Our services

Whether you are experiencing a particular struggle or desire personal growth, we approach counseling as a collaborative process where we explore the nature and impact of your concerns and discover together how to address them. Often, this includes considering the past and its impact on the present or attending to underlying issues that are connected to your current concerns. We believe God has already been at work in you and will guide us in aligning ourselves with His ongoing healing and transformation in your life.

Our counseling services are provided by a diverse group of mental health professionals and pastoral counselors who specialize in assessing and addressing thoughts, emotions, behaviors and relationships. We offer services for individuals, couples, children, families and teams in English and Spanish. The specific approach taken in counseling will be tailored to your particular needs and disposition and will incorporate your personal and spiritual strengths. Our desire is for you to experience lasting change so that you can live more fully into who God designed you to be and experience greater freedom in life, relationships, and your work in this world.

Timeframe: Counseling sessions are generally 1-1.5 hours; the number of sessions will vary depending on your needs and counselor recommendation (usually 3-12 sessions)

You might want Counseling if you:

• feel stuck in some aspect of your life that may be impacting your significant relationships or ability to work or care for yourself

• desire growth in significant relationships or need help working through conflict with a friend, family member or colleague

• struggle with any behaviors or habits that are troubling to you or are of a compulsive or addictive nature

• have recently experienced a personal loss, transition or crisis; or you are helping someone else who has experienced these things

• are concerned about a loved one experiencing any of the above

Raising a family while serving on the field can come along with some of the greatest joys and challenges. Undoubtedly, families will experience cross-cultural stresses, seasons, transitions or crises which affect a family's health and functionality. In times such as these, it’s possible to overlook the impact of such challenges and changes on the family as a whole. At times one or more family members may exhibit behaviors which call attention to the fact that the whole family is struggling. While there might be a need for individuals to receive specialized care, this also may be an opportunity to walk together as a family to begin: processing, grounding, and healing. A family debriefing will allow each family member the space to recognize, process and normalize his/her experience. In addition, this setting is designed to: build family identity, affirm family members, and foster connection. The goal of a Family Debriefing is to help the family to move forward in ways that promote health and overall well-being and perhaps thrive in new and unexpected ways.

Timeframe: Family debriefing is normally a single session of 3-4 hours. Prior to the family session a meeting and/or debriefing with the parents is highly recommended. Additional follow-up care may also be recommended.

You might want a Family Debriefing if you:

• Are approaching a major transition as a family (e.g. end or term, home assignment, change of locations, emergency departure)

• Have experienced a family crisis

• Have recently experienced any sort of distressing or disturbing event as a family (e.g. robbed or mugged, political coup, traffic accident, witnessed or experienced violence/abuse, natural disaster)

• Live or minister in a situation where people are faced with overwhelming, chronic stress (e.g. refugees, ill or starving children, aftermath of war or disaster)

Life experiences often leave deep wounds that compromise personal well-being, and if left unattended, may give birth to false beliefs, emotional upheaval, and behaviors that are ultimately destructive. Healing and Intercessory prayer create a safe ministry space, thoroughly dependent on the Holy Spirit to initiate, direct and empower, bringing the healing presence of Jesus Christ into places of pain and brokenness you may be experiencing. During the process of healing prayer, both the source and symptoms of core woundings, whether they be mental, emotional, spiritual, relational, or physical are brought into the light and presence of Jesus, as He alone can truly set you free.

Timeframe: This type of prayer is often offered in 1-3 session groupings, lasting from 1-2 hours each. However, single or longer-term services may be applicable. In-person sessions are preferred, but web-based connection may be available.

You might want Healing or Intercessory Prayer if you:

• are aware that something from your past is hindering you now

• feel there are blockages in your relationship with God and/or others

• are struggling with addiction, depression or other life-controlling issues

• have experienced disappointment, failure or lost dreams

• are experiencing extreme emotions or too little emotion in your life

• sense there is demonic interference in your life

Spiritual direction is a relational ministry with a long and distinguished history in the church. It is based on our expectation that God is actively present in your life, desires to draw you into deeper relationship with himself, and is transforming you into the likeness of Christ. The role of our trained spiritual directors is not so much to “direct,” but to come alongside to help you recognize and respond to God’s initiatives in your life experiences, whether they be internal or external, in times of relative ease or in struggle. Your relationship with God will be the primary focus, important during any season of life, particularly for those serving on the front lines of Kingdom work. Group spiritual direction, and retreat planning and design is also available for groups).

Timeframe: Spiritual direction is traditionally a long-term process, meeting monthly for approximately 1 hour. However, we do offer shorter term services, and retreat direction as well.

You might want Spiritual Direction if you:

• are experiencing a change in your prayer life or relationship with God

• feel stuck in your spiritual life

• have questions or difficult feelings about God or your relationship with him

• have had difficult experiences and are wondering where God is

• want to grow in intimacy with God and in Christlikeness

A spiritual retreat is an intentional withdrawal from the places and demands of everyday life in order to devote ourselves to God. In spiritual retreat we take the example of Jesus, who withdrew frequently to solitary places to pray (cf. Mark 1.35, 6.46; Luke 5.16). During spiritual retreat we give ourselves time and space to attend to what is going on within us so that we can bring ourselves more fully to God. We seek to attend to the Lord, to how he is communicating with us, and to how we are responding.

Timeframe: Spiritual retreats vary in length depending on the purpose of the retreat. Some retreat for a ½ day while others will engage in longer retreats. Our Sentwell staff can assist you in crafting the goals, the structure and the length of your retreat.

You might need a retreat if:

• First, retreats are an important component of any long term plan for spiritual health, so yes, you need a retreat! But here are a few other things to pay attention to...

• You find yourself bumping up against a wall in regard to your intimacy with God

• You find yourself triggered in your primary relationships (work or home)

• You are at the end of an intense season of ministry

• You are preparing for an intense season of ministry

• You are on the threshold of a major life/vocational transition

• Your schedule is controlling you more than you wish it was and you need a “reset”

• You find yourself routinely exhausted and unable to refill, routinely ambivalent about life, or feeling routinely distant from God.

You might be a TCK if….1. You flew in an airplane before you could walk. 2. You freeze when an acquaintance asks “where are you from?”

Growing up “between worlds” is the unique experience of a Third Culture Kid (TCK). TCK’s develop, learn, and grow in a culture that is outside of their parents’ “passport country”. The worldview and identity developed by this experience can be such a gift. However, it also poses challenges along the way: multiple transitions, sense of belonging, griefs…

SentWell’s TCK Care exists to meet TCKs in the midst of the joys and struggles, and to have fun along the way! Usually meetings are characterized by an outing, game or activity which help foster connection and address the TCK experience. This individualized relational ministry connects TCKs with someone who can journey alongside them.

Timeframe: TCK Connection sessions can range from 30minutes-1.5 hours, depending on the location and needs of the TCK. The number of sessions will vary depending on the season, and needs of the TCK (usually 4-12 sessions)

You might want TCK Care if you:

• Want to connect with someone who is interested in YOUR experience

• Want a listening ear and input in your journey

• Are curious about what God has for you in this season

• Are struggling with a sense of belonging or identity

• Are approaching a transition (e.g. end or term, moving to a new school, home assignment, change of locations)

• Are feeling disconnected from family or friends

Significant critical incidents are a fact of life in field work, though we often fail to fully appreciate the depth of their impact on our lives. There is a temptation to “tough it out” and gloss over the struggle, especially as we desire to be strong and resilient for the sake of others. While each person’s experience of trauma is unique, there are also a variety of common patterns of response, including various emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual reactions. A trauma debriefing will allow you to process and normalize your responses in a safe setting, as well as become educated about how to move forward in ways that promote health and overall well-being. Debriefings provide the opportunity to not only regain or retain normal functioning, but also to grow and thrive in new and unexpected ways.

Timeframe: Trauma debriefing is normally a single session of 2-3 hours for an individual, though group or team debriefings can be longer. Additional follow-up care may also be recommended.

You might want Trauma Debriefing if you:

• have recently experienced any sort of distressing or disturbing event (e.g. robbed or mugged, political coup, traffic accident, witnessed or experienced violence/abuse, natural disaster)

• live or minister in a situation where people are faced with overwhelming, chronic stress (e.g. refugees, ill or starving children, aftermath of war or disaster)

• have experienced past events that are still with you in ways that hinder your ability to thrive

3D is a facilitated group discernment process conducted generally over the course of two days to gain clarity, focus and confirmation for next steps in ministry. From a holistic and developmental perspective, we review what we know of the participant; personality and gifting, ministry and life experience, their past and present, and then discover together what God’s invitation is for future ministry. By the end of a 3D, the participant should have a deeper understanding of themselves, God’s particular calling on their life and clear next steps to take on the path He has laid before them.

3D is not an assessment, critique or evaluation of performance, but a group discernment process that facilitates the participants self-understanding, how God has formed and shaped them, and to how to wisely steward the gifts/experiences they’ve been given for future service.

Timeframe: The 3D is a two day process done with an experienced facilitator and 3-4 trusted people from your life and ministry. Typically we meet for two full days where we hear your ministry story, review how God has gifted and called you, examine current ministry options, and listen and discern with you for next steps.

You might need a 3D for:

• Reflecting on how you have developed and grown in both life and ministry;

• Taking stock of how God has wired and gifted you;

• Drawing upon the longings and dreams God has given you for ministry;

• Carefully considering the current and new opportunities and invitations for ministry and growth.

• Assisting you to gain greater focus and direction in responding to God’s specific calling on your life

• Helping you steward your time and talents with more awareness and effectiveness in the years to come