Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Counseling the Lord's Way

Welcome to " Counseling the Lord's Way " Ministries. On this page are a number of questions which are frequently asked of us about counseling, mediation and coaching. To learn more about our Counseling Center click on HOME above.

Frequently Asked Questions
"We Counsel-God Heals"

The following are questions that visitors to our site often want answers to:

What training does the Counselor at Counseling the Lord's Way Ministries have?

Is everything that I tell the counselor confidential?

My problem is very sensitive and I don't know if I'll be able to discuss it.

My husband and I can't discuss our problems without fighting can we be counseled separately?

What does it cost for a counseling session?

I've been to counseling before with a secular counselor, what would be different going to you?

Do you have child care or can I bring my children?

Can I bring another person with me to counseling?

What exactly is mediation and what kinds of problems do you mediate?

I am from a different Religion than you are. How will that influence counseling?

I am not a Christian. Can I still come to your Counseling Center?

I've been told that I should only go to an LPC or State Licensed Professional Counselor. Does it make a difference?

I am on medication for my problem and I want to get off, can you help me with that?

I am addicted to pornography. How can you help me?

I just went through a tough divorce and it is affecting me and my children. Can you be of help?

I have recently lost my spouse and am very depressed can counseling be of help for my depression?

My husband wants sex all the time but I don't. Can you tell him to leave me alone?

I was sexually abused when I was very young and it is affecting my marriage significantly. Can your counseling help me overcome this problem?

I am suffering from PTSD and am having flashbacks and panic attacks? What can I do?

I am burned out with my work and need a new job or new start, do I need counseling or coaching?

I'm doing o.k. in my general life but I seem to procrastinate a lot so that I never seem to get a lot done and it's making me very frustrated. This is a lifetime problem. Is there a solution to this?

I can't seem to stop crying and seem anxious all the time. I don't know why. Can counseling help me?

What does mediation cost?

I am engaged to be married. Is marriage counseling really of any value?

My problem is not spiritual can you handle it?

I don't have a church home right now, can you help me?

Are your beliefs compatible with mine?

If you have a question that is not covered in the FAQs please email us and we will be happy to answer your question.

What training does the Counselor at Counseling the Lords Way have? Dr.Wayne has had extensive training in Psychology, counseling, ministry, mediation and professional life coaching and brings a variety of experiences into the counseling situation. You can see a brief sketch of his training at About US. You can review his Religious Beliefs at Our Beliefs. You can learn more about his approach to counseling at Why Christian/Pastoral Counseling? (Back to List)

Is everything that I tell the counselor confidential? From both a pastoral and a counseling standpoint your communications with the counselor including any written record he makes are considered privileged information. We will not share anything that you tell us with anyone else unless we have your specific written permission to do so.   So, you are free to discuss anything with us without fear or anxiety. We are legally protected as a minister from divulging what you say, and we are ethically bound from our association with our counseling organizations likewise to not disclose anything you reveal. There is one exception if we are acting only as your counselor and not as your minister and that is that if we become aware of child abuse, elder abuse or potential harm to self or another person we are legally and morally bound to reveal this information to appropriate authorities. We will discuss this with you at our first meeting to be sure you are aware of our limitations of confidentiality. (Back to List)

My problem is very sensitive and I don't know if I'll be able to discuss it. It is important for you to understand that we deal with extremely sensitive problems which people face all the time. You are not unique in having a problem that is difficult to discuss. We understand that knowing this does not necessarily make it easier for you to be open and discuss your situation. We are aware of how sensitive some problems may be and we will take every effort to help you deal with your problem. We will take as long as necessary to allow you to become comfortable enough to be able to discuss and work on your problem. We do not judge people, we only try to help them, God's Way. (Back to List)

My husband and I can't discuss our problems without fighting can we be counseled separately?
It is very frequent when husbands and wives cannot talk out certain problems together. That is often why they are seeking counseling. Sometimes we find that a few sessions being counseled apart before coming together is sufficient to allow them to learn to communicate adequately. Sometimes it takes longer. But, yes we can counsel couples separately and usually will do so at a single fee that is the same as if they were being counseled together. One of our goals is to get them to be able to talk to each other so that they can, in the future, work on their problems together when they are not with a counselor. (Back to List)

What does it cost for a counseling session? The cost of counseling varies greatly dependent on the location, education and experience of the counselor and type of counseling.   Our goal is to make it affordable for anyone who has a need. Therefore, we have recently changed our method of charging from a sliding scale based on weekly income of the family to a charge for the initial visit and then for future appointments accepting whatever the client is able to pay (a donation or gift). In general, the normal charge for counseling in this area runs between $125 and $160 per 45 minute session.  Our regular charge was $95 per session descending dependent on income. Now, it is a one time charge of $130 for the first session and donations for all subsequent sessions. The number of counseling sessions varies greatly depending on the problem and the type of counseling necessary. On the average we find clients requiring between 5 and 12 sessions for moderate problems. More information on the cost of counseling and other services can be found at Counseling Fee Schedule. (Back to List)

I've been to counseling before with a secular counselor, what would be different going to you?
One of the primary differences is that we believe in the effect of sin and that moving away from and against biblical teachings of God affects ones thinking and behavior in such a way as to disrupt life. We believe that God put us on earth with specific inborn ways of responding to the world and that when we act in ways other than those intended by God we come into conflict and stress. We will help you identify your God given expectancies and contrast them with your current actions to find out what is disrupting your life and then we find what changes can be made to bring your life and behavior back into balance. We pray with and for our clients and examine their lives in relation to scripture to help them recover or find the best path for their life. A more extensive explanation in the differences in counseling types can be found at Why Pastoral/Christian Counseling?     (Back to List)

Do you have child care or can I bring my children? No, We do not have the facilities to take care of children. We recommend that you find day care for you children and arrange for them to be taken care of for at least 60 minutes plus your traveling time past the end time of your appointment since occasionally appointments do run over and it is preferable that appointments not be interrupted. Counseling is not a place for children unless family counseling is being conducted. Your full attention is needed during the counseling session in order to get the best outcome and this is not possible with children present.
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Can I bring another person with me to counseling? Unless the person is essential to the counseling problem at hand or the person is part of a couple in couples counseling or part of the family in family counseling, we discourage bringing anyone else with you. We do have a waiting room, however, we believe that in general your friend or relative will be more comfortable elsewhere. If someone else is important to the process of counseling we may specifically ask them to accompany you, but in general individual counseling is a one on one process. This is important for confidentiality as well as for allowing the counselee more freedom to be open and honest. (Back to List)

What exactly is mediation and what kinds of problems do you mediate? Mediation is a problem solving process which is often used instead of litigation. That is, instead of using lawyers and the public courts, two or more parties decide that they can resolve a problem outside of the courts using an independent person who is not involved with any of the groups but who is trained in aiding people or groups to come to mutual resolutions. We have been trained to provide mediation from a Christian perspective as is directed by scripture for problem solving among Christians. There are numerous kinds of problems that arise within families churches or other organizations you can find some examples at Mediation.    (Back to List)

I am from a different Religion than you are. How will that influence counseling? Probably, Not at all. Although it is common for our clients to want us to pray with them or for them, we leave it up to the client. Our methodology often includes reference to scripture and what it means for life and we are open to the discussion of scriptural interpretation. Our methods are backed up by scriptural reference in each case. Generally we find that people from a variety of religions and denominations are able to work perfectly well with the methods and procedures we provide.  We do not discriminate among denominations in providing counseling, but our methodolgy and beliefs are grounded in Christianity. (Back to List)

I am not a Christian. Can I still come to your Counseling Center? We don't discriminate, between Christians and non-Christians. However, our beliefs do influence our counseling and we find that non-Christians are often interested in hearing about Christian beliefs and find the counseling methods to be perfectly acceptable and useful for them for whatever problem they are trying to resolve.  Please understand that our counseling is Pastoral in nature and therefore depends significantly upon our belief system. It is our conviction that scripture and Christianity have significant direction for life and for improving ones ability to cope with life's crises and situations. (Back to List)

I've been told that I should only go to an LPC or State Licensed Professional Counselor. Does it make a difference? There are several different types of counselors and Licensing processes as discussed above. The LPC is the designation chosen by the state to certify that practitioners meet certain training requirements which the government believes are necessary for a helper status. State law exempts Ministers and Pastors from requirements for limited types of training and restrictions placed upon LPCs. Thus, a minister may be equally well trained and capable as a state licensed counselor or psychologist, but not meet certain requirements that state licensed practitioners must meet. To be designated an LPC does not necessarily mean that a practitioner is superior in any way to a non-LPC pastoral counselor. Many very capable counselors choose to go the ministerial route rather than the LPC route because they believe that behavior cannot be understood without considering the spiritual side of the person. Whether or not you go to a State Licensed practitioner or to a practitioner with biblical training may depend on what you believe about the contribution of Christianity is to your behavior and problems. Most Christians would agree that their beliefs are important to and have significant impact on all aspects of behavior and all life issues. We believe that behavior or thinking change is incomplete without taking into account one's religious beliefs and many LPCs or state licensed practioners do not or cannot, due to legal/ethical demands, take these important aspects of life into account. This is explained in more detail in Why Pastoral/Christian Counseling?   (Back to List)

I am on medication for my problem and I want to get off, can you help me with that? Most psychiatrists and physicians who deal with behavior or psychological problems encourage their patients to seek counseling in conjunction with medication to help resolve their problems. Sometimes medications are necessary to allow the individual to actually learn to achieve changes in their behavior. Some psychiatrists do their own counseling but the majority do not and refer to counselors to aide behavior change. Research shows that the combination of medications and therapy often work better than medications alone. Sometimes counseling or therapy can provide sufficient changes in behavior or environmental circumstances that a client is able to reduce or eliminate their medications after a period of time. We cannot guarantee that this would be the case in any particular situation. There is some possibility that reduction or elimination of medications could occur at some point. Some Christians believe that because they are Christians they should not have to take medication...that they should be cured by faith alone. We believe that God allowed man to discover medications to aide him in achieving necessary changes in some cases, while in others behavior changes can be achieved without medication. (Back to List)

I am addicted to pornography. How can you help me? There is an increasingly large percentage of the population that is being caught up in pornography or other sexual addictions today. We have been specifically trained and hold certificates in both Christian healthy sexuality and treatment of sexual addictions. This is not an easy area of therapy, but can be successfully treated by a multi-modal therapy process relying heavily on Christian beliefs and processes. This problem is reaching epidemic proportions and having very negative impact on marriages and families equally throughout both the Christian community and the secular community. We are glad to hear of your desire to escape from this problem since pornography and other sexual addictions are strongly progressive and potentially deadly disorders. Often we find that part if not all of the reason for pornography addiction is related to spiritual deficits and spiritual warfare. We can help you find a way to fight back against this devastating problem. (Back to List)

I just went through a tough divorce and it is affecting me and my children. Can you be of help? There are many side effects on those who go through divorce, some that affect the parents and others that carry over to the children. Some of these effects can be very devastating if not dealt with appropriately. Our work with divorced parents or divorced singles can help them to better deal with their individual effects and help them to cope better with the major changes that accompany divorce. God loves his people, but he hates it when he sees them in trouble leading to divorce. He has given us tools to overcome the problems in marital life including divorce. We can help families to adjust to the changes that they can expect both in terms of absent parents and perhaps later as step families. We encourage people expecting a divorce to seek counseling even before the divorce takes place in order to head off some of the potential devastating effects that can be experienced. Occasionally we will offer Fresh Start classes on dealing with Life After Divorce. (Back to List)

I have recently lost my spouse and am very depressed can counseling be of help for my depression? I am so sorry to hear about your loss. It is expected when we lose a loved one that depression will occur. We typically have to go through a very specific grief process after a loss and part of that includes periods of depression. These period of depression vary in frequency and depth depending on the individual. We can help you understand the grief process, learn when your depression or other responses are normal or abnormal. We can help you learn ways to cope with your new life without your loved one, and help you deal with anger, anxiety and self blame which often accompany a loss. There are many changes in life after a major loss and there is a great deal of learning necessary to overcome the loss. You can make and with God's help we can make easier for you. (Back to List)

My husband wants sex all the time but I don't. Can you tell him to leave me alone? Sure we could tell him to leave you alone, but it probably wouldn't do a lot of good for either of you. We find that when a situation such as yours arises there are usually much deeper problems in the marriage or with each individual that are simply being reflected in this particular aspect of the relationship. This is an area which affects Christians as much as non-Christian. God has a lot of instruction for us on marriage and even sexual relations in His word. We have extensive training in this area. We can help you discover and understand what is going on and how you and and husband can learn to have a sexual life pleasing to God and to each other. This understanding usually aids couples in resolving many of their problems including those related to affection and sexuality. If the problem is primarily sexual in nature our counselor is certified to deal with all aspects of normal and abnormal sexual behavior. (Back to List)

I was sexually abused when I was very young and it is affecting my marriage significantly. Can your counseling help me overcome this problem? I am sorry to hear about your past abuse. It is a much too common problem and can be very devastating for the individual and their spouse. A large number of our clients, male and female, have past histories of sexual abuse. Successful therapy for this type of problem can be very liberating for the individual and for the marriage. Many individuals and couples have been helped by the kind of counseling we provide. God knows the hurt you feel, and can provide loving healing for you and in some case full recovery to a normally functioning marital life. We would love to have the opportunity to help you begin to overcome these experience and their associated problems. Be assured that we have extensive training in the areas of Sexuality and Sexual problems. (Back to List)

I am suffering from PTSD and am having flashbacks and panic attacks? What can I do? In a military town such as this there are many people suffering from PTSD, some from war related others from attacks on their person, and still others from accidents or other types of exposure to traumatic events. There are several steps you can take to help with these problems and especially with the emotions and anxiety that is usually associated with experiences that bring on PTSD. We can help you get started and provide specific counseling therapy that deals with the effects that are common to PTSD sufferers. We have extensive training in dealing with Stress and Traumatic Experience situations along with Pastoral Care in Disaster Relief. (Back to List)

I am burned out with my work and need a new job or new start, do I need counseling or coaching? It is likely that coaching can help you resolve your burn-out and get on a more productive track. In the process of coaching we may determine that counseling is required for some specific problems like anxiety or depression. But, often we find that unless these are severe they take care of themselves as the person begins to reduce their burnout and learns new ways of dealing with their job or getting involved in new things that better fit their personality. Often there are underlying emotional and behavioral factors and personality characteristics that predispose a person to burnout. Once these are isolated new learning and behavior patterns can be established to reduce or eliminate the threat of burnout. (Back to List)

I'm doing o.k. in my general life, but I seem to procrastinate a lot so that I never seem to get a lot done and it's making me very frustrated. This is a lifetime problem. Is there a solution to this? Yes. Generally our coaching program can examine your current life patterns and help you develop stronger and more efficient ways of dealing with the things you have to accomplish. Often procrastination is due to specific fears and anxieties that can be overcome. Procrastination can be a devastating behavioral problem that limits success and may even lead to loss of jobs or demotions. It is not unusual for clients to find themselves happier and more successful in a relatively short period of time after training to overcome their fears and anxieties that lead to procrastination. If in the process of learning to overcome procrastination counseling for other factors seem warranted we may be able to get you on the right track to dealing with those issues as well. (Back to List)

I can't seem to stop crying and seem anxious all the time. I don't know why. Can counseling help me? Crying all the time and not knowing why is often a symptom of depression. Depression can occur for many reasons, some medical, some psychological. The most common diagnosis in counseling includes some level of depression. Sometimes depression requires a course of medication or changes in current medication, but if it is not primarily medical in origin often it can be treated with counseling or counseling in combination with medication. It would be worth your while to seek out counseling for a behavioral diagnosis or see your medical doctor first to rule out a physiological cause and then see your counselor. (Back to List)

What does mediation cost? Whereas lawyers charge an hourly fee for their work, Mediation is usually done by non-lawyer mediators for a flat fee. Our fee covers all aspects of the mediation between two parties as long as the mediation is typical. We charge $600 for a mediation between individuals, half paid by each party in advance. The typical mediation will be handled in a single session of four to six hours after extensive fact gathering. If additional sessions are required an additional charge may be involved. If there are additional parties involved or the parties involved are large corporations with complex negotiations necessary the charge will be negotiated. Pre-mediation training which prepares clients for participation in mediation under another mediator usually lasts for a few hours and is available for $100. See more information about Mediation Charges at Fee Schedules. (Back to List)

I am engaged to be married. Is pre-marital counseling really of any value? Most couples who undergo marriage counseling or pre-marital counseling find it extremely valuable. The divorce rate today is so high often due to unreal expectations of individuals who get married and an inability to cope with the changes that occur. Premarital counseling or marriage counseling can supply tools which make a marriage much easier, smoothes out the bumps and helps when the really bad times come along. The most common problems involve communication, finances, children and sexuality. The solutions to problems in these areas are not necessarily natural to us but there are biblical solutions which can prepare you to handle the problems and modify expectations. (Back to List)

My problem is not spiritual, can you handle it? We deal with a large variety of individual and family problems many of which on the surface do not appear spiritual in nature, so it is very likely that we can help you. We use a wide variety of techniques and methods to help people resolve their issues. If we find that our help is not sufficient we have a variety of resources to which we can refer. That takes the burden of seeking help off of you. Some of the reasons people seek counseling with us are listed below at Reasons for Counseling. (Back to List)

I don't have a church home right now, can you help me?. Many Christians don't have a church home, are between churches, or don't have a pastor that they feel they can turn to when problems arise. If you are not currently in a church or don't you have a pastor you can meet with, but you seek a Biblical solution to your frustrations, misery and stress, we can help. We are waiting for your call. (Back to List)

Are your beliefs compatible with mine? As an interdenominational, Christian, Bible-based Ministry we serve clients from many different denominations. If you want to know if our beliefs are compatible with yours go to Our Beliefs. Even if we may differ in some areas, please understand, we do not impose our beliefs or ideas on anyone else, and typically these differences do not affect the outcome of counseling. They simply serve as the basis for our methodology and practice and we are happy to counsel with people who differ from us in their basic beliefs. (Back to List)

Contact Information

Telephone: 478-719-3054 or 478-714-6558
FAX: 478-783-3001
Postal address: 4501 Russell Parkway, Suite 29, Warner Robins, GA 31088
Electronic mail: General Information: DrWayne@counselingthelordsway.com
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Customer Support:
Webmaster: DrWayne@counselingthelordsway.com

Contact Information

Send mail to DrWayne@counselingthelordsway.com with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2007 Counseling the Lord's Way Last modified: 10/04/09

Send mail to DrWayne@counselingthelordsway.com with questions or comments about this
web site.
Copyright © 2007 Counseling the Lord's Way
Last modified: 10/04/09