Happy Mother's Day!  Praise be to our God, creator of mothers and babies, whose steadfast love endures forever!  May you know God's presence with you as this special day illuminates His blessings in your lives as well as your longing for yet more wholeness in Him.

My deep interest in mothers and babies and my own experience being a mother have been a major catalyst in my studies, training, and work as a Christian psychologist.  I am the founder and director of Sanctuary Psychological Services in Edmonds, Washington.  Our team of Christian therapists provides services to individuals, couples, and families, and also partners with churches to help believers listen to and receive God's healing word.  Nothing keeps me going like witnessing God's demonstrations of His love and power in the lives of the people we minister to. 

I was raised in the Christian Reformed Church and am grateful for this rich faith heritage.  It was while I was attending Calvin College that I sensed God calling me to become a psychologist who could integrate Christian faith with clinical practice to address the needs of this broken world.  I attended Fuller Theological Seminary and loved the privilege of earning a theology degree along with a PhD in Clinical Psychology.  My time at Fuller blessed me in many ways.  I delighted in the diverse student body (from over 80 nations) and the exposure to a broader spectrum of Christian tradition.  God used this time to provide me with the essential elements of sacrament and liturgy that had been missing in my earlier church experience.  It was also during this season that I gained the friendship of Gino and Cesli Vaccaro, and they introduced me to Leanne Payne's books and Pastoral Care Ministries. 

When I attended PCM, I was overwhelmed with the joyful sense of having come home.  Throughout my adult life, I've pursued personal growth and healing.  The only way I can truly teach and minister is from my own experience, and I know both the suffering and joy of being made new.  Without a doubt, Mrs. Payne's writings and ministry have been the most significant channel through which God has healed my soul and transformed my life.  I am humbled and overjoyed to have the privilege of serving God through the Ministries of Pastoral Care.