Q: I see that Theophostic Prayer Ministry is described as your main Christian method. Do you use any other counselling methods as well?
Answer: Yes. As a general counsellor I have had education and training in many counselling models including Transactional Analysis, Gestalt Therapy and Family Systems Therapy. I have also attended many trauma workshops and conferences, both secular and Christian, which have provided me with insights and strategies for helping people deal with the effects of trauma and abuse. However, I do much of the psychotherapy required for the resolution of deep trauma using the Theophostic method and skills I have acquired from other sources. When using secular methods I take care to remain within the Christian framework, and avoid strategies that I see as conflicting with my Christian beliefs.
I also adhere to the general principles of trauma treatment.

Q: I have heard that counselling sometimes makes a problem worse. Can this happen with Theophostic Ministry?
Answer: With any style of counselling, whether secular or Christian, which looks for the reasons beneath the problem, there is always the possibility that the person will feel worse than they expected to after the session. As one starts to explore the source of the presenting problem, the mental barriers holding thoughts and feelings in check can be loosened and the person may begin to remember and feel more intensely. For this reason
I ask people to read and sign papers giving ‘informed consent’ to counselling, so they understand what unexpected effects may occur. I also suggest ways to minimize any upsurge of material, for instance journalling, artwork and distraction exercises. Clients may contact me briefly by telephone if these strategies are not effective and I might then suggest an earlier appointment. It had been my experience that when a situation is dealt with adequately under Theophostic ministry, the ‘side-effects’ are usually fewer than by other secular means. This may mean that the client might need more than one hour for a session, in order to come to some resolution of the situation. For this reason I usually allow a space of about 2 hours for an appointment, so if we need extra time no-one else is inconvenienced.

Q: I have heard that Theophostic ministry is a very quick method. How many sessions will it take for me to recover from my problem?
Answer: There is no way I could possibly estimate that. Every problem is individual, and the real problem is not always what the person or the counsellor thinks it is! I have seen
very good results in a few sessions for some people with quite severe traumas, but sometimes it takes several months or even years to come to resolution. I do know that using the Theophostic method gives much quicker results than most secular deep therapies which may take years to get a small measure of progress in trauma resolution..