Author: Dominick Flarey

I Believe, Therefore I Understand

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counselors As Guides Towards Faith

For centuries the debate of faith versus reason has gone back and forth.  Aquinas and Augustine championed the Christian metaphysical views. Later they were challenged by the Empiricists and Logical Positivists who denied the existence of anything that cannot be physically verified.  In return, various Christian apologetics responded that one cannot study metaphysics as a physical science for it transcends science and the tools of science cannot comprehend or measure it.  The purpose of today’s blog is not to be a course study in apologetics, but instead is intended for Christians who already believe, or may sometimes feel doubt in their faith.  Hence today’s blog is more pastoral.  Christian Counselors will find many spiritual children who may doubt their faith but not have surrendered it.  Today we present some thoughts regarding counseling the doubtful.

First and foremost, any doubt against faith is from Satan who wishes to uproot our faith in Christ.  While it is always good to question in order to become stronger, it is never good to doubt what you question when it comes to the faith of Christ.  St. Augustine stated that he “believes so therefore he can understand”.
How can one dare to understand the deepest mysteries of the Trinity, our origins and the many other mysteries that are our faith?  Only extreme hubris would attempt to understand the infinite mysteries of faith.  Instead we must accept faith and then hope to understand.  God will not grant sacred illumination to the proud or the intellectuals who hope from a finite perspective to divulge the infinite.  Wisdom is given to those who humbly accept not the pompus and obnoxious minds of our generation.

So, as a child, one must accept what God has revealed.  This is a supernatural gift, the gift of faith.  It is a virtue that is instilled into our souls at Baptism and it grows as we grow in our love of God.  While intellectuals may scoff at such childlike dependency and present scientific findings that seem to contradict faith, one who is guided by God finds no doubt.  While the empiricists search the lower essence of man for answers, the gift of faith enables even children to search the higher levels of man’s essence for answers.
Is this to discredit science? Is this to discredit reason?  Absolutely not!  Reason is quite useful in understanding why we believe.  However, reason and the intellect can only go so far.  The will then must assent to the grace of the Holy Spirit to bridge the gap between finite and infinite.  Science, as a profane study, can never reach the lofty heights of theology as a science because it cannot operate in the metaphysical realm.  It lacks the spiritual lens and is incapable of working with the grace of God.  Its study belongs to the observable but this study is not in contradiction to faith.  It leads to faith.  Only those who hope to destroy faith, utilize science as a tool to undermine it.  For if God is author of both faith and science, then both are truth but at different levels.
So, we again attest, faith before reason because faith and metaphysics is the highest science.  Through faith, God allows us to understand.  Is not one of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit understanding?  Only after the infusion of the theological virtue of faith, can the gifts of the Holy Spirit manifest.  It is thus through Baptism that we become equipped with the necessary tools to believe.
While some psychologists may attempt to classify faith as a pathological state, in which some cases it can be, one cannot undermine true faith.  True faith does not harm the other faculties of the soul.  The intellect still responds rationally and the mind is at peace.  There are cases where “faith” seems to uproot the rationale mind.  These cases are not true faith for they cause division within the mind of man and cause pathological disorder.
So when doubt occurs, the Christian must embrace this powerful gift.  The virtue of faith is fed by the Holy Spirit and any Christian who faces doubt must submit his will to God.  This trial can at times be difficult.  It may be presented by a seeming paradox between science and faith or a mystery that one cannot completely comprehend.  In these cases, allow the power of faith to heal the doubt and produce peace.  These things are not meant for us to understand or comprehend.  Christian Counselors do not need to present a solid  presentation every time one feels a loss of hope, but instead they need to direct that person to prayer and allow the Holy Spirit to bring calm and then understanding.
The understanding may not even be of the particular mystery but an understanding that one is not meant to comprehend this mystery at that time.  This prayer can also soothe the soul in reinforcing God’s presence.  The sense of God’s presence can soothe the childlike mind.  When a parent holds a child who is traumatized, the child’s peace and security is not because he understands the situation but only the warmth and presence of the parent.  Faith works this way and removes the fear and gives peace.
As one assents to the powers of faith and allows its particular spiritual fragrance to subdue the soul, one will gradually grow deeper and deeper into spirituality and the mystical realm.  One’s spiritual eyes will open and God’s revelation and words will grow.  Ultimately, a peace will overtake the soul as a result of God’s presence.

We must have faith that what is unseen will one day be seen.  In the meantime, God has given us supernatural gifts that alleviate the finite mind’s worry.  Ultimately, let us be rewarded for our faith when Christ’s promise is fulfilled:  “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet still believe”
If you are interested in taking Christian Counseling Courses, please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA

Certified Christian Counseling: Do We See Christ In Everyone?

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Certified Christian Counseling:  For The Least Of My Brethren?

Christian Counseling needs to restate the divine mandate from Christ that echoes in our minds whenever we see someone in trouble that when “you do it for the least of your brethren, you do it for me”.
Christ used numerous references emphasizing the acts of mercy throughout Scripture.  Most notably, the parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates how someone should go beyond the norm to help one’s brother who is in trouble, danger or need.
From a modern perspective, nothing has changed.  We are still commanded to care for others and help those in need.  While I would not suggest endangering one’s life by picking up a hitchhiker or endangering your family’s needs by giving all your funds away, I do suggest a closer look at what matters most.   Yes, we are commanded to give to the Church that ten percent and our spiritual talents, but do we just give the minimum?  What do we owe a God who not only created us, but died for us?  We owe him much more than the mere minimum.
In understanding this, we need to examine what else we can do for the Church and the least of our brethren.  God is far from asking that we forfeit our entire inheritance, but he is asking that we examine our choices and what we do very closely.   How materialistic are we when we spend unneeded amounts of money on clothing when there is a homeless shelter down the road with individuals who would gladly wear our scraps?  Do we help clothe the naked in that regard?
What about when we waste our food?  Do we think of feeding the hungry?  Or do our over excessive desires lead us to over priced dinning experiences while the starving man down the road raids the restaurant dumpster?
We are called to a much higher standard and unfortunately materialism leads us to excess and blinds us of spiritual treasures.  It also blinds us to the one’s we do not see that are suffering everyday.  Why not sacrifice one week of a fine dinning experience and instead donate or give food to a shelter with that “extra” money?
Finally, I feel we sometimes only regard treating the least of brethren as another Christ to only a homeless man shivering in the snow or a starving child in a third world nation.  How do we treat other people we interact with each day?  Do we treat other people with respect as we would treat Christ?  Are we polite, genuinely caring and open to their concerns and worries?  Do we yell and scream at a person, if while driving, he or she cuts us off?  Do we maliciously mock someone and downgrade others for sport?  Do we not offer our time and help to those who need a simple favor?
If we deny these people who have small needs throughout the day, then we are failing Christ’s command.  Simply by  bringing someone a coffee at work, or offering someone that extra buck for lunch fulfills this divine command!
If you are interested in Christian Counseling Courses, please review the program. If you are interested in doing certified Christian Counseling, then please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA

Guilt: A Natural Reaction to Sin

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling Must Utilize The True End of Guilt Which Is Contrition

The sting of guilt can drive one to many roads.  Christian Counselors want to ensure that guilt drives one to remorse in a healthy spiritual way.   Too many times,  guilt can drive one to the extremes of depression or suicide.  One merely needs to remember the sin of Judas and how guilt instead of bringing him back to Christ, misled him to despair.  Christian Counseling must always be alert adverse reactions to guilt.
Guilt is a good thing, at least initially.  Guilt is a natural reaction within a certain and well formed conscience.  Unlike doubtful or even ill formed consciences which guide the sinner away from guilt, a healthy conscience understands the nature of an evil action.  This type of conscience will constantly whisper into the inner soul of the sinner, reminding him of his offense.  Unable to escape the all present voice of truth, the sinner eventually faces his guilt with remorse and contrition.  This of course is the healthy and intended way by Our Lord to handle sin.  Guilt leads to contrition.
However, as noted above, sometimes guilt can lead to suicide or despair.  This is not the intention of guilt but a distortion of it by Satan.  The prince of lies will utilize a mechanism that is meant to bring one closer to God and sabotage  it.  The sinner then instead of seeking repentance will find despair or grow so weary from the constant guilt, that he will run away and flee this emotion.  The sinner will then find solace in false doctrines of indifferentism or attempt to justify one’s sin.
The inner conflict of guilt will drive some to conclude that such “actions” are incompatible with modern society or that such actions are not really that sinful.  Such false reactions to guilt will in turn damage the well serving conscience.  As time continues, the conscience itself will become distorted as the habitual sinful act continues.  No longer will the conscience diligently guard the soul from vice but will become lax.  Too many times we see modern psychology consider such inner conflict to be pathological–the moral conscience torn between an immoral act.  This is merely the battle that wages within the soul to conform to Christ, or the world!
Christian Counselors must also guard against the reaction of despair or the sin of Judas.  Some will not fall into the trap of indifferentism or escapism but Satan will guide them down the path of despair or unworthiness.  The person will become so tormented by the act committed that he or she will attempt to run from God in shame.  While not everyone will commit suicide, many will feel unworthy to pray or face God.  As one hides from the grace of God, they become spiritually lax.  Think how ironic it truly is that a soul that is sick to avoid its medication?  Instead of finding a cure, the soul instead becomes even more gravely ill and eventually could face spiritual death.
Hence, Christian Counseling must foster the use of guilt to help others find true remorse and contrition and to help the penitent avoid the traps of the devil who will misuse guilt to gain souls for himself.
If you would like to learn how to become certified in Christian Counseling, then please review the program.  The process in learning how to become certified in Christian Counseling is a simple one that involves taking the core courses before certification.

Mark Moran, MA

Holistic Health Care Made Easy With Fresh Juice!

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Everyone Can Enjoy the Holistic Health Care Benefits From Homemade, Great-Tasting Juice

Juicing can be a fun and delicious way to get your daily fill of vitamins and antioxidants. A few simple tips can help you choose combinations of fruit and veggies that not only taste good together, but provide your body with essential nutrients. Juicing is so easy that there’s no excuse not to start today.

bowl of mixed berries
Berries can add that extra flavor and holistic boost to your next fruit smoothie.

Make one section of your kitchen your juicing area. Keep all of your juicing tools here, such as your cutting boards, favorite cups, bowls, peelers, knives and your juice machine. Keeping all of your juicing equipment centrally located will make it much easier when you do make your juices.
Why not try using some seeds in your juices? Shelled unsalted sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds are excellent options to try. You can even used cooked grains, but just remember to clean your juicer out well afterward as they may leave behind a lot of gunk.
Use your juicing as part of a holistic weight loss plan to see big results. Fresh juice made from your fruits and veggies alone tends to be low in calories. It can be a very helpful addition to your weight loss plans. The fibrous nature of most veggies will help you fill up without adding in too many extra calories.
If you want to juice leafy green vegetables, roll them together in a ball before placing them in the juicer chute. Follow with vegetables that are more firm. You should alternate between the leafy and firm vegetables if you are making a large quantity.
Want to know another way that juicing will save you money? You’ll be able to skip the expensive anti-wrinkle and deep moisturizing skin treatments you’ve been buying at the department store! Juicing fruits and vegetables leads to healthier, better looking skin as they are full of moisturizing compounds. The anti-oxidants found in many produce items also can slow down the aging of skin itself.
A single cup of juice will be equivalent to a much larger amount of actual vegetables or fruit, meaning one cup of juice can also be equal to make more servings on the food pyramid. For example, a single cup of carrot juice is equivalent to four cups of diced carrot!
Making healthy juice from vegetables is wonderful, however, do not go overboard with variety. Stick to using 2-3 vegetables in your juice blends and incorporate apple into the mix. You will minimize the amount of flavors you are trying to combine and the apple will add the right amount of sweet to the mix for extra enjoyment.
If you are going to juice, be sure that you have a designated area set up just for this purpose. Although juicing is a very good idea, it does take up a lot of space an can get messy at times, which is why it is good to have your own area when doing it.

A stand with a bunch of different vegetables.
Getting your kids to eat their vegetables can be tough, but getting them to drink their vegetables is a snap!

Getting kids to get the vitamins that are in vegetables, is not as difficult if you juice. Holistic Health Care Professionals agree juicing has come a long way in a very short amount of time. You can juice many fruits and vegetables together to create a delicious juice cocktail that your kids will surely enjoy. You will enjoy it, too, because you know they are getting the vitamins and minerals that they need, so they will be strong and healthy.
Juicing your vegetables is a great way to get the vitamins and minerals that are in them without having to actually take the time to prepare them. Many people simply do not have the time to prepare a gourmet meal each and every night. Juicing vegetables allows you to quickly and easily get the most nutrients out of them that you possibly can without spending a ton of time on them.
There are a million-and-one recipes of items to include in your juicer. You can try a combination like apple with carrot and ginger, or celery and pear. My favorites are apple with lemon and pear, apple with cinnamon and honey, and, my daughter’s favorite, banana with mango and orange. Try new ideas to find your own favorites!
Once people start to get interested in juicing, they many times find it difficult to slow down. There are so many winning fruit and vegetable concoctions that can be thrown together in a juicer, that it can boggle the mind. It’s nice to not have to sacrifice flavor for nutritional goodness.
If you are interested in learning more about living healthy with holistic health care then you might want to visit our homepage.

God Finds Friends In Low Places and Become a Christian Mentor

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The Lord Makes Christian Counselors Worthy

Recently I saw a very interesting post about the type of God people chooses for his ministry.  Upon further review, I was amazed at the people on the list and their “baggage”.  Among the many on the list was Paul-a murderer, David-an adulterer, Peter-a denier, Noah- a drunk, Moses-a stutterer and a host of other castaways.  I would have also included Mary Magdelene-a prostitute and of course St. Augustine-a sinful party boy!  As Christian Counselors, what is our past?
It gave me some inner hope and strength in regards to myself when I realized who Christ calls.  I would like to think I am not as bad as any of these individuals but I can contend with certainty I will never be as great either!
Yet the theme is consistent throughout the Church-God does not call the worthy, he makes them worthy!  Through inner conversion, the Holy Spirit makes clean what God chooses to use for the sake of his Church.
It is also interesting to note how Christ had much disdain for the Pharisees who proclaimed a holiness that was absorbed with hubris.  Christ did not choose the most intelligent or highly regarded men and women of his time to follow him, but the lowly–among poor fishermen!  Perhaps Christ saw the goodness and remorse in many of these sinners’ hearts.  Most importantly he saw their humility and acceptance that they were far from great or powerful.  In this regard, Christ understood that they knew more truth than any powerful man because humility reflects the reality that we are nothing.  Only through Christ do we become anything in this world.
And what a make over God can do.  Saul become Paul and the 13th apostle to the Church. David became king, a pslamist and repentant of his affair, Peter became pope and later died for Christ on an upside down cross, Noah built an Ark and became patriarch to the remaining human race,  Moses became a powerful figure in the liberation of the Hebrews, Mary Magdeline stood with him at the  foot of the cross and St. Augustine became a Doctor and Father of the Church.  The Lord does certainly work great miracles and many of these miracles are in the people he made clean to do his will.
With that, repent, but allow the grace of God to transform your ministry into what he wills it to be.  Become a vessel to his will and his ministry and only then will your ministry bear fruit
If you are interested in Christian Counseling Courses, please review the program.  If you want to become a Christian Mentor to other, our Christian Counseling Courses and Program can help you achieve certification.

Christian Counseling Program: Tips to Find Sanctity on the Little Things

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling Program: Christian Counseling and the Little Things

Great men become great because of even greater trials.  Yet, for most of us, great trials or moments that define history rarely occur.  Tales of martyrdom rarely accompany our death.  Instead we are called to live a life of Christian excellence.  Christian Counselors can guide many people to extraordinary lives of sanctity simply through the “little things”.  If you would like to help guide others, consider our Christian Counseling Program

The idea of sainthood or a virtuous Christian life was not considered during the age of persecution in the early Church.  Most saints were people who heroically died a martyr’s death.  This is not to say they did not excel in virtue but the primary focus of the early Church and sainthood usually included a martyr’s end.  After the legalization of Christianity, saint like individuals ceased to be killed but died naturally.  This led the Church to a new examination of people’s lives that exceeded merely martyrdom but also spirituality.
Many great saints sought the honor of martyrdom.  St. Teresa of Avila as a young child ran away from home to face the Moors in Spain, but was properly reprimanded for such a rash decision.  Instead her life was to be a spiritual one that excelled in pious virtue.  This is the type of life that God calls to many Christians.  This is the life that God wills for many of us.  He does not call or expect all to become famous figures in the Christian circle or suffer a heroic death but to simply testify and live according to his laws.  Those who conform their will to God’s will and live according to his precepts live a sanctified life simply by fulfilling one’s daily duty.  One’s daily duty may be as simple as cleaning one’s house, earning a wage for one’s family or helping others in need.  When one fulfills their daily duty and conforms one’s will to God, then their life becomes as extraordinary as the saints.  In fact, that is how one becomes a saint!  One can only wonder until they reach heaven, how many great saints exist that were never known but were kept beautiful secrets from the public eye.  These unknown saints are spiritual treasures to the Church that intercede for us on earth everyday.  These unknown saints understood the beauty of offering their will to God in the most smallest of tasks as each day unveiled itself.

So What Can You Do?

St. Teresa the Little Flower, not to be confused with St. Teresa of Avila, conformed her will to the Lord in every smallest action.  Her simple life rejoiced in the Lord in the smallest things, from sweeping the floor of the convent to facing her fear of spiders.  Every single thing she did, she offered it to the Lord.  Through this simple life, she would later be revered as one of the Church’s most known daughters and elevated to sainthood.  So what can you do?  You can start by emulating St. Teresa.  One can make everyday chores a prayer to God.  One can bite their tongue in humility when something angers oneself or offer up a fear or pain to God when it would be easier to complain.
I often joke that if St. Teresa had a computer or had to drive in traffic, she would not be a saint, but the reality is the frustrations of computer trouble or the annoying driver ahead are all excellent opportunities to perfect Christian virtue.  I am far from being the one to preach this but I hope to illuminate myself and you as well in these little things!  Yet the point is simple:  Work with what you have and offer it to God on a daily basis.  One day at a time, take the little things the Lord gives to you and turn them into prayers and opportunities to please God.
While it is hard to bless instead of to curse, or to clean something with a smile instead of a frown, or to be patient instead of in a hurry, we can all accomplish these goals with the grace of God.  The trick is being open to that grace and aware of the opportunities that God gives to us.  So while martyrdom may not be in our future, we can become a martyr for Christ by offering our will to him and becoming sanctified by the little things he gives us everyday
If you are interested in the Christian Counseling Program, please review it.  The Christian Counseling Program is open to qualified professionals.  Qualified professionals must complete the Christian Counseling courses that make up the core element of the program.  After completing the courses, one can become certified in the Christian Counseling Program.

Mark Moran, MA

Spiritual Renewal Before the Bread of Presence and Also Become Certified in Christian Counseling

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling Those to Peace Via the Bread of Presence

The prayer of the quiet as taught by St. Teresa encourages us to find a place of solitude and silence to meditate upon God.  In some cases, this spiritual “retreat” is a perfect time to escape the world, heal old wounds, and become strengthened.  Christian Counselors should encourage those who are suffering mentally to find this solitude before the presence of the Holy Eucharist.  In Exodus 25:30, this is called the Bread of Presence.  Later through Christ’s institution of the Eucharist, the ideal of the Bread of Presence became literally the Body of and Blood of Christ as he resides in churches across the world.
This humble act of Christ to allow himself to become contained under the physical appearance of bread is a great gift and source of strength for us.   Just not to consume but to sit before in awe and wonder.  Consider giving our Lord an hour, as he asked of his apostles, in meditative thought before the Eucharist.  Allow it to saturate your being with grace and love.
This spiritual renewal and healing can be yours as was prophesied in the Book of Exodus and later instituted by Christ.
If you are interested in Christian Counseling Courses, please review the program. By completing the core Christian Counseling Courses, one can become certified in Christian Counseling.   Those who become certified in Christian Counseling must renew every three years.

Mark Moran, MA

Christian Grief Counseling Training Program: Embracing One’s Grief

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Uniting Our Grief With Christ

Christian Grief finds its basis in the cross.  Unlike other escapist religions that hope to avoid or deny grief, Christianity accepts it.  Of course there is no joy in grief, but the Christian following the example of Christ, embraces their cross with love and elevates suffering to an all new supernatural level,
Whitney Hopler, a writer for crosswalks.com adds to how Christians can turn their crosses into blessings in her article, “How Your Pain Can Turn To Praise”

“Jesus said that we would all have trouble in this fallen world. So we expect suffering to enter our lives, but when it does, we often try to get through it as fast as possible rather than asking God what we can learn from it.”

To read the entire article, please click here

If you are interested in Christian Grief Counseling Training Program, please review the program and click here.

Our Christian Grief Counseling Training Program is important for grief counselors who wish to counsel within a Christian light.

Mark Moran, MA

Substance Abuse Counseling Program – When Parents Invite Substance Abuse?

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Substance Abuse and Early Drinking Trends

Substance Abuse can start from the early beginnings especially when parents unknowingly allow their children to drink under their supervision.  Instead of removing the temptation to drink later, studies show it enhances the temptation.  The European model of younger drinking ages just does not fit with America’s culture.

Meredith Bennett-Smith of the Huffington Post writes on this subject in her article, “Parents (Mistakenly) Believe Lettings Kids Drink Alcohol Early Discourages Later Use, Study Says” about the growing problem of early age drinking that is connected with parents who drink with their children.

“A surprising number of parents believe that early exposure to alcohol will discourage children from drinking in adolescence and help prevent alcohol abuse later on, according to a new study from the RTI International and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.”

To read the entire article, please click here

This alarming trend is another thing Substance Abuse Counselors must deal with when counseling parents and teens about the addictive nature of drinking.
If you are interested in substance abuse counseling program, please click here 

AIHCP

Finding Happiness in Grief Support During Special Days

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Grief Counseling The Grief Through Days of Celebration

As we all know, grief is just not one pit of despair but a long trek of peaks and valleys.  During times of memorial, holidays, or celebration, people can have joy and should not feel guilty about it.  Still some people may experience a grief that lingers and this is natural.  Regardless, as adaptation and healthy grief support takes over, the person will feel grief but in a new way that flows with their new chapter of life.  The article below talks about fellow grievers celebrating a Jewish holiday together.
Johanna Ginsberg, for the New Jersey Jewish News, writes about how people can come together during times of celebration despite loss and find fulfillment in her article, “Dealing with Grief During a Time of Celebration”

“Six people gathered at Barnabas Health Hospice and Palliative Care Center in West Orange on Monday night, Sept. 10, just one week before the start of Rosh Hashana. All had recently suffered a loss, and all had come to a one-day workshop to help them get through the High Holy Day season.”

To read the full article, please click here.

This is an excellent way for people inflicted by a loss to find consolation among others who have walked the same path.
If you are interested in Grief Counseling Courses and our certification program in grief counseling, please review the program and click here.

Mark Moran