Many times, I use this platform to share therapeutic interventions and skills that can help you in day to day, but there are times that call for a more personal entry.
Part of the reason I acted in faith and chose to start Alpas was that I had felt God leading me towards doing so for several years. At first, it was a quiet whisper...a thought here or there...but over the last year, that thought became a passion, which led to a vision, which led to a call to obedience.
Obedience to Christ can be scary. I will be the first to admit that saying "yes" to God's leading is not always easy. When it became clear to my family and me that God was leading us to create Alpas, there were several situations in my life that I knew would have to change...good things that would have to be let go of in order to allow for Alpas to become a reality. Through the support of our small group, friends, and family we were able to remain strong in our resolve and those steps were taken. I have seen God open many doors since I said "yes" to opening Alpas. I have seen Him encourage me in the difficult moments through a friend, a song, a random text. But, even with all of these moments of encouragement, there are still hard times. It is those moments that God reminds me of why He led me to create Alpas in the first place. The motivation behind Alpas was multifaceted, but the main reason was to allow me to offer integrative Christian counseling. The heart of Alpas is to offer not only therapeutic healing but also to open the door to learning about Jesus and His gift of salvation. I wanted it to be clear where I stood as a counselor so that clients did not have to question my background or beliefs. I did not do this so that people would feel judged or pressured into believing something...no, I did this because I wanted them to know the love of Jesus. There have been countless times where I have encountered a client that was in the worst hurt of their lives, but I could not share the one thing that I knew would truly help them. So, I created a place where I could have that option. If a client asks and wants to know (notice I said ask because it is not forced) then I have the opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus along with wonderful healing therapeutic techniques. I am not implying that our hurts will be magically solved by believing in Jesus...nor is that implied in God's word. What I am saying is that belief in Jesus builds the foundation for true healing. Without Him, we are relying solely on ourselves to work through our hard moments.
I also wanted to create a place where therapy felt attainable and easy to grasp. So many times, I feel that therapy can seem confusing and overwhelming. I wanted to provide a place where my theory was clear (Cognitive Behavioral Theory) and where clients would be given skills that they could apply to help them continue to make positive changes long after therapy is complete.
This is the heart behind Alpas Counseling PLLC. It is my sincere hope that this company will open the door for healing to take place in many lives. We are here to serve. Until next time, wishing you joy and blessings.
~Samantha
