Jon Weeldreyer

Living life alone is a very hard road to travel. When we have felt let down, abandoned or abused by others, isolating and trying to do it ourselves feels like the only safe option. For many, the hurts experienced in life leave them mistrustful of other people, let alone God.

In my teen years, I attempted to abandon my Christian upbringing because of resentments at others who confessed a Christian faith, but acted in very non-Christian ways. In seeking an alternative, God showed me that all of us have hypocrisy, but that there are many who work diligently at living out their faith. In this process, God led me back to faith in his Son.

Finding trustworthy others to accompany, support and encourage us is vital for anyone to become a healthy person. I’ve had the profound blessing of watching hundreds of people go through stages of change to gain, regain or increase their trust in a “Higher Power”. Many discover that “something more than human power is needed to provide the essential psychic change” they are looking for in therapy.

One of my favorite parts of being a psychologist and addictions counselor has been to meet patients where they are, and walk with them as they become willing to “grow along spiritual lines”, encouraging them to “claim spiritual progress, not spiritual perfection”. (Quotations are from the book “Alcoholics Anonymous”)