goodhope - Focus on the Family Canada
Transcription
goodhope - Focus on the Family Canada
recommended resources coming up next Bridging the Couple Chasm: Gottman Couples Therapy – A Research-Based Approach, Level 1 Friending by Lynne M. Baab The notion of friendship is under broad review. A highly mobile and increasingly busy society means that most of our relationships can’t depend solely on face-to-face contact to flourish. The increasing prominence of the virtual landscape requires that we become fluent in ever-expanding relational technologies. Using Colossians 3 and 1 Corinthians 13 as touchpoints, Friending shows us how we can celebrate and strengthen our relational ties while continuing to practice the timeless discipline of friending in our time. (Paperback) Wait No More by Kelly and John Rosati Wait No More tells Kelly and John Rosati’s story of experiencing God more fully through the great blessings and challenges encountered during their journey to adopt four children from the U.S. foster care system. It is a story of God’s faithfulness to grow a beautiful family, through adoption, from the ashes of child abuse, neglect and abandonment. Their story reveals how their beliefs challenged, enriched and completely changed their family’s life. (Paperback) To order these resources, visit our online bookstore at Focusonthefamily.ca/bookstore. Be the first counsellor to email us at [email protected] and we’ll send you a free copy of Wait no more. When: November 3-4, 2011 Where: New Westminster, BC Learn more about this workshop featuring John Gottman and Julie Schwartz Gottman at Jibc.ca/cccs. goodhope Date Night Challenge Couples must make time to invest in their relationships, but we know that finances and family issues often push date nights aside. That’s why Focus on the Family Canada is encouraging churches to join Date Night Challenge, a nationwide movement of couples committed to putting fun back into date nights. Our theme for this issue of goodhope is introductions. I feel privileged to introduce to you two new members of our counselling team: Karin Gregory and Dave Ortis. On the next page they share briefly about themselves so you can get to know them a little. While we were very sorry to see two members of our staff follow God’s call elsewhere, I am very pleased to have two experienced and compassionate individuals join us to continue to serve our callers. WORDS FROM WENDY What is it? Date Night Challenge will help couples – whether married or unmarried – to strengthen their relationships by dating each other all over again. The evening will feature world-class entertainment and teaching via a webinar with Christian comedian Jeff Allan and marriage experts Greg and Erin Smalley. How can my church get involved? Hosting a Date Night Challenge at your church is a great opportunity for you to steward your congregation and reach out to your community. For more information, visit Focusonthefamily.ca/events. introductions are in order Please note: A listing of conferences and workshops here does not necessarily imply endorsement of the event by either the Clergy Care Network or Focus on the Family Canada. They are listed as a service to CCN counsellors to inform and encourage continued learning. GET IN TOUCH © 2011 Focus on the Family Canada TEL: 1.888.5.CLERGY EMAIL: [email protected] WEB: Clergycare.ca MAIL: 19946 80A Avenue Langley BC V2Y 0J8 IN THIS ISSUE We are always interested in hearing about new resources for counsellors, referrals for potential Clergy Care Network counsellors and ideas for upcoming issues of goodhope. Please contact us anytime! Wendy Kittlitz VP of Counselling and Care Ministries 604.455.7930 [email protected] Karin Gregory Counsellor 604.455.7986 [email protected] A QUARTERLY NEWSLET TER FOR FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA’S REFERRAL COUNSELLORS Fall 2011: Volume 8, Issue 4 • • • • Introducing Karin Gregory Introducing Dave Ortis Recommended resources Upcoming workshops & professional development Contact Us! 1.888.5.CLERGY In this issue I have also included an article on the Cape Town Declaration. I learned about this declaration from Dr. Archibald Hart when I met him at a conference recently. Dr. Hart told me of his passion to see counselling impact the world for Christ. I would love to hear what you think about this goal! Finally, we introduce you to some new resources and opportunities. I would especially like to recommend to you the brand new book by Kelly and John Rosati. It is their compelling and very personal story of adoption from the foster care system. As counsellors, we need to know how to serve families like these. Hearing their stories told in such a candid and vulnerable way helps us appreciate what it’s like to walk in their shoes. Focus on the Family is pleased to offer Date Night Challenge – an opportunity for couples to strengthen their marriages. Perhaps you could partner with a local church to host this event and use this as a way to offer your professional services to couples experiencing challenges in their relationships. Thank you once again for partnering with us in serving Canadians. We appreciate having such a wealth of professionals we can send hurting people to when they call us. Blessings, Wendy Kittlitz VP of Counselling and Care Ministries Focus on the Family Canada have some giant footsteps to follow in, and I’m excited about that opportunity. IN HER OWN WORDS karin gregory In the summer 2011 issue of goodhope Michele Langmead bid you a fond farewell, concluding her four years of fruitful counselling ministry here at Focus on the Family Canada. I was privileged to spend a week with Michele in mid-summer, experiencing one of the quickest learning curves of my life! I learned what an amazing woman of faith, skill and compassion Michele is. It was clear to me from the start that I Here are a few things you might be interested to learn about me: I earned my Masters in counselling from Trinity Western University in 2000 and I became a registered clinical counsellor (BCACC) in 2011, but my heart to help and comfort people reaches back to my earliest memories. I am privileged to live out my calling as a follower of Jesus in this way, and I am keenly aware of the responsibilities, challenges and blessings our profession brings. I spent many years working as the director of all things counselling at a Bible college and I have also fulfilled various roles in the student development departments of three other Canadian institutions of Christian education and higher learning. Balancing these studentfocused years I have also: • served in parish ministry to youth and families; • worked with profoundly disabled adults in residential support services; on our team. As a BCACC-registered clinical counsellor, Dave brings rich experience to our counselling service. Since earning his Masters of Divinity at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in Elkhart, Indiana, 30 years ago, Dave has continued to extend his professional education through a series of well-recognized certificate programs and workshops, including: • couple and family therapy • child sexual abuse intervention (child, youth and adult survivors) A NEW FACE IN THE OFFICE dave ortis We are pleased to introduce Dave Ortis as our newest member of the Clergy Care Network. Dave succeeds Jason Krause as a part-time counsellor • alcohol and drug counselling • prevention of clergy misconduct • Satir systematic brief therapy training (levels 1 and 2). Dave has served as a pastor, administrator and instructor at two Here is a taste of the declaration itself: The following declaration emerged out of conversations among concerned colleagues from different countries, languages and generations in the Care and Counsel as Mission track of the Third International Lausanne Congress held October 16-25, 2010, in Cape Town, South Africa. Our hope is that this statement will stimulate • provided counselling to children and families within publicly-funded provincial services; • equipped job seekers with skills to achieve through a community-based, non-profit program. Okay, so those are some professional tidbits about me. Here are some other defining characteristics: • I’m crazy for chocolate (my destination of choice last summer was Switzerland!); • I doodle while counselling over the phone (it helps me think); • I’m not a great cook, but I love to read (which is probably why things get forgotten and burnt); • No matter how many times you show me the map, it won’t matter. I’m looking forward to our journey together. Blessings! Bible colleges, and as a specialist counsellor, consultant, family support supervisor, therapist and clinical supervisor. Many of these roles have been concurrent and long-running, attesting both to the quality of Dave’s work and the energy he brings to it. In this season of life (alongside all the teaching, counselling and consulting), Dave is also busy with his church, serves as chair of a homeowner’s association, is an active member of the Chilliwack Outdoor Club, and enjoys time with his two adult kids and granddaughters. Dave is best described as warm, real and present. He has been married for 41 years to Loretta. Alongside strong faith, they each have a great sense of humour! the cape town declaration on care and counsel by Wendy Kittlitz I recently returned from attending the American Association of Christian Counsellors world conference in Nashville. As always, there were many stimulating conversations and presentations. As a non-American, I was interested in one workshop on a topic I had heard of, but knew very little about: The Cape Town Declaration on Care and Counsel as Mission. Here is a summary of what I learned online at Lausanne.org: “Christian mental health professionals who attended Cape Town 2010: The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization have released the Cape Town Declaration on Care and Counsel as Mission – a three-page document that outlines foundational principles for responding to the unprecedented level of global mental health needs both within the church and beyond. Sections of the declaration address theological foundations for care and counsel as mission as well as the need for more holistic and systemic perspectives, increasing inclusion of indigenous forms and methods of care, and collaborative methods of understanding and responding.” discussion among practitioners and educators and will lead to a greater engagement with the tremendous needs worldwide. We invite your participation in the dialogue. Introduction We live in a world of unprecedented suffering and brokenness. These human conditions include different types and levels of social and psychological suffering which are often minimized, neglected or, because they are beyond what local people can cope with at a given time, left unattended or addressed from out-of-context perspectives. We believe these omissions are both unjust and costly to individuals and communities. Virtually all of the major public health problems in the world have a psychosocial component. There is no complete health without physical, communal and psychological health. At the same time, there is often a paucity of resources and training to effect change in comparison with the affluent West. For example, in terms of one specific measure, professional mental health workers per capita, World Health Organization statistics indicate that such resources are 250 times more plentiful in some regions of the world than others. It is imperative that we respond to these needs in ways consistent with our Christian commitments and with culturally sensitive, holistic, systemic and collaborative approaches. Our hope is that this declaration will point us toward the creation of a new paradigm for the mutual learning, empowering and training of mental health professionals, laypersons and pastors worldwide along the following four dimensions: • Christian • holistic and systemic • indigenous • collaborative. To learn more, you can read the complete statement at Careandcounselasmission.org. As Canadian Christian counsellors, the declaration applies to us in at least two ways. Firstly, there are increasing opportunities for us to minister in other international settings and we need to understand the cultures we serve. Secondly, other cultures are coming to us right here in Canada. A friend of mine from Kenya wants to evangelize and serve Africans who have moved to Canada. Many of these women are experiencing safety for the first time in their lives and psychological needs are rising for them now that their more basic needs have been filled. They do not feel Canadian counsellors really understand their life experiences. I encourage you to learn more about this statement and to consider how it may apply to your practice. There is a world of opportunity to bring Christ’s healing to the nations – let’s be diligent to do so in ways that are respectful, helpful and thoroughly Spirit led. © 2011 Focus on the Family (Canada) Association. All rights reserved
Similar documents
goodhope - Focus on the Family Canada
Through the generosity of our donors, we are able to offer this day of training at an incredibly low cost of $49, which includes a copy of Dr. Purvis’ book, lunch and coffee breaks. You can earn pr...
More information