counselling centre
Counselling Centre
The complex dynamic between religion and state in Iran has made navigating faith and relationships difficult. As more and more people turn to Christ in Iran and the Persian-speaking diaspora, there is a painful paradigm shift that occurs once Jesus becomes Lord. Suddenly, the oppressive world of the past becomes a world of freedom, forgiveness, and peace. And yet, this freedom is placed in tension when oppression still exists in one’s external reality. How do we integrate this newfound spiritual reality when the external reality remains the same? Or in some cases, harder? How can psychological, spiritual and emotional trauma be healed when, too often, variations of these abuses continue?
Many Iranian Christians struggle with high levels of depression and anxiety, grief and loss, a shattered world view, abuse, and are likely to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. It is in response to the critical need for mental health support amongst Christians in Iran and Persian-speaking communities worldwide that we launched the Pars Counselling Centre in 2018. The Counselling Centre exists for the twofold purpose of providing: treatment and training.
Treatment
We provide Persian-speaking Christians in Iran and in the greater Persian-speaking world with resources to, actively and faithfully, understand their lived experiences and their on-going relational and psychological challenges. Our team of counsellors provide in-person and online counselling treatment for our students, their families, and the wider Iranian Christian community.
We accomplish this by offering:
- Counselling to Pars students and alumni, in person or online, as part of their formation process
- Counselling in person or online for members of the Pars’ Iranian Christian Leaders Network
- Setting up mobile counselling clinics in neighbouring countries to offer counselling to the wider Iranian Christian community
Training
We provide training in Christian Counselling through video-based packages via our School of Theology and Leadership, and through day-events and workshops held in the Iran region and the diaspora. This helps equip underground Church ministers and lay leaders to thoughtfully engage with their flock on topics of faith and mental health.
We accomplish this by:
- Producing a Christian Counselling track for Pars students who would like to specialize in the area of Christian Counselling
- Providing training packages on Christian Counselling for Iranian leaders and lay ministers
- Setting up and maintaining an Iranian Christian Counsellors’ Network
- Organizing seminars and workshops on Christian Counselling issues in different locations to provide accessible and on-going training for Iranian Christian leaders
For more information about our Counselling Centre, please contact counselling@parstheology.com
CLIENT STORY
“I was full of stress and anxiety and despair.
I was thinking that there is no hope for me, nothing is repairable any more and I am at the end of my life. Even thinking about the separation was killing me. I went through a very tough time, but you were always there and supporting me. I didn't go through those difficult days on my own, but you were also with me.
Praise the Lord I am doing better. I know that I can go forward and I could get stronger and stronger every day.
I am very happy that now I can make decisions about my life, or what I want to wear, or my talks and my relationships. I don't suffer from shaking hands, lack of appetite, continuous headaches, insecurities and anxieties, fear of continuing life or attending social gatherings any more and I have accepted myself and my new situation. My life has started with a new colour and I owe that to God and to you.”