¤ ¤
00:00:01.36\00:00:04.93
¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
00:00:04.97\00:00:15.28
¤ I want to spend
my life removing pain ¤
00:00:15.31\00:00:26.09
¤ Lord let my words
heal a heart that hurts ¤
00:00:26.12\00:00:36.90
¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ ¤
00:00:59.32\00:01:07.80
Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn
00:01:07.83\00:01:09.16
I'm J.D. Quinn
00:01:09.20\00:01:10.53
And we welcome you to 3ABN
Today I'm so excited about this
00:01:10.57\00:01:15.30
program. I'll tell you why.
How many calls do we get at 3ABN
00:01:15.34\00:01:20.01
people who are looking for
a resource for mental health
00:01:20.04\00:01:25.98
coaching. You know the Bible
says in Proverbs 11:14: Where
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there is no counsel for
the people fall. But in the
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multitude of counselors there is
safety. And if you are a regular
00:01:38.46\00:01:45.93
3ABN viewer our guest today will
be no stranger to you because
00:01:45.97\00:01:52.57
she actually has two different
programs on 3ABN. One is titled
00:01:52.61\00:01:56.34
A Multitude of Counselors and
one is called Intimate Clarity.
00:01:56.38\00:02:02.55
So without further ado my
dear friend and sister in Christ
00:02:02.58\00:02:08.09
Dr. Jennifer Jill Schwirzer.
00:02:08.12\00:02:10.46
Good to see you, great to be
here. Happy for the opportunity.
00:02:10.49\00:02:13.90
Well we're just so glad you're
back again. It's just...it's
00:02:13.93\00:02:18.73
wonderful. Jennifer, we're going
to have music but before we go
00:02:18.77\00:02:21.77
to our music tell us just a
little of your personal walk
00:02:21.80\00:02:29.04
with the Lord. When did He
become real to you? (Oh wow)
00:02:29.08\00:02:32.51
I would say He was always real
to me throughout my childhood
00:02:32.55\00:02:35.85
but I didn't have a lot of
religious training, I didn't
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really know the Bible, I didn't
know a personal Jesus, I wasn't
00:02:38.99\00:02:42.26
like led to Jesus by family
members or anything like that
00:02:42.29\00:02:45.46
but I always had a sense of God
especially in nature. And then
00:02:45.49\00:02:50.90
around 19 years old, 18, 19
years old, I had you know my
00:02:50.93\00:02:55.54
first experience. I was in
the middle of a very secular
00:02:55.57\00:02:57.61
environment surrounded by all
kinds of...I was in a college
00:02:57.64\00:03:01.78
on a college campus surrounded
by really high levels of what
00:03:01.81\00:03:05.58
you might call debauchery and
craziness and in the middle of
00:03:05.61\00:03:09.48
all that I was you know
witnessed to by some Christians
00:03:09.52\00:03:12.55
and ended up...it was really
kind of like well I've tried
00:03:12.59\00:03:16.12
everything else because I had
experimented with a number of
00:03:16.16\00:03:18.23
different religions and I
was like I might as well try
00:03:18.26\00:03:21.06
Christianity you know. So I
sort of road-tested it and God
00:03:21.10\00:03:24.37
just...He was willing to work
with me and He revealed himself
00:03:24.40\00:03:28.27
to me during that time.
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Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Well this woman obviously you've
00:03:29.77\00:03:36.01
got your doctorate in psychology
and we are going to have just a
00:03:36.04\00:03:39.88
rousing conversation. But first
we've got some special music
00:03:39.91\00:03:44.35
We do have some special music.
One of our favorite singers,
00:03:44.39\00:03:49.52
Stephanie Dawn, and she's going
to be singing One Pair of Hands.
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¤ ¤
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¤ One pair of hands
formed the mountains ¤
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¤ One pair of
hands formed the sea ¤
00:04:28.76\00:04:34.84
¤ One pair of hands
made the sun and the moon ¤
00:04:34.87\00:04:40.68
¤ Every bird, every
flower, every tree ¤
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¤ One pair of hands
formed the valleys ¤
00:04:46.72\00:04:51.32
¤ the ocean, the
rivers and the sand ¤
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¤ Those hands are so strong
so when life goes wrong, ¤
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¤ put your faith
into one pair of hands ¤
00:05:05.57\00:05:13.04
¤ One pair of
hands healed the sick ¤
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¤ One pair of
hands raised the dead ¤
00:05:16.71\00:05:24.12
¤ One pair of hands
calmed the raging storm ¤
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¤ And thousands
of people were fed ¤
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¤ One pair of
hands said I love you ¤
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¤ And those hands
were nailed to a tree ¤
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¤ Those hands are so
strong so when life goes wrong ¤
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¤ Put your faith
into one pair of hands ¤
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¤ ¤
00:06:04.63\00:06:16.67
¤ Those hands are so
strong so when life goes wrong ¤
00:06:16.71\00:06:21.74
¤ Put your faith
into One Pair of Hands ¤
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¤ ¤
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Amen and amen.
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Aw that took the wind out of my
sails. That was just ooof. That
00:06:48.94\00:06:52.41
was a gut
punch. Yeah. Beautiful.
00:06:52.44\00:06:54.94
Well if you are joining us just
a few minutes late our special
00:06:54.98\00:06:59.08
guest today is Dr. Jennifer
Jill Schwirzer. That is a doctor
00:06:59.11\00:07:05.29
in psychology. She is the
director of Abide Network and if
00:07:05.32\00:07:11.79
you've watched on 3ABN her
program Multitude of Counselors
00:07:11.83\00:07:15.70
is so popular. And she has a
network of Adventist Christians
00:07:15.73\00:07:22.24
who work as mental health
coaches and counselors. So whoo!
00:07:22.27\00:07:29.14
We're just glad to have you back
Just kind of kickstart this for
00:07:29.18\00:07:32.65
people who may not be familiar
with your program. What is
00:07:32.68\00:07:36.89
Abide Network?
00:07:36.92\00:07:39.62
The simplest explanation is it
is a mental health coaching and
00:07:39.65\00:07:44.36
education network. So those
are the two main features. The
00:07:44.39\00:07:47.76
services you might say we offer
is mental health coaching and
00:07:47.80\00:07:52.33
education. A lot of what we
do is virtual, not all. We're
00:07:52.37\00:07:55.30
starting now that COVID is
kind of passing into history we
00:07:55.34\00:07:58.04
hope. We are starting to have
more live events and things like
00:07:58.07\00:08:02.34
that but it kind of grew really
during COVID to the current
00:08:02.38\00:08:07.48
level that it's operating at and
when a lot of businesses were
00:08:07.52\00:08:11.95
dying it was exploding for
obvious reasons because we were
00:08:11.99\00:08:14.79
offering virtual
coaching and education.
00:08:14.82\00:08:17.19
And you're still doing that.
I refer a lot of people to you
00:08:17.23\00:08:21.26
Jennifer.
00:08:21.30\00:08:22.63
Oh I get a lot of referrals
from 3ABN. There's a strong
00:08:22.66\00:08:25.00
connection there.
00:08:25.03\00:08:26.37
Yes, there is. So take us
back to the beginning. How did
00:08:26.40\00:08:30.34
God get this started?
00:08:30.37\00:08:31.71
So my kids were growing up.
I was very dedicated to my kids
00:08:31.74\00:08:35.04
when they were small. And then
they got to that age where you
00:08:35.08\00:08:38.71
kind of as a mother have to
reinvent yourself and decide
00:08:38.75\00:08:40.68
what you're going to be
once your kids are gone. And
00:08:40.72\00:08:42.38
motherhood is so emotionally
intense for mothers that it's
00:08:42.42\00:08:47.76
kind of hard to see who you're
going to be in the future and I
00:08:47.79\00:08:51.59
knew that ahead of time that I
have to kind of work hard and be
00:08:51.63\00:08:53.73
intentional about reinventing
myself so I decided I wanted to
00:08:53.76\00:08:57.50
go back to graduate school and
I was thinking about seminary
00:08:57.53\00:09:01.50
and then I was thinking
about counseling, school for
00:09:01.54\00:09:05.74
counseling and I really
wanted to go to seminary but
00:09:05.77\00:09:11.18
circumstances were such that
I chose counseling and I got a
00:09:11.21\00:09:14.15
master's degree in counseling
from Capella University. So then
00:09:14.18\00:09:18.45
I started a private practice and
pretty soon because I had books
00:09:18.49\00:09:22.49
already published and people
kind of knew who I was from many
00:09:22.52\00:09:25.36
years I was in speaking and
music ministry and so people
00:09:25.39\00:09:27.90
kind of knew...I had a little
bit of a network you might say.
00:09:27.93\00:09:31.03
And people heard that I was
counseling now and they were
00:09:31.07\00:09:33.97
seeding me out and I was
doing phone and some internet
00:09:34.00\00:09:37.71
counseling at that time. And
so I was getting people from all
00:09:37.74\00:09:40.74
over the world quite literally.
And I soon had too many so I
00:09:40.78\00:09:46.65
found a couple other Adventist
you know providers and I started
00:09:46.68\00:09:50.79
giving clients to them and then
at a certain point, we said well
00:09:50.82\00:09:53.96
we should have a brand so to
speak. And we came up with Abide
00:09:53.99\00:09:58.99
it was Abide Counseling
initially but now it's Abide
00:09:59.03\00:10:01.16
Network. And that was the
beginning and it grew from there
00:10:01.20\00:10:04.67
and now we have 40. We call them
mental health coaches and the
00:10:04.70\00:10:07.94
reason we do that is because we
do virtual work so it's across
00:10:07.97\00:10:11.11
state lines and you're not
really allowed to counsel across
00:10:11.14\00:10:15.34
state lines so we do limit
the types of cases we will take.
00:10:15.38\00:10:18.91
If someone really needs a
professional a local licensed
00:10:18.95\00:10:22.62
professional we have an intake
supervisor who's actually a
00:10:22.65\00:10:27.52
human being, not just a computer
and they make sure that the
00:10:27.56\00:10:30.06
cases go to the right person so
that we're not operating outside
00:10:30.09\00:10:32.89
of our scope of practice. So we
call it mental health coaching.
00:10:32.93\00:10:35.40
But we now have...and they
are a mixture, the coaches are a
00:10:35.43\00:10:38.23
mixture of licensed
professionals and then just
00:10:38.27\00:10:42.20
entry-level lay coaches. And
we train them. So we have 40 of
00:10:42.24\00:10:45.57
them now or close to 40, I
think it's 39 that are active.
00:10:45.61\00:10:48.48
So it's crazy you know. So...and
00:10:48.51\00:10:50.91
it really exploded during COVID.
00:10:50.95\00:10:52.65
Well and you could see
why because there were so many
00:10:52.68\00:10:55.82
people, more people who needed
the service. To me, it's a
00:10:55.85\00:11:00.29
beautiful thing that you can
have people through a Zoom call
00:11:00.32\00:11:06.70
or what do you call it?
00:11:06.73\00:11:08.26
Usually, we do Zoom but here's
how it works is that we have the
00:11:08.30\00:11:12.53
website and people have
to go through a training and
00:11:12.57\00:11:14.60
certification process to get on
the panel so to speak and then
00:11:14.64\00:11:18.11
an intake form comes in and our
intake supervisor places it with
00:11:18.14\00:11:22.51
one of the providers and they
take it from there. So they use
00:11:22.54\00:11:26.01
whatever means they want to use.
Some people use phones, some
00:11:26.05\00:11:29.02
people use Zoom. But it's up to
them. It's there. It's a network
00:11:29.05\00:11:33.39
not a practice. So we don't
govern like their billing and
00:11:33.42\00:11:35.49
their scheduling and all that.
We just give the client to them
00:11:35.52\00:11:37.96
and then to keep the financial
piece afloat they return a tithe
00:11:37.99\00:11:42.96
to Abide Network and that's
how we're running it right now.
00:11:43.00\00:11:47.20
Yeah, that's wonderful so
what psychological modality
00:11:47.24\00:11:50.97
do you follow?
00:11:51.01\00:11:52.34
Well for me my grounding
modality I would say is Biblical
00:11:53.21\00:11:57.88
But what I've done is I've
studied the other modalities
00:11:57.91\00:12:00.85
and the other theories and I've
found I use all of them frankly.
00:12:00.88\00:12:04.75
Some more than others. I would
say cognitive behavioral is
00:12:04.79\00:12:07.96
really high on my list but I'm
not a dogmatist when it comes
00:12:07.99\00:12:12.06
to secular models for counseling
I'm a dogmatist when it comes,
00:12:12.09\00:12:17.97
not a dogmatist but I
really ground everything I do in
00:12:18.00\00:12:19.87
scripture. And there are some
clients that respond to very
00:12:19.90\00:12:23.17
well, many actually, that
respond very well to cognitive
00:12:23.20\00:12:25.71
behavioral therapy which is
basically a system of thought
00:12:25.74\00:12:28.51
management. You know you just...
00:12:28.54\00:12:30.15
Take no thought... (Laughs)
00:12:30.18\00:12:32.51
Exactly, exactly. Corinthians
Casting down imaginations and
00:12:32.55\00:12:36.85
every high thing that exalts
itself against the knowledge of
00:12:36.89\00:12:39.35
God and bring every thought
into captivity to Christ. That
00:12:39.39\00:12:43.06
was before Aaron Beck and
all the people that developed
00:12:43.09\00:12:47.10
cognitive behavioral therapy but
that's what it is. So you manage
00:12:47.13\00:12:51.30
your thought life? And it's very
very effective especially if
00:12:51.33\00:12:55.17
it's grounded in scripture and
you connect people to the power
00:12:55.20\00:12:57.67
to be able to change their
thought life. Because all change
00:12:57.71\00:13:00.58
is a power dilemma. We have the
advantage of connecting people
00:13:00.61\00:13:04.31
to God, you know. But there are
cases where that approach might
00:13:04.35\00:13:09.32
not be the ideal approach so we
encourage people to have technic
00:13:09.35\00:13:14.39
flexibility or modality
flexibility and fit the modality
00:13:14.42\00:13:18.36
to the client rather than
the client to the modality.
00:13:18.39\00:13:22.06
Okay so break that down in
laymen's talk because you know
00:13:22.10\00:13:26.60
you're out there. We're talking
about dogmas and modalities and
00:13:26.63\00:13:31.01
basically what I love about a
Abide Network is everyone on the
00:13:31.04\00:13:37.95
team is an Adventist Christian
and you know this is something
00:13:37.98\00:13:42.48
that I am so cautious about
referring someone to a secular
00:13:42.52\00:13:49.62
counselor because you'll get non
Biblical advice. With Abide, no
00:13:49.66\00:13:58.03
matter what modality they're
using you are going to get...
00:13:58.07\00:14:04.37
nothing will contradict the
Bible. And I love that because
00:14:04.41\00:14:08.38
You're blending. But tell us
what kinds of clients you have.
00:14:08.41\00:14:15.52
Tell us...break down what
you're talking about modalities.
00:14:15.55\00:14:19.05
Before we go there one word
that to me as I was...I went and
00:14:19.09\00:14:25.83
studied out _ okay. And
one word that kept coming up
00:14:25.86\00:14:31.20
was practical. So now we're
bringing it down to everyone's
00:14:31.23\00:14:37.61
level because as you are sharing
you're beginning to see where
00:14:37.64\00:14:42.44
the pluses. You have
someone who's maybe more of an
00:14:42.48\00:14:45.61
intellectual type. You have
other people you know that are
00:14:45.65\00:14:49.25
down here...the practical.
00:14:49.28\00:14:52.12
We have a toolbox. We encourage
a toolbox approach. Now let me
00:14:52.15\00:14:55.52
say that we have these...we
train these providers, meaning
00:14:55.56\00:14:59.73
the people that provide
the services and they can do
00:14:59.76\00:15:04.17
whatever they want because we're
not in their sessions and we
00:15:04.20\00:15:06.43
don't tightly govern it but we
train them and we train them in
00:15:06.47\00:15:09.94
what I call a toolbox approach
so you have your toolbox and
00:15:09.97\00:15:13.78
depending on what's broken you
pull out the right tool and you
00:15:13.81\00:15:17.65
have that ability because you
get to know the person to fit
00:15:17.68\00:15:21.82
the tool to the person because
each person is different.
00:15:21.85\00:15:24.62
So we have
00:15:24.65\00:15:25.99
a whole toolbox and we actually
provide the toolbox on our
00:15:26.02\00:15:28.39
website for free so people can
search around on the website and
00:15:28.42\00:15:30.69
they can get all the worksheets
But I've tried, I've written a
00:15:30.73\00:15:33.90
number of worksheets myself
that make things very simple and
00:15:33.93\00:15:38.00
practical and applicable to
people's everyday life so we
00:15:38.03\00:15:41.54
don't just...what I hear from a
lot of people is that they go to
00:15:41.57\00:15:46.57
a therapist or counselor and the
counselor just listens and maybe
00:15:46.61\00:15:50.68
gives a little bit of input. But
we give homework especially when
00:15:50.71\00:15:53.72
you get to the workshops that we
offer. We're going to give you
00:15:53.75\00:15:57.19
worksheets and we're going
to give you action steps and ask
00:15:57.22\00:15:59.42
you to try different things to
see if they make a difference in
00:15:59.45\00:16:02.76
your life because we believe in
being practical, so yeah. Did I
00:16:02.79\00:16:08.23
clear up the thing
about modality and...
00:16:08.26\00:16:09.96
Yeah, it helps a lot. So talk
about the types of clients that
00:16:10.00\00:16:16.50
you're getting. What types
of cases, what problems are you
00:16:16.54\00:16:20.58
finding most?
00:16:20.61\00:16:22.68
That's a really important
question. So the majority...we
00:16:22.71\00:16:24.58
have basically created a brand.
I believe when I started out
00:16:24.61\00:16:29.12
that Seventh-day Adventists
were an underserved population
00:16:29.15\00:16:33.72
because Seventh-day Adventists
have a history of resistance to
00:16:33.76\00:16:37.53
psychology. For some reason
we got in our sort of collective
00:16:37.56\00:16:40.26
mindset that psychology in
and of itself was evil. And you
00:16:40.30\00:16:45.70
cannot sustain that biblically
because psychology just means
00:16:45.73\00:16:47.54
the psyche is the immaterial
part of man, the inner life of a
00:16:47.57\00:16:51.37
man and ology is the study of
it. Certainly, the Bible has a
00:16:51.41\00:16:54.84
lot to say about the inner life
of human beings. So you can't
00:16:54.88\00:16:56.24
sustain it biblically and
then Ellen White used the word
00:16:56.28\00:16:59.61
psychology positively quite
a bit. So somehow we got in our
00:16:59.65\00:17:05.89
collective mindset as Adventists
that psychology was somehow
00:17:05.92\00:17:09.06
dangerous. But it's not
psychology that's dangerous. The
00:17:09.09\00:17:13.86
best defense is a good offense.
We need to have something better
00:17:13.90\00:17:15.96
than what the world has to offer
So that's kind of what I set out
00:17:16.00\00:17:18.93
to do is provide that something
better that's grounded in
00:17:18.97\00:17:22.30
scripture. So the kind of cases
that come in...so again, I was
00:17:22.34\00:17:26.24
trying to create this brand
that would serve the underserved
00:17:26.27\00:17:30.98
population which I consider
Adventists to be. You know we
00:17:31.01\00:17:35.05
just don't have...And the reason
I believe that is because when I
00:17:35.08\00:17:38.15
was in my 30s I had clinical
depression. I was a mom at home
00:17:38.19\00:17:41.59
homeschooling my kids. I didn't
have great social circles,
00:17:41.62\00:17:45.83
social support. A lot of
different factors were kind of
00:17:45.86\00:17:50.30
starting. I had health problems
A lot of things converged and I
00:17:50.33\00:17:51.67
developed clinical depression.
I had a trauma history. So
00:17:51.70\00:17:54.74
developed clinical depression
and couldn't figure out where to
00:17:54.77\00:17:58.84
go and how to get help for it.
Tried to find a local Adventist
00:17:58.87\00:18:03.55
provider but it turned out they
really weren't biblical and then
00:18:03.58\00:18:07.38
tried to find other means
of local...I just couldn't find
00:18:07.42\00:18:10.82
anything. If I had had what
Abide offers at that time in my
00:18:10.85\00:18:15.26
life I would have spent a lot
less time in clinical depression
00:18:15.29\00:18:19.23
And so that was the fire in my
bones that got me to say well I
00:18:19.26\00:18:23.26
didn't have it but I'm going
to make sure other people have
00:18:23.30\00:18:26.20
access to this service and I'm
going to build this brand. So it
00:18:26.23\00:18:29.30
isn't that we don't take clients
from outside of Adventism at all
00:18:29.34\00:18:32.71
We take anyone. It's that
we want to provide a kind of
00:18:32.74\00:18:39.15
approach that people that want
to be deeply biblical and have
00:18:39.18\00:18:43.69
what I believe to be a
biblically informed world view
00:18:43.72\00:18:46.25
which is to me the same as
an Adventist worldview can come
00:18:46.29\00:18:50.16
knowing that the provider will
get them and they won't have to
00:18:50.19\00:18:55.16
convince the provider or explain
themselves to the provider or
00:18:55.20\00:18:57.67
risk that the provider is going
to think, what, you're crazy you
00:18:57.70\00:19:00.50
know. They're going to support
their world view and then the
00:19:00.54\00:19:02.40
person can open up with more
confidence usually is the way
00:19:02.44\00:19:05.67
that works. So that's what
we want to provide and we hit a
00:19:05.71\00:19:09.74
nerve. We hit a
nerve. Yeah, yeah.
00:19:09.78\00:19:14.35
Well so you know I think what
happens is...I'm going to say
00:19:14.38\00:19:20.16
this and I mean it in a loving
way. You know we love you.
00:19:20.19\00:19:25.19
Sometimes what happens is we are
going through something and I've
00:19:25.23\00:19:28.86
talked with church leaders who
are going through something and
00:19:28.90\00:19:33.74
they don't know where it is
safe to talk about it. One thing
00:19:33.77\00:19:41.21
about...You know we do a lot
of counseling, JD was working on
00:19:41.24\00:19:44.91
his doctorate in psychology when
we first met but he had too kind
00:19:44.95\00:19:51.55
of put all of that beside, down,
till he learned about the Bible.
00:19:51.59\00:19:55.52
But we've done a lot of
counseling and people will come
00:19:55.56\00:20:00.16
in. I remember a lady came into
my office and she said I need to
00:20:00.20\00:20:05.17
talk to you about something but
I don't want anybody to know.
00:20:05.20\00:20:09.34
Nobody. Not even JD. And I said
okay if it is that confidential
00:20:09.37\00:20:16.54
I don't think you should share
it with me in the workplace or
00:20:16.58\00:20:22.02
even at the church because we
don't have a "counselor" at the
00:20:22.05\00:20:25.92
church. I said if it is so
confidential that you would
00:20:25.95\00:20:31.23
absolutely faint if anyone
inside your personal circle knew
00:20:31.26\00:20:36.77
I said you need to talk to Abide
You need to talk with someone
00:20:36.80\00:20:42.70
that you know it will never,
ever, ever leak out and you know
00:20:42.74\00:20:48.31
what? That's a natural thing.
I don't know what her situation
00:20:48.34\00:20:51.75
was. But there are times that we
all need mental health coaching.
00:20:51.78\00:20:57.75
We need to be able to talk about
our problems and get healthy
00:20:57.79\00:21:04.93
Christian feedback and that's
what...Okay, that's what you all
00:21:04.96\00:21:09.10
are providing and by the way
we'll be putting this up quite
00:21:09.13\00:21:13.97
often but Abide. Network
that's all you have to do to get
00:21:14.00\00:21:18.77
to their website
is Abide. Network
00:21:18.81\00:21:23.11
No.com, no.org.
Just Abide.Network
00:21:23.14\00:21:27.18
Abide.Network and you can fill
00:21:27.22\00:21:28.85
out a form. Now you've got
people, we've got the depression
00:21:28.88\00:21:35.19
What else is common?
00:21:35.22\00:21:37.23
Yeah, what are the common
presentations. So the two most
00:21:37.26\00:21:40.13
common clusters of disorders are
anxiety and depression. I think
00:21:40.16\00:21:46.10
a global prevalence, lifetime
prevalence of anxiety some
00:21:46.13\00:21:48.40
studies say is around 35, like a
third of people at some point in
00:21:48.44\00:21:51.71
their life will have a
diagnosable anxiety disorder.
00:21:51.74\00:21:54.48
Of course, that's a cluster of
things. It's like social anxiety
00:21:54.51\00:21:57.65
and specific phobia and
generalized anxiety. There's a
00:21:57.68\00:22:00.85
number of different things
but they're all characterized by
00:22:00.88\00:22:03.32
anxiety. So that cluster is the
most common cluster and then the
00:22:03.35\00:22:08.76
second most common diagnosis
is depression, major depressive
00:22:08.79\00:22:11.53
disorder and there are other
forms of depression but that's
00:22:11.56\00:22:14.16
the most common one. So really
the two big hitters you might
00:22:14.20\00:22:17.83
say when someone comes to
someone like me when they come
00:22:17.87\00:22:21.64
into the office, it's going
to be one of those two things or
00:22:21.67\00:22:24.61
both that you're going to end
up diagnosing that person with.
00:22:24.64\00:22:28.94
Chances are. There are some
psychotic disorders. There is
00:22:28.98\00:22:32.05
bipolar which is a little more
of a kind of a serious chemical
00:22:32.08\00:22:36.65
imbalance, serious mental
health presentation. But most
00:22:36.69\00:22:41.86
of it's going to be either
involving anxiety and depression
00:22:41.89\00:22:44.89
or it's going to be just anxiety
and depression. So those are the
00:22:44.93\00:22:49.06
two most common ones that we...
00:22:49.10\00:22:51.20
How about marriage because
we get so many calls about that
00:22:51.23\00:22:55.04
Yeah. I see it like two realms
like in the individual realm
00:22:55.07\00:22:59.51
you're going to find anxiety
and depression. But in the
00:22:59.54\00:23:02.01
relationship realm which is the
second realm of counseling yeah
00:23:02.04\00:23:05.01
marriage is a big...it's
probably the most common you
00:23:05.05\00:23:10.45
know presentation is
marriage problems. Yeah.
00:23:10.49\00:23:13.05
So who would benefit
from Abides services?
00:23:13.09\00:23:15.52
All those people. So we have had
only the coaching but what we
00:23:15.56\00:23:19.93
have are...we have workshops and
we're developing more workshops
00:23:19.96\00:23:24.10
The workshops are six week, once
a week, change-oriented, growth
00:23:24.13\00:23:30.37
oriented educational events
that we do on...exactly, and
00:23:30.41\00:23:36.71
that we do on Zoom or sometimes
in person or a combination. And
00:23:36.75\00:23:40.85
so the three main workshops
that we offer are anxiety and
00:23:40.88\00:23:44.42
depression relief. That's one of
the most common and the one that
00:23:44.45\00:23:48.79
we've been doing the longest.
Six weeks, talking on Zoom with
00:23:48.82\00:23:52.66
a group of people. One person
making a presentation about some
00:23:52.69\00:23:57.33
aspect of anxiety and depression
Action steps assigned at the end
00:23:57.37\00:24:00.57
of each night. Community support
building community which is the
00:24:00.60\00:24:04.87
big part of Abide that I need to
return to and then we just work
00:24:04.91\00:24:09.84
through that six weeks and once
a week and then the workshop is
00:24:09.88\00:24:13.88
over but often people will then
go to a coach or they'll have a
00:24:13.92\00:24:18.19
coach working through the
workshop with them so there's
00:24:18.22\00:24:21.32
a connection between the
educational and the coaching.
00:24:21.36\00:24:23.09
Then the second workshop we
have is called Abuse, Trauma and
00:24:23.12\00:24:27.46
Faith. So it's a trauma-oriented
workshop which has a little bit
00:24:27.50\00:24:31.37
different set of practical tools
because you have to deal with
00:24:31.40\00:24:34.70
the emotional fallout
of whatever trauma and it's
00:24:34.74\00:24:37.21
particularly focused on abuse
related trauma but people who
00:24:37.24\00:24:40.61
have had other kinds of trauma
can also come and get something
00:24:40.64\00:24:44.08
out of it. So that's the second
workshop. Then the third one is
00:24:44.11\00:24:46.45
the marriage workshop. Actually
David Asscherick and I are
00:24:46.48\00:24:50.59
working on developing a series
of workshops that support the
00:24:50.62\00:24:54.82
family because he and I have
been in discussions about what's
00:24:54.86\00:24:57.23
going on in our world and in our
church and we decided that the
00:24:57.26\00:25:01.16
family unit is ordained by God,
designed by God and it's just
00:25:01.20\00:25:05.10
the first and premier social
institution in the human family
00:25:05.13\00:25:09.20
and we need to support it.
And that our marriages are being
00:25:09.24\00:25:12.51
attacked from the outside.
But they're also kind of some of
00:25:12.54\00:25:15.14
them are families rotting from
the inside you might say. So
00:25:15.18\00:25:17.71
people need support, they need
tools, they need skills and so
00:25:17.75\00:25:23.52
are determined to provide these
workshops. So we want to do one
00:25:23.55\00:25:27.06
on marriage. We are doing
one on marriage already. We just
00:25:27.09\00:25:30.39
finished one last weekend in
Nashville and we're going to do
00:25:30.43\00:25:32.83
one on parenting and we hope
to do one on dating. We might do
00:25:32.86\00:25:35.63
one on sexuality. He wants to
do one on aging and death and by
00:25:35.66\00:25:39.40
the time we get to that one I'll
probably be about ready to age
00:25:39.43\00:25:43.41
and die. We do have the marriage
one ready to go and we're
00:25:43.44\00:25:48.71
actually doing it and it's
really helping people and it's
00:25:48.74\00:25:51.01
very again tools and skills
oriented so people can come to
00:25:51.05\00:25:55.25
any one of those workshops and
they can bundle it with coaching
00:25:55.28\00:25:57.85
and get a coach to walk through
it with them or they can go
00:25:57.89\00:26:00.72
through it at the workshop and
then get a coach. It just you
00:26:00.76\00:26:03.39
know depends on what they want
and how things flow. But there's
00:26:03.43\00:26:05.89
a lot of interaction between
the coaching and the education.
00:26:05.93\00:26:10.03
All right so let's rewind it of
a minute because you mentioned
00:26:10.07\00:26:13.80
community support that you
wanted to come back to that.
00:26:13.84\00:26:16.84
Yeah. (What is the community?)
And this kind of developed...you
00:26:16.87\00:26:21.98
know people are like how did
you get this vision for Abide
00:26:22.01\00:26:24.95
Network. And I'm like I really
didn't. I didn't see it coming.
00:26:24.98\00:26:27.95
I just followed God like every
step as the Director and you
00:26:27.98\00:26:31.92
know He said try this and I
would take the step forward and
00:26:31.95\00:26:34.52
this is what happened. It really
wasn't that I envisioned what's
00:26:34.56\00:26:38.09
happening in the present state
that it's in. So here's one of
00:26:38.13\00:26:42.43
the things that developed
that had sort of a serendipitous
00:26:42.46\00:26:48.17
effect that I did not anticipate
and that is that people start
00:26:48.20\00:26:52.84
helping each other. When people
are allowed to talk about what's
00:26:52.87\00:26:55.58
going on inside of them which
is what happens in these circles
00:26:55.61\00:26:58.65
where you discuss mental health
people will admit that they have
00:26:58.68\00:27:02.48
depression or people will admit
that they're anxious. I call it
00:27:02.52\00:27:06.12
the Velcro effect. People start
admitting what's going on inside
00:27:06.15\00:27:09.89
they start bonding with each
other. Because you open up your
00:27:09.92\00:27:13.93
heart and it creates this
attachability you might say and
00:27:13.96\00:27:17.30
so what I find is we do this
teaching but the experts, the
00:27:17.33\00:27:21.60
teachers and the coaches aren't
the only ones that are helping
00:27:21.64\00:27:24.14
people. It's the students
and the people coming to the
00:27:24.17\00:27:28.14
workshop and the coaches that
are helping one another. It's
00:27:28.18\00:27:31.68
amazing and so it's what we
might call a community model of
00:27:31.71\00:27:34.72
mental health where everybody
kind of knows that we're all on
00:27:34.75\00:27:37.72
this journey together to be
mentally healthier and to lift
00:27:37.75\00:27:41.26
up Jesus in the midst of that
and we want to help each other
00:27:41.29\00:27:44.23
get there. There's really that
method that sort of developed
00:27:44.26\00:27:48.73
naturally in Abide and I'm just
kind of astonished at what God
00:27:48.76\00:27:52.13
has done. So that's closely
connected to what I would call
00:27:52.17\00:27:55.47
the discipleship model of Abide.
So what we do is we help people
00:27:55.50\00:27:59.84
but we also train them how to
help other people. So we have a
00:27:59.87\00:28:04.51
training called the Abide Coach
Training and people can actually
00:28:04.55\00:28:08.88
attend that training. It's a one
day intensive training and then
00:28:08.92\00:28:12.95
from that training, they can go
through a certification process
00:28:12.99\00:28:15.56
where they read different
books and they attend different
00:28:15.59\00:28:18.53
workshops so they kind of
develop this basic understanding
00:28:18.56\00:28:21.66
of how to coach people with
mental health and then develop
00:28:21.70\00:28:26.40
a set of tools and when they're
done with that certification
00:28:26.43\00:28:28.80
process they can get on our
panel of mental health coaches.
00:28:28.84\00:28:32.51
And what I have found is that
even people...and I believe in
00:28:32.54\00:28:37.01
degrees, I have two graduate
degrees and I think that it's a
00:28:37.05\00:28:39.81
blessing to have those things
and so I would encourage anybody
00:28:39.85\00:28:43.45
who wanted to get a graduate
degree in any form of counseling
00:28:43.49\00:28:46.55
or psychology, go for it. I'm
not against those things, but
00:28:46.59\00:28:49.72
like we do with nutrition at
Adventist churches we have ye
00:28:49.76\00:28:57.33
cooking class right? And the
guy gets up and he talks about
00:28:57.37\00:29:00.07
vegetarianism and plant
based protein and all the
00:29:00.10\00:29:04.24
different facets of health and
he's not necessarily a doctor.
00:29:04.27\00:29:05.77
If you have a doctor use the
doctor but if you don't people
00:29:05.81\00:29:09.04
could talk about nutrition. You
don't have to be a doctor. And
00:29:09.08\00:29:11.65
we've always done that. We've
encouraged lay people to get
00:29:11.68\00:29:14.42
involved in health ministry. And
so we're doing essentially the
00:29:14.45\00:29:18.35
same thing with mental
health. We're getting laypeople
00:29:18.39\00:29:22.32
equipped. We don't like just cut
them loose. We do give them a
00:29:22.36\00:29:26.09
training and there is oversight.
But the training is brief. It's
00:29:26.13\00:29:29.10
inexpensive. It's accessible
to most people and they end up
00:29:29.13\00:29:32.20
helping. And what we find
is that when people help people
00:29:32.23\00:29:34.00
they help themselves.
00:29:34.04\00:29:35.50
Amen.
00:29:35.54\00:29:36.87
What I have found is that most
people want to be heard and in
00:29:36.91\00:29:42.31
being heard they get excited
because someone will listen and
00:29:42.34\00:29:46.75
then because they've been
working on this they have fine
00:29:46.78\00:29:51.85
tuned their issue. They're just
trying to be heard and rehearse
00:29:51.89\00:29:59.73
what they're going through.
And you learn so much on my end
00:29:59.76\00:30:03.93
because they've gone through
it so I can see from a profile
00:30:03.97\00:30:08.00
standpoint how they would
be a perfect candidate to be a
00:30:08.04\00:30:12.51
teacher. And then you are
rewarding them because of what
00:30:12.54\00:30:17.38
they have gone through and I'll
be, there's other people going
00:30:17.41\00:30:20.85
through the same
thing. But anyway...
00:30:20.88\00:30:26.35
Powerful. I love that. In
listening we train people in
00:30:26.39\00:30:28.22
active listening as a
really important basic skill of
00:30:28.26\00:30:31.26
a coach. It was early in
the game that I started having
00:30:31.29\00:30:35.80
clients who I was trying to help
come to my training to train
00:30:35.83\00:30:40.84
people how to do coaching.
And they would come. I'd be like
00:30:40.87\00:30:43.81
okay. I wonder if this is weird
you know. Should I do this? And
00:30:43.84\00:30:47.11
what I found was like one person
in particular, I could not get
00:30:47.14\00:30:50.78
her off of being severely
depressed. She came to the
00:30:50.81\00:30:55.25
coaching training and she
learned how to help other people
00:30:55.28\00:30:58.85
and she got better. I couldn't
help her but she by helping
00:30:58.89\00:31:04.23
other people started thriving.
00:31:04.26\00:31:07.33
You know what I love, Jennifer
Jill, is what Ben Franklin said
00:31:07.36\00:31:11.13
We learn to teach and we teach
to learn. It is. And I just have
00:31:11.17\00:31:20.14
to say this to you at home. When
we start talking about mental
00:31:20.18\00:31:24.15
health a lot of people get very
unnerved by it. They like, I'm
00:31:24.18\00:31:28.08
not mentally ill. We're not
talking about mental illness
00:31:28.12\00:31:32.65
We're talking about having a
mind that is renewed. Having a
00:31:32.69\00:31:38.43
mind where you take your
thoughts captive, the mind of
00:31:38.46\00:31:44.20
Jesus. The Bible has so much to
say about the health of the mind
00:31:44.23\00:31:50.41
The health of the heart and it's
something that you have to have
00:31:50.44\00:31:55.64
a good mental attitude to have a
good spiritual life. So our time
00:31:55.68\00:32:07.09
is ch, ch, ch. So tell us
because it's so interesting
00:32:07.12\00:32:09.02
to me during COVID Abide Network
started doing something that's
00:32:09.06\00:32:14.73
actually helping
the proclamation of the
00:32:14.76\00:32:16.90
Three Angels Messages.
00:32:16.93\00:32:18.47
Yeah, it's really cool and
like I said I wanted to go to
00:32:19.00\00:32:22.94
seminary so I'm an avid
Bible student and then I like to
00:32:22.97\00:32:24.57
preach you know so God gave me
this opportunity in this thing
00:32:24.61\00:32:28.58
that developed called Food for
the Heart Bible Study. So what
00:32:28.61\00:32:31.65
happened was COVID happened
and then I did a Sabbath School
00:32:31.68\00:32:35.05
for a while called Ten Ten with
Jen Jen. And then we moved it to
00:32:35.08\00:32:38.89
Friday night when the churches
started opening back up but it
00:32:38.92\00:32:41.72
was a viable community by that
time of people that they weren't
00:32:41.76\00:32:44.79
going to church because their
churches were closed. So they
00:32:44.83\00:32:47.26
ended up going to this event
online and what happened is over
00:32:47.30\00:32:51.40
the long haul this is still
going today. We have about 50
00:32:51.43\00:32:54.74
people, not huge but we have
about 50 people consistently
00:32:54.77\00:32:57.61
coming and it's formed a church.
It's an online church. We just
00:32:57.64\00:33:02.91
basically, show up talk a
little bit, fellowship, have a
00:33:02.94\00:33:07.48
presentation of some kind
from scripture. Then a follow-up
00:33:07.52\00:33:11.55
group discussion and we do
breakout groups after that and
00:33:11.59\00:33:14.22
sometimes we have a prayer
session with a girl named Moray
00:33:14.26\00:33:17.19
so they call it pray
with Moray and she's amazing.
00:33:17.23\00:33:19.19
So if somebody wanted
information on that you can just
00:33:19.23\00:33:23.57
go to Abide. Network no
extension no.com,.org,.whatever.
00:33:23.60\00:33:32.37
It's just Abide. Network. That's
kind of the clearing house. That
00:33:32.41\00:33:37.95
will bring up their internet
site and it's the clearing house
00:33:37.98\00:33:41.82
that you can find
all of this information
00:33:41.85\00:33:43.49
And you can find it. It's called
Food for the Heart Bible Studies
00:33:43.52\00:33:46.69
and I believe it's on the Events
tab. But if you just look around
00:33:46.72\00:33:50.46
you'll find it and you'll get
the Zoom number and you can go
00:33:50.49\00:33:52.86
ahead and join us. So anyway
it developed and I just finished
00:33:52.89\00:33:58.43
the series. I had written a
series of Bible studies on the
00:33:58.47\00:34:00.04
28 fundamentals and of course
I moved things kind of or brand
00:34:00.07\00:34:03.84
them with a mental health
angle but you can bring these
00:34:03.87\00:34:08.31
wonderful biblical teachings
into that mental health realm
00:34:08.34\00:34:11.41
with great benefit. I taught the
sanctuary and how it's really a
00:34:11.45\00:34:14.68
form of helping people deal with
the fact that they've been hurt
00:34:14.72\00:34:19.55
by certain religious authorities
or religious powers and that the
00:34:19.59\00:34:24.96
message of what we call the
"investigative judgment" holds
00:34:24.99\00:34:28.96
those religious power
responsible for the harm they
00:34:29.00\00:34:32.80
inflict so it's kind of trauma
oriented and so there's ways of
00:34:32.83\00:34:35.70
taking our teachings and making
them very friendly to mental
00:34:35.74\00:34:39.37
health and creating a lot of
integration. So I just finished
00:34:39.41\00:34:42.24
that whole series and now we're
going to be doing some other
00:34:42.28\00:34:44.88
things from here on forward.
But you know it's awesome what
00:34:44.91\00:34:48.65
God has...
00:34:48.68\00:34:50.02
Let me share this. I took
this off of the website again
00:34:50.05\00:34:52.82
Abide. Network and it
had...I was talking about the
00:34:52.85\00:34:57.86
practicality earlier. It also
had what one of your goals is or
00:34:57.89\00:35:04.97
are. Ready to provide
compassionate support,
personalized guidance and
00:35:05.00\00:35:09.70
evidence-based strategies to
help you navigate through life's
00:35:09.74\00:35:14.58
Love it.
00:35:14.61\00:35:15.94
I do too. I mean you're covering
all the bases because you are
00:35:15.98\00:35:21.32
loving, you are
caring (try to be) Yeah.
00:35:21.35\00:35:26.52
People don't really get into
this field...I remember when I
00:35:26.55\00:35:31.89
started counseling it occurred
to me one day, very few people
00:35:31.93\00:35:35.30
drawn to this field can be
totally narcissistic, selfish
00:35:35.33\00:35:40.07
people because you spend
all your time absorbing other
00:35:40.10\00:35:43.30
people's struggles and you
really can't do that if your
00:35:43.34\00:35:46.68
brain functions narcissistically
There is a lot of love. The team
00:35:46.71\00:35:51.45
that I work with, the people
that have come and become part
00:35:51.48\00:35:53.92
of Abide are just some
of the best people on earth.
00:35:53.95\00:35:55.45
I just love them.
00:35:55.48\00:35:56.82
And you are making a difference.
Give us some of the stories that
00:35:56.85\00:36:00.62
you wanted to share.
00:36:00.66\00:36:02.16
Well this is kind of where
it all comes together because we
00:36:02.19\00:36:03.53
have been talking in concepts
here. But let me put a face on
00:36:03.56\00:36:06.56
it here. So this is Bitsy. She
signed up...This gives us some
00:36:06.59\00:36:10.87
idea of how all the components
of Abide kind of work together.
00:36:10.90\00:36:13.44
She signed up for, she
accidentally signed up for
00:36:13.47\00:36:17.21
anxiety and depression workshop.
And then she realized that she
00:36:17.24\00:36:21.04
was an anxious person in the
middle of it. And she said, I
00:36:21.08\00:36:23.38
was run by my anxiety. Since
going through the class I've
00:36:23.41\00:36:26.92
been able to overcome things I
never dreamed I would be able to
00:36:26.95\00:36:29.98
overcome. I still have a way to
go but I can recognize the issue
00:36:30.02\00:36:33.39
and now I have the tools
to be able to deal with it
00:36:33.42\00:36:37.36
appropriately and effectively.
It has saved my marriage and
00:36:37.39\00:36:40.20
my children. A lot of challenges
and it has made me happier and
00:36:40.23\00:36:44.33
better able to cope with life.
In fact, I go so far as to say
00:36:44.37\00:36:47.10
it has saved my life. I now have
a life worth living and I feel
00:36:47.14\00:36:51.07
like I'm learning to be in
control of my life instead of my
00:36:51.11\00:36:53.94
anxiety being in control. I
now have a coach through Abide
00:36:53.98\00:36:57.25
Network and she is phenomenal.
I need that accountability and
00:36:57.28\00:37:00.28
support to keep track of my
anxiety. So here's a person who
00:37:00.32\00:37:02.38
came to an educational event
but then ended connecting to a
00:37:02.42\00:37:06.09
coach. That's wonderful. She's a
great presence in our community
00:37:06.12\00:37:10.63
and continues to be connected.
So this is Sharon. This is
00:37:10.66\00:37:13.53
amazing. I mean I get these
every once in a while. I should
00:37:13.56\00:37:16.90
seek them more often because I
know there are more testimonies
00:37:16.93\00:37:19.93
like this if we would seek them
out but I'm so busy you know
00:37:19.97\00:37:22.70
actually running the show that
I don't have time to do that.
00:37:22.74\00:37:24.71
But sometimes they come in. This
just came in a couple of weeks
00:37:24.74\00:37:27.61
ago. This is Sharon. It has been
a year since I took your class
00:37:27.64\00:37:31.18
on trauma and began coaching,
and the coach's name is Kaitlin.
00:37:31.21\00:37:35.32
She says I'm so grateful for
what I learned from the class
00:37:35.35\00:37:38.05
and for coaching. I'm about to
be 71 and she says she went to
00:37:38.09\00:37:42.09
various therapists for 40 years
and none of them addressed the
00:37:42.12\00:37:47.60
issues of trauma that
had impacted her the way this
00:37:47.63\00:37:51.57
individual, Kaitlin, did. She
says it has and is continuing
00:37:51.60\00:37:54.60
to change my life in such a
positive way. Finally I have
00:37:54.64\00:37:57.24
learned to recognize harmful
thought patterns and correct
00:37:57.27\00:38:00.88
them before getting depressed
or angry or anxious or insecure.
00:38:00.91\00:38:03.55
She says it's a work in progress
This is the thing, we don't have
00:38:03.58\00:38:08.52
this like everything is great
now. You know we're realistic
00:38:08.55\00:38:11.85
about this. We call that a
flight to health in counseling
00:38:11.89\00:38:14.09
when it's just a little too good
So people do still struggle but
00:38:14.12\00:38:17.79
they find ways of
struggling less...
00:38:17.83\00:38:19.33
We all still
struggle, we're all flawed.
00:38:19.36\00:38:23.83
Yeah, that's right. But she says
the biggest regret she has is
00:38:23.87\00:38:25.47
that she didn't have
the opportunity when she was
00:38:25.50\00:38:27.87
younger. She says I asked the
Lord to make my end better than
00:38:27.90\00:38:31.77
by beginning (she's 71).
And she says I know this entire
00:38:31.81\00:38:35.08
experience is causing that
to happen. And then she goes on
00:38:35.11\00:38:38.95
about the coach. She says she's
a phenomenal coach. Her ability
00:38:38.98\00:38:42.55
to listen to my madness
and redirect. So you don't just
00:38:42.58\00:38:46.76
listen to the person.
You actually, give them some
00:38:46.79\00:38:50.93
constructive steps to take. You
help redirect them. We're not
00:38:50.96\00:38:54.30
just passively listening,
we're actively listening. So she
00:38:54.33\00:38:57.73
redirects and then she can
see for herself the distorted
00:38:57.77\00:38:59.87
thinking patterns that she
has and she says now I'm self
00:38:59.90\00:39:03.97
correcting which I could not do
before. She mentions that she's
00:39:04.01\00:39:07.81
overweight and she says she's
losing weight. She says her
00:39:07.84\00:39:11.75
relationship with food is
changing and she's exercising
00:39:11.78\00:39:13.48
her spiritual life is improved
because she's thinking more
00:39:13.52\00:39:16.89
clearly and her image of God has
improved. It's so powerful to
00:39:16.92\00:39:19.99
bring God into this because He's
not only the source of power but
00:39:20.02\00:39:24.63
when we understand His character
and love and compassion for us
00:39:24.66\00:39:27.06
then we're inspired to feel more
positive emotions. It kind of
00:39:27.10\00:39:32.00
gives you permission to feel
hopeful and joyful you know.
00:39:32.03\00:39:35.54
So she says I could go on but I
just want to thank you for this
00:39:35.57\00:39:38.97
program and express my
appreciation. And then finally
00:39:39.01\00:39:41.61
one more is Maria. She says she
had one session with me and then
00:39:41.64\00:39:46.98
I referred her to a coach. She
was having postpartum depression
00:39:47.02\00:39:51.29
and anxiety and insomnia. She
was on five medications and she
00:39:51.32\00:39:55.16
was in a very bad state
and couldn't even function. She
00:39:55.19\00:39:57.59
could not afford inpatient
treatment and that's one of the
00:39:57.63\00:40:00.13
things about Abide is that
it's accessible, affordable and
00:40:00.16\00:40:02.96
biblical. So we love the in...we
love Nedley' s program. We
00:40:03.00\00:40:06.97
encourage people to go there
when they need that but some
00:40:07.00\00:40:10.47
people can't afford that...
00:40:10.51\00:40:11.91
Let me just hit the pause button
because Dr. Neil Nedley runs a
00:40:11.94\00:40:17.68
depression clinic and that's
what you were referring to and
00:40:17.71\00:40:22.02
that's at Weimar
(multiple voices)
00:40:22.05\00:40:26.92
That is a great program and
sometimes people need a complete
00:40:26.96\00:40:29.89
change of environment and are
surrounded with therapeutic...
00:40:29.92\00:40:32.49
But that takes a
little financing...
00:40:32.53\00:40:34.03
As I said it takes a little
money and they don't all have
00:40:34.06\00:40:36.83
that. And so what we do is
like a little bit of a more
00:40:36.87\00:40:39.57
preliminary level and they may
not need that full treatment.
00:40:39.60\00:40:43.27
And so this is what this lady is
saying. She says about her coach
00:40:43.30\00:40:49.11
she has been such a support
throughout this hard journey
00:40:49.14\00:40:50.78
She believed that God will help
me. She held my hand and helped
00:40:50.81\00:40:54.78
guide me through this dark time.
She's a knowledgeable caring
00:40:54.82\00:40:58.42
person. She showed me tools to
help. There's that tools theme
00:40:58.45\00:41:01.36
again. I just want to say that
I'm doing so much better. I'm
00:41:01.39\00:41:03.86
down to one antidepressant, she
was on five medications and I'm
00:41:03.89\00:41:07.36
already tapering off of that.
She started working from home.
00:41:07.40\00:41:10.93
She said a year ago or even six
months ago I wouldn't believe
00:41:10.97\00:41:13.57
that it would be possible. I
don't want to be ashamed of what
00:41:13.60\00:41:20.48
God is doing here and He's
taking people with a simple
00:41:20.51\00:41:23.68
training, some of them licensed
professionals, some of them
00:41:23.71\00:41:27.95
coaches. We have an intake
supervisor who places them
00:41:27.98\00:41:30.89
this person with severe, severe
you know mental illness issues
00:41:30.92\00:41:35.82
Sometimes we can't even take
them. We just say you need to
00:41:35.86\00:41:38.36
see someone locally. But if we
can take them and we try to use
00:41:38.39\00:41:41.73
you know clinical judgment. If
a person is pretty severe we put
00:41:41.76\00:41:45.83
them with a licensed
professional and make sure that
00:41:45.87\00:41:48.80
there's enough knowledge base
there to be able to deal with
00:41:48.84\00:41:50.24
like chemical imbalance issues
and so forth. So we try to be
00:41:50.27\00:41:54.71
very responsible about it. We
are finding that lay people can
00:41:54.74\00:41:57.65
be very effective. This person
that she's talking about is a
00:41:57.68\00:42:02.18
retired teacher and she went
through our training and she's
00:42:02.22\00:42:05.05
doing great.
00:42:05.09\00:42:06.42
You know I'm going to say
something. I don't know if I
00:42:06.45\00:42:09.79
should but we grew up I always
remember people saying, anybody
00:42:09.82\00:42:15.00
who is a psychologist or a
psychiatrist, they're in the
00:42:15.03\00:42:19.83
field because they
had problems of their own.
00:42:19.87\00:42:23.54
I know that's true of me.
00:42:23.57\00:42:27.14
Well there's a lot of truth to
that but I think speaking from
00:42:27.18\00:42:31.85
experience sometimes you know,
you said people like to be heard
00:42:31.88\00:42:36.69
well some people just want
to rehearse their problems. I
00:42:36.72\00:42:40.42
actually told a woman who I'd
been counseling with for about
00:42:40.46\00:42:44.96
four months hearing the same
thing over and over and I said
00:42:44.99\00:42:47.73
do you just want to be heard
or do you want to be helped?
00:42:47.76\00:42:54.50
Because I would give her
little assignments, I'd give her
00:42:54.54\00:42:56.37
scriptures, I'd pray and she'd
just as soon as we'd finish
00:42:56.40\00:43:00.38
praying, regurgitate the same
thing. She couldn't get to that
00:43:00.41\00:43:05.35
point of recognizing her need
her part in making a change.
00:43:05.38\00:43:10.95
But it's so beautiful because
you have people who have empathy
00:43:10.99\00:43:17.03
who knows what God can do
for them. That's beautiful.
00:43:17.06\00:43:20.90
So two things, one is that when
we do the training we teach that
00:43:20.93\00:43:23.97
there's two basic facets to
helping people in this realm.
00:43:24.00\00:43:28.34
One is empathy where you listen,
you take in what they're telling
00:43:28.37\00:43:32.07
you, you empathize with them,
you feel what they're feeling,
00:43:32.11\00:43:35.11
you join them in their struggle.
But also engagement which is
00:43:35.14\00:43:38.35
where you actually help redirect
you help give them tools, you
00:43:38.38\00:43:41.22
help them reconsider, you help
them think through the problem
00:43:41.25\00:43:44.69
and you come alongside them for
action purposes. And there are
00:43:44.72\00:43:48.09
people that really don't want to
they don't want to change, they
00:43:48.12\00:43:52.09
just want to vent. I call them
my pay-per-vent clients. I don't
00:43:52.13\00:43:58.33
know what to do because I feel
sometimes like I'm actually just
00:43:58.37\00:44:04.01
watching them get worse and
worse. So sometimes I will say
00:44:04.04\00:44:06.94
something like I don't think
this is helping. Or I will say
00:44:06.98\00:44:10.71
I've done all I can do.
I've learned that the hard way
00:44:10.75\00:44:13.58
because I've learned that I'm
not like a slot machine here.
00:44:13.62\00:44:16.28
Just because people sign up for
my services don't mean I don't
00:44:16.32\00:44:20.16
have some discretionary power
in the relationship. That's been
00:44:20.19\00:44:23.49
a learning curve. But you're
absolutely right that there has
00:44:23.53\00:44:26.73
to be both of those two
things. And there are types of
00:44:26.76\00:44:30.17
counseling actually Christian
counseling that emphasizes the
00:44:30.20\00:44:32.80
latter where the whole point
is like getting the person to
00:44:32.83\00:44:34.97
repent for their sins and that
can be damaging too so it seems
00:44:35.00\00:44:39.64
to be like the Good Samaritan
model where you come alongside
00:44:39.67\00:44:42.01
and then you empower the person
and then they go home and they
00:44:42.04\00:44:45.68
live you know.
00:44:45.71\00:44:47.05
That's Jesus. So let's go...
00:44:47.08\00:44:51.22
And also they may start talking
to someone else and their
00:44:51.25\00:44:56.12
technique, maybe just their
voice or something or their
00:44:56.16\00:44:59.29
listening may get them past that
thing on high center and they
00:44:59.33\00:45:03.26
sit there spinning...they're
spinning all four wheels you
00:45:03.30\00:45:05.33
know and getting nowhere.
00:45:05.37\00:45:06.97
So you're saying they might
change their provider. (Yes yes)
00:45:07.00\00:45:12.34
We do that with Abide if it's
not working because there is
00:45:12.37\00:45:16.08
sort of a compatibility issue
sometimes. And so if the person
00:45:16.11\00:45:19.18
you know gets referred to a
particular provider and they
00:45:19.21\00:45:22.15
really aren't jelling with that
provider, they just go back to
00:45:22.18\00:45:24.52
the intake supervisor and
they put them with someone else.
00:45:24.55\00:45:27.16
So here's what I'm going to
do. Once again the website is
00:45:27.19\00:45:33.63
Abide. Network That's
all you need to put in.
00:45:33.66\00:45:37.37
Abide. Network Now
tell us how...because I know
00:45:37.40\00:45:44.14
there are people who are at home
and if I weren't in full-time
00:45:44.17\00:45:46.88
ministry I would be jumping on
it is probably as he would be to
00:45:46.91\00:45:52.41
say okay I want to go
through...I want to become one
00:45:52.45\00:45:56.69
of these mental health coaches
so you can go...Tell us the
00:45:56.72\00:46:02.86
process of your website. (How
to navigate the website) Maybe
00:46:02.89\00:46:05.83
that's how to navigate it. I
just know some of you at home
00:46:05.86\00:46:11.63
are saying I need coaching or
I'd like to attend that workshop
00:46:11.67\00:46:16.34
or maybe you're looking and
you've been saying Lord give me
00:46:16.37\00:46:20.11
a ministry. I want to be trained
to do this or for the Bible
studies or you said
00:46:20.14\00:46:25.85
there was a toolbox. Now
that's all on your website.
00:46:25.88\00:46:29.85
It's all on the website and
if you get...it should be fairly
00:46:29.88\00:46:32.05
easy to navigate. Just click on
the different tabs. You're going
00:46:32.09\00:46:34.66
see the workshops there. You're
going to see the events. We have
00:46:34.69\00:46:37.99
our summit coming up. It's
called the Jesus Psychology
00:46:38.03\00:46:41.90
Summit. We hope to run it each
year. It's going to be an in
00:46:41.93\00:46:45.13
person event. You're going to
see that there and you're going
00:46:45.17\00:46:47.20
to see the contact form. So if
you get lost on the website just
00:46:47.24\00:46:51.57
send us a contact form and we'll
receive it and we'll help you.
00:46:51.61\00:46:55.84
But you should be able to find
everything you're looking for
00:46:55.88\00:46:58.41
including the training if
you want to become a coach. It's
00:46:58.45\00:47:00.85
called the Abide Coach Training
and then the workshops that I
00:47:00.88\00:47:04.55
mentioned Anxiety and Depression
Relief; Abuse, Trauma, and
00:47:04.59\00:47:07.72
Faith; and Try This At Home are
the workshops we're currently
00:47:07.76\00:47:09.86
offering. Those are on there
and then I have another training
00:47:09.89\00:47:12.19
called Project Safe Church
for people that want to work in
00:47:12.23\00:47:16.80
sexual abuse response in
church work, which is kind of a
00:47:16.83\00:47:19.73
separate field but it's one of
the things we really care about.
00:47:19.77\00:47:22.14
And so all of that is there
and more. Just click around and
00:47:22.17\00:47:27.11
you'll find it very navigatable.
00:47:27.14\00:47:29.14
Jen, I knew you before
Abide but I just have to say
00:47:29.18\00:47:33.98
I'm so excited
00:47:34.02\00:47:35.35
that you answered God's call and
that you've been led by the Lord
00:47:35.38\00:47:39.02
because I know you didn't expect
this. Tell me, tell us, how has
00:47:39.05\00:47:45.93
this affected
your life personally?
00:47:45.96\00:47:48.30
I feel like so many years I was
in music ministry and I was more
00:47:48.33\00:47:51.80
of a creative and an artist
and then I sort of had to for
00:47:51.83\00:47:58.14
various reasons change to
the direction of my life and got
00:47:58.17\00:48:00.21
real involved with this coaching
and counseling and psychology
00:48:00.24\00:48:04.05
related ministry and sometimes
I just look up to heaven and I
00:48:04.08\00:48:07.62
say God you know who do you
think I am, you know, I'm so
00:48:07.65\00:48:12.95
limited and I'm a child. I
feel like Solomon when he said I
00:48:12.99\00:48:16.49
don't know how to go out or come
in. But then I think you know
00:48:16.52\00:48:19.83
it's not me who's going to do
it. I have two graduate degrees,
00:48:19.86\00:48:22.66
I have years of clinical
experience. If not me, I don't
00:48:22.70\00:48:27.17
know of any great group
of people somewhere that can
00:48:27.20\00:48:29.27
handle this level of
responsibility but sometimes it
00:48:29.30\00:48:32.21
becomes overwhelming. And I just
pray. I go...I live on a lake
00:48:32.24\00:48:35.11
and I go out to my lake every
day and I use P.R.A.Y. Praise,
00:48:35.14\00:48:41.08
Repent, Ask, and Yield and I
pray that formula every morning
00:48:41.12\00:48:45.95
and just say God please
you know I need your help.
00:48:45.99\00:48:51.23
You know one thing I was reading
one of the sentences: The
00:48:51.26\00:48:55.86
journey towards health begins
with the step of self-care.
00:48:55.90\00:48:59.83
How neat that is.
00:48:59.87\00:49:02.24
So a lot of times Christians
get hung up on that. Not so much
00:49:02.27\00:49:06.04
anymore but it used to be we
thought that if you're going to
00:49:06.07\00:49:10.91
serve people you never do
anything for yourself. But it
00:49:10.95\00:49:12.28
doesn't work that way. Because
if you don't care for yourself,
00:49:12.31\00:49:15.62
if you're not a good steward
of your emotional and physical
00:49:15.65\00:49:19.02
strength, you're not going
to have anything to give people.
00:49:19.05\00:49:21.56
And service is going to become
associated with exhaustion and
00:49:21.59\00:49:25.46
burnout. So I like to see
self care as grounded in good
00:49:25.49\00:49:31.40
stewardship. You know present
your bodies a living sacrifice
00:49:31.43\00:49:35.10
and it applies to our emotions
as well. We need to care for our
00:49:35.14\00:49:38.97
emotions, not in a selfish way
but in a responsible way so we
00:49:39.01\00:49:42.74
can be better at serving
others. Yeah. (Amen) Yeah.
00:49:42.78\00:49:47.28
That's something that
I need to learn as well.
00:49:47.32\00:49:50.52
Well there are little things
people could do and one of the
00:49:50.55\00:49:52.89
things we've discovered are that
sometimes small steps are very
00:49:52.92\00:49:56.09
profound in their impact. So
even a little bit of self-care
00:49:56.12\00:50:00.56
maybe getting off of your screen
and just doing 10 deep breaths.
00:50:00.60\00:50:03.83
Or taking a walk. Or making a
little better quality food for
00:50:03.87\00:50:09.27
yourself or something can make
a profound difference sometimes.
00:50:09.30\00:50:12.84
I just know that at least
verbally what keeps me somewhat
00:50:12.87\00:50:18.28
in balance is that I do know
that I am a work in progress.
00:50:18.31\00:50:21.88
No more, no less, I'm just
doing the best that I can do.
00:50:21.92\00:50:27.72
But I feel like I am progressing
I feel like you are progressing
00:50:27.76\00:50:34.10
Well, that's what the Bible
says. It says the outer man
00:50:34.13\00:50:37.43
wastes away but the inner man is
renewed day by day. And so the
00:50:37.47\00:50:41.70
things with which we deal
at Abide work, we deal with the
00:50:41.74\00:50:43.37
inner life of human beings
and that part continues to grow
00:50:43.41\00:50:46.61
throughout life. I mean that's
what I see in scripture is that
00:50:46.64\00:50:49.71
that gets better. It's so
comforting because everything
00:50:49.74\00:50:53.31
else gets worse. But that one
thing if we follow on to know
00:50:53.35\00:50:57.09
the Lord whose going
forth is prepared as the morning
00:50:57.12\00:50:59.99
character can grow throughout
life till we're more and more
00:51:00.02\00:51:04.33
like Jesus.
00:51:04.36\00:51:06.39
Yeah aging is humbling but
the beauty of aging is hopefully
00:51:06.43\00:51:12.50
you're beginning to understand
God's love more and you can be
00:51:12.53\00:51:16.71
of better service to Him. Well
we are going to take a short
00:51:16.74\00:51:21.14
break and we have an address
roll to show you how you can
00:51:21.18\00:51:25.25
get in touch with Jennifer Jill,
Dr. Jen, and how you can contact
00:51:25.28\00:51:32.82
Abide Network.
00:51:32.85\00:51:35.66
If the Holy Spirit impresses you
to contact Abide Network you can
00:51:35.69\00:51:41.90
do so by writing to 5832 Conner
Trail, Orlando, FL 32808 You can
00:51:41.93\00:52:00.28
also, visit their
website at https:/Abide.Network
00:52:00.32\00:52:17.83