My Inspirational Hall of Famers - Lydia H.

Ralph M. - Summer Camp Director

I was a summer camp counselor during high school.  He was a big commanding figure with a booming voice who taught the  prep courses during staff training.   He called things as they were so if he signaled you out on something you knew it was legit.  I remember multiple times hearing him affirm my counseling/relational abilities during my first summer as a newbie counselor.  I didn't know I could do it. He did.  His believing in me gave me the confidence to believe that maybe I had a knack in the relational/leadership field I had been unaware of thus far.  It gave me confidence and inspired me to pay attention and learn and become better at relating, discerning, leading, and empathizing.  Today as I prepare to become a professional counselor I am inspired to love and believe in people like I saw Ralph model for me during my time in high school.  I also see how his not mincing words added to the weight of what he said.  Sometimes this too will be important in the counseling office when a client needs to look at the contradiction of their life and their words in order to find a more freeing way to live.


Mary H. - My mom

While my mom rarely said to me I think you have a gift in this area of counseling, she would often ask me for relational advice and invite me to be the mediator in various family discussions or disagreements.  This was like a mirror for me to be able to assess my abilities and gifting. It was the encouragement in part that led me to pursue an undergrad in psychology and currently graduate work in counseling.  It was rewarding to me to mediate disputes in my family and to know that family members perceived me as a peacemaker.  It was that inspiration that has made me believe if I could do that in my own family then just maybe I could be good at it professionally.  Whether I work in marriage and family therapy or addictions or some other form of counseling I can look back to my mom as being someone who inspired me to pursue counseling.


Natalie G. - My cousin/friend
I didn't go right into undergrad work after finishing college.  During that time I was involved in various things  and I had numerous discussions with my cousin and friend Natalie.   It was a confusing time in my life, but she often encouraged me to assess the gifting and desires I had and pursue work in that field. At the time she was working on her undergrad in psychology and later completed here Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy.  We shared very similar interests in the workings of successful relationship and  her encouragement helped to push me toward my own journey into the counseling field. 


 I appreciate the people God has placed in my life that have been influential in helping me to assess my gifting and desires.  It is one thing to think you see a certain ability in yourself.  There is a whole other level of validation that takes place when others around you affirm that perspective.  It gives courage that our assessment in accurate and boldness to step out and pursue our desires.