tov Blog
Created in the Image of God
Created: Who Tells Us Who We Are? Part 1 of the Created for Tov series: Six movements in God’s story of human flourishing. We live in a culture that gives us extraordinary freedom to express ourselves, yet often leaves us with the exhausting task of first deciding who that self is. We are encouraged to…
Christian Counselling Training Built on Human Flourishing
More Than Managing: Why Christian Counselling Training Built on Human Flourishing Changes Everything Something has shifted in Australian culture over the past decade, and most of us who work in churches, ministry, and the helping professions have felt it. Mental health has moved from the edges of public conversation to the centre. Diagnoses that once…
Biblical Hope Is Not Toxic Positivity — and the Difference Matters
Biblical Hope Is Not Positive Thinking With a Bible Verse There are moments in the Christian community that are well-intentioned and yet somehow wounding. Someone shares something heavy — grief, burnout, a marriage in crisis, depression that has lasted years — and the response arrives quickly: “God has a plan.” “Just keep praying.” “You need…
Are We Equipped to Care?
People Are Bringing Heavier Things to Church: Are We Equipped to Care? There was a time when many church care conversations centred around familiar forms of pastoral support: someone grieving the loss of a loved one, a marriage under strain, a young person needing guidance, a new parent feeling overwhelmed, a member of the congregation…
When Good Intentions Are Not Enough | Christian Counselling Skills
When Good Intentions Are Not Enough: Why Christians Need Counselling Skills There are people in every church, family, school, workplace and community who become the ones others turn to. They may not have a formal title. They may not be on staff. They may not think of themselves as a “counsellor”. But people find them…
Build the Highway: Preparing Pathways for People to Return to God
Build the Highway: Preparing Pathways for People to Return to God There is a kind of need that is hard to ignore. We see it in the exhaustion of leaders, the anxiety of young people, the grief sitting quietly beneath the surface of families, the loneliness in our communities, and the spiritual confusion many people…
Tov Academy Counselling Courses Receive ACA Accreditation Tov Academy is pleased to announce that the Australian Counselling Association has approved accreditation for both the 11384NAT Graduate Diploma of Counselling and the 11207NAT Advanced Diploma of Integrative Practice (Counselling). This means that all Tov Academy counselling courses are now ACA accredited. ACA accreditation is a…
2026 Is Approaching Half Time: Making the Second Half Count
Making the Second Half Count Ancient Paths, Deep Flourishing, and the Life-Giving Way Forward It’s almost half way through 2026—how did that happen? The year that once stretched out before us with possibility is already approaching its midpoint. For some, the first half of the year has brought momentum, clarity and growth. For others, it…
Not sure what to say when someone is grieving?
When Someone Is Grieving: What Helps? Most people want to help when someone is grieving. The difficulty is that many of us do not feel confident. We are unsure what to say, how much to say, or whether saying anything at all might make things worse. That hesitation is common. It is also one of…
When Self-Care Isn’t Enough
A Biblical View of Soul Care In recent years, the language of self-care has become common. We hear about taking breaks, reducing stress, protecting our energy, and setting boundaries. Some of that can be helpful. But for Christians — and especially for those preparing for counselling, ministry, or other helping roles — self-care on its…
Emotional Exhaustion, and how to help
Why So Many People Feel Emotionally Exhausted Right Now Understanding what is driving it—and what actually helps A lot of people are carrying a quiet sense of depletion at the moment. They may not call it burnout. More often, it sounds like this: “I’m tired all the time.”“I feel flat.”“I don’t have much left to…
Why Old Patterns Still Show Up in Christian Growth
Why Growth Still Feels Hard: What Counsellors and Coaches Need to Understand About the “Old Self” and the “New Self” For many Christians, one of the most confusing parts of spiritual growth is this: if Christ has made us new, why do old patterns still show up? Why do fear, insecurity, reactivity, pride, avoidance, people-pleasing,…
Faith, Psychology, and Formation in Christian Counselling
Learning to Hold It Together: Why Formation Matters in Christian Counselling Christian counselling is never just about learning techniques. It is about becoming a particular kind of person — one who can listen deeply, reflect wisely, and respond faithfully in the complexity of human lives. This commitment to Christian counselling formation recognises that who we…
Spiritual Formation, Fear, and Following God’s Call
Ready to Change? Most people do not resist change because they are stubborn or unwilling. They resist because change asks something of them — emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. Often, the desire for change is present long before action follows. People recognise patterns that are no longer life-giving. They notice recurring struggles, emotional reactions, or relational…
When Compassion Isn’t Enough
Why Spiritual Formation Matters in Ministry Most people enter the ministry of helping others because they care deeply. They are willing to show up, listen, pray, and walk alongside others in difficult seasons. Compassion is often what draws people into ministry in the first place. But over time, many discover that compassion alone is…
Equipping Christian Care
Who Is Carrying the Pain in Your Community? Why the Church Needs More Trained Listeners Most churches and Christian communities know that people are struggling. Increasingly, trained Christian counsellors are becoming essential to how responsibility for care is understood, shared, and sustained over time. Pain rarely announces itself publicly. It shows up in the quiet…
Christian Counselling Is Future-Proofed in an AI World
Why Christian Counselling, Coaching and Chaplaincy Are Future-Proof in an AI World The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is leading many people to ask hard questions about the future of work. Some roles are changing. Others are disappearing altogether. It makes sense to pay attention to these shifts. The future of Christian counselling is not…
Why Celebration Matters
Celebration: A Practice That Restores Soul, Body, Relationships, and Spirit As Christmas and the holiday season approach, celebration becomes more visible around us — lights glowing in windows, gatherings filling calendars, and moments of reflection marking the close of another year. Yet in the busyness, the deeper purpose of celebration is often overlooked. This leads…
Do You Want to Get Well – Part 2:
Entering the Deep, Life-Giving Restoration of God Christian healing is one of the most misunderstood words in the Christian vocabulary. For many people, healing sounds like “getting fixed,” “getting over it,” or “getting back to normal.” But the biblical and theological vision of healing is far more expansive, richer, and more deeply hopeful than anything…
Effective Communication For Conflict Resolution
Communication skills can be used for building up relationships rather than tearing them down with our; anger, words and actions. Effective communication requires; respect, grace, empathy, active listening for adding value to the person being heard. The list below has a few dos and don’ts of effective communication for conflict resolution. WAIT FOR THE RIGHT…
Christian Revival in Australia – We Need Counsellors
Revival Is Here. Are You Ready? Across the world—and here in Australia—we’re seeing signs of a Christian revival. In the middle of rising anxiety, fractured communities, and a search for stability, more people are returning to faith. And not just in theory—church attendance is increasing, interest in Christianity is growing, and spiritual conversations are becoming…
Christian Counselling Training that Integrates Faith, Skills & Purpose
Do you feel called to help others through life’s challenges, with both faith and practical skill? At aifc, we equip Christians to become qualified counsellors who serve with compassion, wisdom, and professionalism. Whether you’re a pastor, chaplain, teacher, nurse, or exploring a new path, Christian Counselling could be the next step in your journey to…
Mid-Life Career Change: From Overwhelmed Learner to Qualified Christian Counsellor
“You have been equipped for this” Sharon’s journey from overwhelmed learner to qualified Christian counsellor At her recent graduation, Sharon stood before a packed room and opened her speech with honesty and grace: “There were definitely moments when I was practically begging for divine intervention. But just when I thought I had nothing left, God…
R U OK? Listening, Caring, and Pointing to Hope
R U OK? Day: Listening, Caring, and Pointing to Hope Today is R U OK Day checking in with care, a national reminder of the power of a simple question. Four small words—“Are you OK?”—can open the door to a conversation that brings light into someone’s darkest place. As someone with compassion and a heart…
