Vine Counseling has opened its doors in Matthews, NC!
Let me tell you a little about how this came to be. Vine Counseling grew — as many things do — rather slowly.
Plants need water, good soil, favorable temperatures, and sunlight in order to grow well. Biologists call them the abiotic factors — the non-living parts of the environment that have such a huge influence on the health and flourishing of the living organisms. Given the right abiotic factors, a seed will germinate, grow, and even thrive.
In the same way, many ideas and events helped determine the creation of Vine Counseling. The factors that have shaped and influenced it, thus far, were my own dreams, joy, pain, and hope. The seed was my desire to see people unshackled from the lies and burdens that bind them. In my 20 years as a counselor, what I love most is seeing people set free from the things that entangle them. It grieves me to see people stuck, and I love exploring different resources and tools to help people thrive.
In 2015, I encountered overwhelming pain and grief from an inexplainable physical illness in one of our children. After seeing (what felt like) every specialist in the metro area, and with no success or improvement, I felt stuck. I felt alone. It felt dark. And I didn’t know where God was in all of that. I would sit and read Scripture and pray, but I felt nothing resembling hope. I would repeat John 1:5 to myself: A light shines in the darkness but the darkness does not overcome the light. I read that verse, and I held on to it, but I didn’t feel any hope from it. I simply read it and read it. Eventually… slowly… hope emerged. We were directed to a team of doctors and helpers that finally gave us access to real support. And although it took time, we slowly watched our child heal. Our entire family struggled in that darkness. But, a light did shine in the darkness, however faint at times, and the darkness did not overcome that light.
I used to call that season a season of hell. Now, I call it a season of healing. I learned so much during that time. I learned that everything is connected in our bodies. I learned that our moods, our foods, how we move, how our gut works, how we think, how we feel … all of it is connected.
At Vine Counseling, we know we live disconnected lives. Our desire here at the Vine is to help each person that walks through our door to make connections in their life. We want to help you make connections with your purpose, your gifts, and your community … and reconnect you to hope. At the Vine, we are all about connection. Even if counseling isn’t for you right now, we encourage you to take a look at the puzzle pieces of your life and see where you can strengthen connections.
The power and hopelessness of feeling disconnected is dark, but a light shines in the darkness. And we are praying that you find a season of healing in the midst of the brokenness of this world.
Jennifer Dean
