In light of the recent release of the report of the SBC Abuse coverups, and the allegations ongoing related to abuse by pastors, it can take its toll on our wellness. This week, we brought on a former IMB missionary who grew up as an IMB missionary kid to speak on wellness for those of us making a difference around the world. Dr. Deborah Pinkston, LPC, PhD has been a counseling professional for more than 17 years. Debbie has a special interest in counseling women, men, couples, teens, pastor’s wives, and missionaries.
Dr. Pinkston has a Bachelor of Science in Education from Ouachita Baptist University, a Master of Science in Psychology and Counseling from Troy State University and a Ph.D. in Biblical Counseling from International Theological Seminary.
She is trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples and enjoys helping couples learn to communicate and connect more intimately. Debbie is a Lifestyle and Weight Management Specialist, focusing on self-esteem and body image. She also has experience helping survivors of general trauma, medical trauma, and sexual abuse. She offers Eating Disorder Therapy and Immigration Assessments services.
With a deep passion for serving couples in Northwest Arkansas, Debbie also works with parenting adult children. She understands the difficulty of navigating such challenges and because of this, seeks to help and bring guidance to parents when parenting their young adult children.
Debbie is an Anger Management Specialist. Serving as a missionary in Venezuela for 25 years, she worked in the counseling field and helped establish two orphanages. During this time, she became fluent in Spanish and now is pleased to be meeting the counseling needs of Hispanic individuals and families in Northwest Arkansas. She has extensive experience in multicultural counseling.
In addition to counseling, Debbie is an online professor for Liberty University in their Masters and doctoral program in Counseling. She has written several books on the topics of recovery from sexual abuse and anxiety, including Power over Anxiety: No longer overpowered: Practical Strategies for Relieving Anxiety.
Debbie enjoys spending time with her granddaughter, and playing tennis, hiking, and kayaking with her husband Silvio. She would say that “her heart is still in Venezuela”.
Debbie is on Linkedin, and is a therapist at: Summit Family Counseling.
The A World of Difference Podcast is brought to you in partnership with Missio Alliance.
Stay In Touch: Connect on Facebook and Instagram with thoughts, questions, and feedback. Rate, review and share this podcast with anyone that would love to listen. Find Us Online: @aworldof.difference on Instagram and A World of Difference on Facebook, on Twitter at @loriadbr & on Clubhouse @loriadbr.
https://linktr.ee/aworldofdifference or loriadamsbrown.com
Interested in one-on-one or group coaching on how to live a life that makes a difference? Check out: https://www.loriadamsbrown.com/coaching
Become a patron of this podcast, and enjoy free merch. Join other patrons of this podcast at Patreon.
Missio Alliance Comment Policy
The Missio Alliance Writing Collectives exist as a ministry of writing to resource theological practitioners for mission. From our Leading Voices to our regular Writing Team and those invited to publish with us as Community Voices, we are creating a space for thoughtful engagement of critical issues and questions facing the North American Church in God’s mission. This sort of thoughtful engagement is something that we seek to engender not only in our publishing, but in conversations that unfold as a result in the comment section of our articles.
Unfortunately, because of the relational distance introduced by online communication, “thoughtful engagement” and “comment sections” seldom go hand in hand. At the same time, censorship of comments by those who disagree with points made by authors, whose anger or limited perspective taints their words, or who simply feel the need to express their own opinion on a topic without any meaningful engagement with the article or comment in question can mask an important window into the true state of Christian discourse. As such, Missio Alliance sets forth the following suggestions for those who wish to engage in conversation around our writing:
1. Seek to understand the author’s intent.
If you disagree with something the an author said, consider framing your response as, “I hear you as saying _________. Am I understanding you correctly? If so, here’s why I disagree. _____________.
2. Seek to make your own voice heard.
We deeply desire and value the voice and perspective of our readers. However you may react to an article we publish or a fellow commenter, we encourage you to set forth that reaction is the most constructive way possible. Use your voice and perspective to move conversation forward rather than shut it down.
3. Share your story.
One of our favorite tenants is that “an enemy is someone whose story we haven’t heard.” Very often disagreements and rants are the result of people talking past rather than to one another. Everyone’s perspective is intimately bound up with their own stories – their contexts and experiences. We encourage you to couch your comments in whatever aspect of your own story might help others understand where you are coming from.
In view of those suggestions for shaping conversation on our site and in an effort to curate a hospitable space of open conversation, Missio Alliance may delete comments and/or ban users who show no regard for constructive engagement, especially those whose comments are easily construed as trolling, threatening, or abusive.