Counseling Philosophy

There are three words in our statement of purpose that give texture to its meaning: Gospel-centered, pastoral, and accessible. By being Gospel-centered, we mean that we are devoted to helping others experience the redemptive power of God’s kindness.  The Scriptures say, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19).  The good news of the Gospel message is that sin and suffering are not the point, and it should not ‘own’ us.  Sin and suffering do matter, and we help those we work with to suffer well and to see, name and be impacted by their sin and other’s sin against them.  This is hard work.  We often do not want to suffer well or to see the impact of sin whether it is sin we are culpable for or sin others commit against us.  We tend to minimize or over exaggerate sin and suffering in this world.  To thoughtfully discern the impact of sin and suffering and to turn to Christ is often the first step in good pastoral counseling.  God’s love is larger than the “fallenness” of this world.  As we recognize and name the sin and suffering in our world and turn to Christ he wants to help us experience redemption.  Therefore, we attempt to saturate our teaching and counseling with the Gospel message while encouraging counselees with the hope that they do not have to shut down over the impact or consequences of sin and suffering because God in Christ is committed to helping us experience redemption. 

            Webster’s dictionary defines “pastoral” as “relating to or characterized by the care of grazing animals, especially sheep and goats.”  A shepherd directs sheep away from dangerous or foolish paths, leads them to places of nourishment (green pastures and rivers), and protects them from predators.  Pastoral counselors perform similar functions as they direct others towards the Lord.  Our name, Daymark, reflects this aspect of our mission.  A daymark is the distinct color and shape of a buoy that makes it visible during the daylight for mariners to recognize it.  At night a buoy is identified by its flashing light, but during the day it is identified by its daymark (its color and shape).  Its daymark is what makes a buoy identifiable in daylight so that the mariner can discern where he is and where he is going.  As believers, we walk in the light, not in darkness, but we still sometimes need a marker or guide – a daymark – to help lead us in the right direction.  God’s ways can be difficult to accept, or hard to discern, for those who are looking to Him for guidance.  As fallen human beings, we need help accepting and discerning the unique ways God is speaking to us and leading us along the path of redemption.   In the same way that a daymark makes a buoy recognizable in order to point the way, wise counsel during difficulty highlights or helps to make known the ways of God.  We aim to be pastoral by helping Christians who are facing difficulty to recognize and respond to the leading and care of God.