tov Blog
An Invitation to Flourish
Finding Your Rhythm with God: Creating a Rule for Life We all live by unspoken rules. Phrases such as “Do your best,” “Never give up,” or “Work harder” often shape our daily choices and patterns. Whether we realise it or not, these mottos guide how we spend our time and energy. But what if, instead…
World Suicide Prevention Day | Every Life Matters
World Suicide Prevention Day: Every Life Matters Every year on 10 September, World Suicide Prevention Day invites us to pause, reflect, and respond. Suicide isn’t just a statistic—it’s a deeply human and heart-wrenching reality affecting families, churches, and communities. Each life lost is a story that’s been silenced, and each grieving community underscores our urgent…
Who Told You That? Replacing False Narratives with God’s Truth
The Stories We Tell Ourselves And the invitation to realign with God’s story We are storied people. Every one of us is shaped—not just by our experiences, but by the meaning we make of them. The human mind naturally organises life into narrative. We take events, emotions, and relationships, and we string them together to…
Breaking Through the Terror Barrier: Reclaiming Your Power Over Fear
Breaking Through the Terror Barrier: A Christian Perspective on Fear, Calling, and Change Fear is not just an emotion—it’s a spiritual and psychological threshold. In coaching language, we call this the Terror Barrier: the invisible wall that rises whenever we approach meaningful change. But for the Christian, this isn’t just a mindset challenge—it’s a matter…
Counselling Careers in Australia: Growth, Opportunity, and Real Impact
Is now the right time to become a counsellor?According to the latest national data, the answer is yes. Counselling careers in Australia have never been in more demand. The 2024 ACA Workforce Census confirms a growing demand for qualified counsellors across Australia. The profession is gaining recognition in schools, community organisations, and private practice—offering career…
Celebrating Our Graduates – Called, Known, and Sent
Celebrating the 2024 Graduates: Answering the Call to Christian Counselling Graduation: A Time for Reflection and Celebration Graduation is more than a ceremony—it’s a significant milestone that marks a journey of growth, perseverance, and faith. For our 2024 graduates, this moment is a celebration of their dedication to becoming Christian counsellors. Transformation Through Faith and…
Unlocking Deep Growth in Your Ministry through Christian Coaching
Discover a Proven Process for Lasting Transformation – Nicholas Marks, CEO As someone deeply invested in coaching and spiritual transformation, I want to share an insight that has emerged from research and experience. This can transform how we approach change and how we see ourselves and those we serve. When deep, lasting change seems out…
The Transforming Presence of Christ
The Transforming Presence of Christ: Why Christian Counsellors Matter More Than Ever At the heart of Christian counselling lies a profound truth: real transformation flows from abiding in Christ. Not behaviour modification. Not willpower. Not trying harder. Christian counselling is sacred work because it points people toward the life-giving presence of Jesus, the source from…
The Two Reasons we Hide from Love
For a variety of reasons, most of us live two lives: an external life and an internal life.
The Willing Listener: At the Heart of Christian Coaching and Counselling
When Jesus said in Luke 6:27, “But to you who are willing to listen,” He wasn’t just asking people to hear; He was extending an invitation to receive His words with open, receptive hearts. This invitation remains at the core of our calling in Christian coaching and counselling. Listening is not passive. It’s an active,…
Unlock Your Potential with aifc’s Certificate in Christian Coaching
Coaching has become a powerful tool for transformation in today’s fast-paced world, where people are seeking purpose, clarity, and personal growth. At the Australian Institute of Family Counselling (aifc), we’re passionate about equipping individuals with the skills to inspire and guide others. Our Certificate in Christian Coaching is not just a course—it’s a journey towards…
The Urgent Need for Christian Counsellors in Our Community
Our world is in crisis. Anxiety, depression, trauma, and loneliness are on the rise, and people everywhere are searching for hope, healing, and understanding. The need for Christian counsellors has never been greater. Counselling is not just about helping someone navigate their emotions but about creating a sacred space where healing begins. When pain feels…
A Lament for Overthinkers Everywhere
Many of us struggle with habitual feelings of guilt and shame, worried that we are not doing, earning or being enough.
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…
Siblings, Snacks and Social Media
Here are some helpful tips to help you deal with three of the most common issues reported by parents under pressure: sibling rivalry, food habits, and how to safely manage technology use.
5 Ideas to Foster Gratitude
It’s amazing how much happier a home is when it is filled with gratefulness. And whether it’s called gratefulness of thankfulness, its presence in the home and in our individual hearts is a choice – even during lockdown! The reality is that despite our challenging circumstances, we have so much to be grateful for. When…
Relationships Under Pressure
Whether you’re single, married, in a relationship, young, or not-so-young, chances are your relational world is under pressure as a result of the pandemic and the various levels of social distancing measures. So how do we navigate the next few months in ways that normalise the relationship struggles and equip us to redeem this time in the best way possible?
Reaching up, down, in and around
Franekel and Cho’s four-part framework can help couples and families cope in isolation and lockdown, and help mitigate the negative effects on our relationships.
Finances Under Pressure
Due to COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, many of us may have experienced a reduction in our household income over the last 18 months. Like a lot of other parts of life, our finances are under pressure, with counsellors telling us they are fielding callers to financial support and related mental health services - many for the first time. The following tips can help us cope and provide important perspective.
Where Does my Treasure Lie?
There are many different opinions surrounding wealth. Through this lens of ultimate truth, we explore two key questions that if answered honesty and reflectively, can serve to ground us in uncertain times.
Faith Under Pressure: Where Are You Looking?
Where can we turn to? Where can we look during times when we are being bombarded relentlessly, it seems. I'd like to suggest three places to look, if you will, all drawn from God’s Word that will hopefully enable us to move forward even when our faith is under pressure.
Lest We Forget
Did you know that the phrase “lest we forget”, which we use to commemorate those who died in warfare, came from the Bible? “Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget—lest we forget!” So the context is God, not those who have died.
Faith Under Pressure: Do you know who you are?
Who are you? A simple question to answer, or so it would seem. Responses will be varied depending on where you find yourself in this season of your life. Very often, one answers this question from the premise of a role. I am a husband. I am a wife. I am a mum. I am…
Wait. An Advent Reflection.
Near the heart of the Christmas / Advent Story is the expectation that God is going to offer a gift. The head-fake in this Bible story is that, when those waiting come up on or are given that gift, it’s just a baby.
