to have several other children and although she was blessed with children she could never forgot those horrible experiences that took the life of her first two babies. The guilt was ever present and the emotions swirling in her person affected her interpersonal relationships. She could not help but wonder “Lord, where were you ??!!” In her counseling the Lord took her back to that clinic experience and she thought she was holding the hand of a nurse to ease her fear and pain. But when she looked up she saw that the hand she gripped belonged to her Lord. This brought tears to her eyes to realize that He had been right there all along and saw it all. She had nothing to hide in shame… He still loved her despite her poor choices and she knew she was forgiven. However, the deepest healing came when the Lord showed her the two children who had been aborted as grown teens. But amazingly there were two more children … and she suddenly recalled that she had experienced two miscarriages. She saw all four of her children in heaven and the two that were aborted said “we forgive you mom… we understand.” That closed the door on her pain and she now looks forward to seeing them all some day in eternity. After her heart was healed over this troubling event in her life Jackie has been able to face the future with a new outlook.h
Marilyn's Story
As a teen Marilyn had given a child up for adoption and had never been able to overcome the deep remorse and guilt of what she perceived as abandonment. Each year the anniversary of that birth was a bitter sweet memory that left her emotions raw. And the recording that kept playing over and over in her head reminded her that “you gave the baby away.” Through our inner healing ministry we were able to facilitate the work of the Holy Spirit Who showed her a picture in her mind of Jesus caring for the baby. She was able to accept that the adoptive family had been a good choice for the child. She received the Lord’s forgiveness for her choices that led up to this traumatic situation and she was finally able to release nearly 20 years of built-up guilt
Jacob's Story
In preschool Jacob was caught with a female classmate playing “doctor” when the teacher was not looking. This well-meaning teacher scolded the children and left a emotional wound in Jacob that caused him to react negatively to normal boy/girl attractions. This young boy would revert back to preschool-like behavior, becoming extremely agitated and angry at any public display of affection between a male and female. We had seen other children who were wounded in this way develop homosexual tendencies later in life so counseling was imperative for him to develop a normal sexual identity. In the counseling session it was also determined that this emotional wound had been severe enough to caused a split in the child’s personality. During the course of the session Jacob was able to see Jesus standing in the classroom (in his mind’s eye) while they were playing their game. Jesus told him that it was the wrong thing to be doing. However, Jesus took him flying in the air and around the world and made him feel loved and accepted. The child could receive the correction and recognize that he as an older child was one and the same with the preschool child resulting in a fusion of personalities. Jacob was able to receive forgiveness, and become comfortable with male/female relations and no longer acted immature and agitated when confronted with normal human attractions.
In preschool Jacob was caught with a female classmate playing “doctor” when the teacher was not looking. This well-meaning teacher scolded the children and left a emotional wound in Jacob that caused him to react negatively to normal boy/girl attractions. This young boy would revert back to preschool-like behavior, becoming extremely agitated and angry at any public display of affection between a male and female. We had seen other children who were wounded in this way develop homosexual tendencies later in life so counseling was imperative for him to develop a normal sexual identity. In the counseling session it was also determined that this emotional wound had been severe enough to caused a split in the child’s personality. During the course of the session Jacob was able to see Jesus standing in the classroom (in his mind’s eye) while they were playing their game. Jesus told him that it was the wrong thing to be doing. However, Jesus took him flying in the air and around the world and made him feel loved and accepted. The child could receive the correction and recognize that he as an older child was one and the same with the preschool child resulting in a fusion of personalities. Jacob was able to receive forgiveness, and become comfortable with male/female relations and no longer acted immature and agitated when confronted with normal human attractions.
Emma's Story
In elementary school Emma had to present a project before the entire school body. She asked her mom for advice and settled on a bread-making report complete with samples for all. This was a very challenging requirement for such a youngster but Emma did a wonderful job. Unfortunately at the conclusion of her presentation the teacher scolded Emma in front of the entire school for inadvertently violating the “no food in the auditorium” policy of which Emma and her mother had no knowledge. Because her mother gave her the idea she blamed her mom for this moment of humiliation and decided “I will never listen to my Mom again!” Over the next nine years Emma simply could not make herself respectfully hear what her mom had to say. In her mid teens Emma became very obstinate and rebellious towards her mother but was a model student at school The inconsistency in her behavior caused tremendous frustration for her parents. Eventually in a crisis counseling session in which the parents were on the verge of kicking her out of their home the vow came to the surface amid a rush of tears and the recollection of the traumatic elementary school event. Emma dealt with the vow and has enjoyed a significantly improved relationship with her mother ever since.
