Pain and suffering often push us
to seek help outside ourselves.
The very struggles that bring us to this point can also lead us toward greater self-awareness and transformation. People are capable of change and growth, but real transformation doesn’t just happen—it requires intentional effort and relational support.
How do we address the problem under the problem?
True change begins when we honestly engage with our full story—our successes, failures, and losses. When we ignore or suppress parts of our inner world, we lose something vital. Avoiding grief, for example, can also dull our experience of joy. Facing what we’ve silenced—what we need to grieve, process, and reintegrate with new understanding —is essential to addressing deeper emotional, mental and spiritual struggles. The challenge is to move, with compassion, toward a more honest and whole version of our selves, rather than relying on coping strategies that may provide temporary relief but ultimately keep us stuck.
“Doing the work” is both personal and communal.
No one else can do the work of change for us, but we are not meant to do it alone. We are created for connection—with God and with others. We are responsible for ourselves - our choices and our responses to the choices of those around us. No one can “do the work” for us, but we are not alone as we walk this path. We have access to a loving and relational God who draws near to us. Healing and growth are strengthened through healthy relationships that encourage, challenge, and support us. Beyond the counseling room, community is essential for lasting change. We will work together to build the kind of support you need to sustain meaningful transformation.
A variety of barriers can cloud and confuse the process of change, confounding even the most capable and competent people. These can be spiritual, physical, psychological, cultural, or social in nature (and often are a complex combination of factors). Mental health is not one-dimensional, and real transformation involves shifting how we think and how we live. While a desire to change is important, lasting transformation doesn’t come from sheer willpower alone. Some growth can happen through human effort, but deep and lasting renewal ultimately comes through receiving and participating in God’s healing work in our lives. Because of this, I approach counseling with a faith-based perspective centered on Jesus, trusting in His power to bring true and lasting change.
For lasting holistic change to happen, change must happen holistically.
“Eternity challenges my feelings of futility by reminding me that what I am experiencing right now is not permanent.”
-Paul David Tripp