Leader to Leader Counselling

The European Leadership Forum draws together leaders from a variety of settings and countries. Some are isolated geographically whilst many others experience the isolation that generally accompanies leadership. Who is there to listen to the struggles of such individuals?  Who is there to pray with them? Often, no one. And yet, the truth of the matter is that all leaders need someone to listen to and love them.

Over the years, many Forum participants have encouraged Forum leadership to create an opportunity for experienced leaders and counsellors at the Forum can get together with and listen to other leaders who want and need to talk and pray.  Forum Leader to Leader Counselling was created in response to this request.

Ann Blaser has a BS and MA in Education and was a teacher in the public school system. While raising two children she began leading and teaching in Bible Study Fellowship, a leading international organisation for getting lay Christians studying the Bible. She has taught a weekly Bible study for 400 to 500 women for 20 years, and led and trained a 60-person leadership team for this ministry. She has been responsible for recruiting and training leaders in how to understand God’s word, and how to shepherd groups of Christians to maturity.

Nanette Helm is a former public school teacher with her BA and Master of Education. She is married with three adult children who are walking with the Lord. She has lead a Mom’s in Touch prayer ministry and helped lead a church prayer ministry for many years. For the past 23 years she has helped lead a Bible Study Fellowship class through a number of roles. Currently she is the teaching leader teaching the book of John to a class of 380 women in Indianapolis.

Glynn Harrison is Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Bristol. He was formerly a consultant clinical psychiatrist, a past president of the International Federation of Psychiatric Epidemiology, and he has acted as advisor the UK department of Health and WHO. He is a lay minister and leads the men’s ministry in his church. He lectures widely on pastoral issues, human sexuality, and the interface between mental health and spirituality.

Dafydd Job is the pastor of the Bangor Welsh Evangelical Church. He began studying zoology at University, but changed to study theology when he felt a call to the Christian Ministry. He has been in the pastoral ministry since 1979, and had been the pastor of his present church since it was formed in 1985. He serves on the UCCF Trust Board, and was chairman of the Welsh Language work of the Evangelical Movementm of Wales for 10 years. He is chairman of the Advisory Board of WEST ( Wales Evangelical School of Theology) He has also visited a number of countries in Eastern Europe to preach, teach and encourage pastors and students. He has three children and one grandson.

Michael W Murphy is the founder and director of Crossroads Community Counseling, a nonprofit Christian counseling center in Naperville and Aurora, Illinois. He is also the Pastor of Care and Counseling at Crossroads Church. Michael’s education includes an EdD in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University/American School of Professional Psychology, an MA in Educational Ministry from Wheaton College and a BA in Religious Studies from Concordia University College of Alberta. He is an active member of the Society for Christian Psychology, serving on a subcommittee focusing on clinical applications of the academic efforts of the Society. Michael, together with his wife, Valerie, presents professional workshops on the foundations of Christian counseling gleaned from their study and understanding of Genesis.  They also provide marital workshops and retreats, as well as, leading a lay care ministry and an addictions recovery program in their large, suburban church.

Valerie Murphy’s life work is focused on the encouragement of those she serves through Christian counseling based on the holistic loving of God with all one’s heart, mind, soul and strength, and the loving of others and ourselves as Christ loved us.  The grounding of her work comes from a Genesis-based world view delineating the broken patterns that draw us toward the world and then offering the redemptive patterns that lead us back into our true identity in Christ, with all that this entails. Valerie is a professionally licensed counselor with an MA in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College and is a certified spiritual director out of Christos and has completed Dr. Larry Crabb’s School of Spiritual Direction course.  She is a member and presenter for the American Association of Christian Counselors and the Society for Christian Psychology as well as; a column writer, a spiritual devotional leader, and on the Spirituality Committee for the latter. She is also founder and director of Foundation Counseling and Training.  Valerie and her husband, Michael, present their work at international conferences and also provide marital workshops and retreats, as well as, lead a lay care ministry and a recovering joy church service with addiction and codependency recovery groups running simultaneously

Lori Pritchard is a therapist in individual, marital, and family counselling in the Chicago area. She works with clients who have little spiritual interest as well as those who pursue Christian counselling. She is also involved in prayer ministry and mentoring in areas of education, discipleship and ministry. She has MA’s in Theology and Clinical Psychology from Wheaton Graduate School and has been in practice for 11 years.

Judy Streeter and her husband Tom have worked to develop churches that emphasise worship, community, small groups, sound teaching, discipleship, and meaningful engagement with culture. Believing that evangelism and the strength of the church are only as effective as the disciple-making process, she has developed materials to facilitate women in properly nurturing growth in others.  Her book, Disciplemaking: Doing What Christ Commanded, summarises her understanding and passion in this area.  Music occupies a high place in Judy’s life in the church and as a teacher and performer. Always ready to travel, she and Tom have led Reformation tours in Europe.

Tom Streeter is the teaching elder of the church he began in Zionsville, Indiana, in 1981. Having planted churches in Illinois and Indiana, his 45 years of pastoral ministry have been characterised by a devotion to developing disciples within the context of the church. Whether training believers in participatory worship, meaningful relationships, cultural engagement, or a vigorous life of the mind, he has a passion for right thinking and authentic living. His lifelong study in theology, the church, and history has included leading several Reformation tours in Europe along with his wife, Judy.

Richard Winter is currently Professor of Practical Theology and Director of Covenant Seminary’s counseling program in St Louis, MO, USA, where he trains church leaders and professional counselors. Richard is British and before going to Covenant, served as staff and director of the English L’Abri Fellowship for 14 years.  He is a qualified medical doctor with a specialty in psychiatry. He has served in a variety of pastoral and teaching leadership roles in the church.  His new book, When Life Goes Dark: Finding Hope in the midst of Depression, will be published in 2012 by IVP. He is the author of Perfecting Ourselves to Death: The Pursuit of Excellence and the Perils of Perfectionism, IVP, April 2005; Still Bored in a Culture of Entertainment: Rediscovering Passion and Wonder, IVP, 2002; Choose Life, A study of abortion and other reproductive technologies (Out of Print), and professional journal articles.  He is married, with four children and seven grandchildren.

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