We love counselors. We are counselors. But your spiritual family offers things we can never provide, and our work often depends on theirs ..read more

“Pain relief is not the meaning we need. And make no mistake: meaninglessness is a painful epidemic all its own, which requires all the resources that our faith uniquely provides.” __________________________
 In my work as Ministry Development Director at PRN, I often meet with church leaders to find out how we can better serve the 26 congregations in our growing church network. In one recent meeting, a pastor described the counseling needs among his congregants, most of which are common to other churches — marital difficulties, depression, anxiety, addiction, etc. At the end of our conversat ..read more

Mary Schuelke, LMFT, is one of our therapists who specializes in teens with depression and their families. John Alexander engaged her at the very end of Mental Health Awareness Month to get her thoughts on the teen mental health crisis in America, and how families can be a part of the healing process on the home front, using the spiritual resources of the Christian faith that are far more powerful than we often realize. __________________________
 John: Mary, how did you first become interested in working with teens? Mary: To become licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist, you have to ha ..read more

We’re beginning a new blog series featuring leaders of churches in our PRN church network. Drop in often to find out how church leaders in the Philadelphia region are facing challenges and sowing seeds of faith, hope, and love in the name of Christ. Today I’m interviewing Wayne Lee, who pastors Chinese Christian Church and Center, a congregation in Chinatown. I mainly spoke with Wayne about what it’s been like pastoring in the midst of ongoing public debates about the construction of a new Sixers arena in the center of Chinatown. ____________________________________ JOHN: Hi Wayne! Can ..read more

If you haven’t noticed, Christians like to put different adjectives in front of the word “counseling." Biblical, Christian, and Pastoral are among the most popular, and all of them may be useful so long as we remember that in the context of counseling each adjective is more than a mere descriptor. For example, “Biblical Counseling” does not simply refer to a method of counseling that makes use of the Christian Scriptures—it is a technical phrase that articulates a set of priorities and philosophies, which set “Biblical Counseling” apart from “Christian Counseling.” (If you’re interested, here ..read more

“Hi, do you offer premarital counseling to engaged or soon-to-be engaged couples?” I love these emails! 

 Of the many types of counseling encounters here at Philadelphia Renewal Network, premarital counseling often feels like a high point. Couples generally enter these conversations with enthusiasm, anticipating their exciting new life together. And even if there are some difficult issues to work through, the discussions tend to be relatively light, hopeful, and optimistic. “Yes, we offer pre-martial counseling to many couples!” I replied. Of course, it was a typo. In fact, I’m sure ..read more

People often ask me, “What is a Christian Psychiatrist?” I think it’s a fantastic question because there isn’t just one answer, and depending on who you ask you can hear different things. So I’ll give you my personal take on the question. I became a Christian during medical school. I was already studying to be a psychiatrist because I wanted to better understand who people are and why they do what they do. (If you didn’t know, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in mental, emotional, and behavioral ailments.) And then all of the sudden I was beginning to reassess why I di ..read more

Anyone who has worked a night shift knows that you must “keep watch” in at least three directions.

 You watch over the workplace (or the house, perimeter, etc.) My wife kept watch many years as a nightshift nurse, because ICU patients tend to need care outside of bankers’ hours. My friend worked as a night watchman at an office complex, and over the years caught several intruders climbing the fence. During war, watchmen keep their eyes open for the enemy so others can sleep. This watch is why you were hired.

 You watch over yourself. It is tough to stay awake, particularly when there is li ..read more

Friends of Philadelphia Renewal Network, My old mentor had an interesting illustration for the experience of receiving counseling: rocket boosters. You know, those two skinny rockets on either side of the shuttle that propel it out of the atmosphere before falling away, leaving the shuttle and crew to boldly go forward on their mission. Now, of course, in most ways counseling is nothing like a rocket. A therapist generally does not launch you to new heights within a few seconds, and the sessions are (hopefully) not explosive experiences. But. If your church is the shuttle and you are among th ..read more

What does it take to create a culture of mental health awareness in your church or organization? The path may not be easy, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Jessica Cho Kim is a friend of Philadelphia Renewal Network and she helped her church (Grace Ministry NJ) participate in a mental health summit last year. Here she shares her church’s journey of learning to discuss and respond to mental health issues in their midst. Their process: 1) Form a team of informed volunteers 2) Establish a support group 3) Create a local mental health directory 4) Support counseling for their members 5) P ..read more