SIMON TUGWELL
in THE BEATITUDES
“Blessed are those who mourn” is, paradoxically, a more necessary message than “Rejoice in the Lord always,” because there can be no true rejoicing until we have stopped running away from mourning."
THE NAME
Two people were on the road to Emmaus following the death of Jesus. The one whom they had put their hope in was dead and his remain was no where to be found. They were deeply discouraged, confused and feeling abandoned and lost. It is at this precise moment of emotional crisis when Jesus showed up. "… Jesus himself came up and walked along with them…" (Luke 24: 15) He walked with them the entire journey. He was present to their pain, engaged in their story and spoke into their life until their "eyes were opened" and alive with hope.
Emmaus Counseling and Consulting Services seeks to walk alongside persons (individuals, couples, families, groups and churches) facing burdens too heavy to bear on their own. The desire is to engage people's stories and to bear witness to the good work of God to redeem and restore.
VISION AND GOALS
To create a safe place where persons can explore and name their story of brokenness and have the counselor walk with them towards hope, wholeness, and redemption.
To integrate Christian faith with counseling practices to address the needs of the whole person: emotional, mental, spiritual, physical, and relational.
“It’s impossible to be spiritually mature, while remaining emotionally immature.” Peter Scazzero in Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Unleashing a Revolution in Your Life in Christ.
As persons embrace their story of heartache and struggle in the safety of being known, they will be able to:
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receive God’s love,
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respond by loving God,
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love others authentically, and
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contribute meaningfully to their community.
WHAT TO EXPECT
In counseling, we wrestle with the past, present and future, our relationship with ourselves, others and with God. It’s a place of honesty and vulnerability.
We may experience tension as emotions such as anger, bitterness, fear, sadness, loneliness, guilt and shame are stirred. We may want to dismiss or distance ourselves from them. But it's part of the process of being restored to freedom and growing emotionally, spiritually whole.
The journey to our emotions is a necessary one because they influence our words, thoughts, and choices. They also give expression to our soul's desire and longing for faith, hope, and love.
“Ignoring our emotions is turning our back on reality. Listening to our emotions ushers us into reality. And reality is where we meet God.…Emotions are the language of the soul. They are the cry that gives the heart a voice.…In neglecting our intense emotions, we are false to ourselves and lose a wonderful opportunity to know God.” Dan Allender and Temper Longman III in The Cry of the Soul.
WALTER BRUEGGEMAN
"The laments are refusals to settle for the way things are. They are acts of relentless hope that believes no situation falls outside Yahweh's capacity for transformation. No situation falls outside of Yahweh's responsibility."
Professional counseling is for persons (individuals, couples, families) who need a safe place to explore and name their story, embrace who they are created to be and experience God's redemptive work in the midst of their brokenness. Here are examples of people who seek counseling.
Couple has repeated fights about similar issues. The fights have intensified and escalate rapidly with no healthy resolution. The couple is feeling increasingly more disconnected, stuck and hopeless.
Mom is depressed following the birth of her child. She is overwhelmed with feelings of guilt and shame. She has isolated herself from family
and friends.
Male in 40’s is feeling anxious. He is engaged in addictive behavior and has angry outburts. He would like to stop but does not know how.
Female in 20’s has a history of childhood sexual abuse. She has been in three relationships in the past three years. She notices that with each relationship, she has difficulty with trust and feeling safe. She avoids conflict at all cost.