“All praise to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our trouble so that we can comfort others with the same Comfort God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. These verses are particularly poignant for me on finding the great joy of God using the experiences that I have had to be a blessing and comfort others.

Being involved in Christian Counseling is actually my second career. For more than half of my adult life my husband and I toured full-time in a gospel music ministry traveling in much of the United States, Canada, Western and parts of Eastern Europe as well as Asia. After this time God lead us to be missionaries in Germany at Black Forest Academy where we were involved with ministry to missionary kids as well as traveling and ministering to the former Yugoslavia bringing humantarian aid and music ministry to war torn areas.  It is in this ministry that God began a longing to meet the needs of individuals that are suffering and and challenged in particular with those that have suffered great loss.

On a personal note, my husband and I were not able to have children and this loss as well has certainly been the seed in which God had planted in me to search and eventually find renewed purpose and joy even my own personal sadness and disappointment.

Little did I know then that God was using all these experiences to lead to my second career of Christian Counseling  where i would be listening and empathizing with so many who are also suffering great loss and mental health challenges.

During those years of traveling I was also able to observe those living in third world countries and finding that these individuals were perhaps the most grateful people i had ever met. This experience spoke to me about the value and life changing aspects of gratefulness. I often encourage my clients to ask two questions. “WHAT IS THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?” and “WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?”  Being able to live in truth of Gods Word and embrace an attitude of gratefulness are both key to finding true comfort and joy even when life does not go our way.

The education that prepared me for Ministry was 2 years in Bible College many years ago, completing needed credits at Liberty University and the completing a graduate degree at Regent University in Virginia Beach where I was able to complete my Master’s Degree in Counseling as well as a Certificate in Life Coaching in 2006. After participating in 4 years of supervision, i was able to qualify as  Licensed Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania. For the last 12 years I have worked at a mental health clinic and for the last 3 years have been a Clinical Supervisor where I supervise other therapists while also carrying a full range of clients that are both in residential environments and in the local community. It is in this position that I have gained  experience working with a wide range of chronically mentally ill and providing me first hand witness to the positive  impact of appropriate medications  this experience has also given me a bird’s eye view and direct involvement in working with a wide range of mental health diagnoses.

In  2018 I began working part-time in addition to my full-time job in a Christian private practice which has been my longing for some time. I feel blessed to have been able to continue in this contrasting work of both clinical and private practice.  In April of 2025 I was able to start by own Private Practice, DLHCounselingLLC/Restore Therapy and am looking forward to ministering in this level for the rest of my career. I’m excited to be directly involved with AACC and honored to be able to offer Christian Counseling in the are of southeastern Pennsylvania both in person and virtually. I look forward to the opportunity to working with individuals who are seeking support by Receiving God’s power for growth and change, Renewing our minds through His Word, experiencing the Redemption of our circumstances, and fully embracing the Restoration of our lives by His Grace.

Looking forward to God’s leading in providing God’s comfort to those He brings my way.

By His Grace,

Deborah Hargreaves