A pastoral counselor looks at each care-seeker as an individual consisting of a body, soul and spirit.. My goal as a Pastoral Counselor is for you to experience acceptance, peace, and the love of Jesus through our time together. People often make poor choices, due to the condition of their own wounded heart resulting in pain, to themselves and others. If this rings true in your life, I'd like to help you heal your wounded heart.
Each human thought, emotion or action contributes to either healing or harm to the body, soul and spirit; they are inseparable. Even if you are an atheist or an agnostic, you may find the principles of pastoral counseling very effective. All I ask of my clients, is to simply consider with an open mind that there could be a creator who loves you and wants you to draw near to him. While studying neuroscience extensively, I have seen that the the more scientist learn about the brain and the body, the more it coinsides with what scripture teaches about our mind and our physical bodies.
God created each person uniquely, however ALL were created in his image. God did not create mankind with death, pain or disease in mind; this happened when Adam & Eve chose not to trust in God. Our "default" design did not have the "insulation" needed to live with pain and grief of this world, Fortunately, God did not leave us to suffer alone, he sent his son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to show us how to navigate the "storms" of life.
His word says, he is always with us, always loving, never condemning and that he is refining us to the likeness of his son. During the inevitable moments of pain in life, we are always growing. He knows that we are most likely to reach out to him and surrender our will to his will when we feel pain, or when we at a loss for what to do next in our life.
Until Christ returns, and his followers are taken to their heavenly home, humans will struggle with the consequences of living in a sinful world. I do not claim to personally understand the cosmic laws that God established before the foundation of the earth when it comes to "sin" and "atonement", however I do trust God and his word with my life, and I have faith that our Lord has a plan for each of our lives.
In order to facilitate growth and healing for the whole person, pastoral counseling strives to help clients to restore the "Imago Dei", (Latin for "God's Image") which we were born with. I hope to come along side of you to help you find hope during the difficult seasons of your life. (Genesis 1:27, Romans 8:1-2, NASB).
Carla Burran, MA Pastoral Counselor
