In this crazy world, there's an enormous distinction between good times and bad, between sorrow and joy. But in the eyes of God, they're never separated. Where there is pain, there is healing. Where there is mourning, there is dancing. Where there is poverty, there is the kingdom.

Henri J. M. Nouwen

Ed Park, M.Div

I am a Registered Counselor in private practice in Seattle, Washington and have been practicing psychotherapy since 2001. I provide open-ended and brief psychotherapy to adult individuals and couples and have experience working with a wide range of issues and concerns such as:

Depression
Anxiety
Relationship Issues and Interpersonal Conflicts
Fear of Rejection
Self-Esteem Issues
Loneliness/Isolation
Avoidance and Procrastination
Difficulty Coping with Strong Feelings
Feeling Cut Off From Feelings
Obsessiveness/Compulsiveness
Life Transitions
Stress
Work/Life Balance
Personal Growth/Identity
Relationship Issues

The goal of my counseling is to provide a context of growth by equipping individuals and the urban community with emotional and spiritual wholeness. I am committed to a grace-centered Christian perspective in dealing with mental health.

Education and Training

I completed my undergraduate work in Philosophy at the University of Washington and hold a M.Div. from Western Seminary. I have received additional training in psychotherapy from Family Services (Seattle WA) and The Meadows (Scottsdale AZ).

Certifications

I am registered in the State of Washington and certified in Post-Induction Therapy for the treatment of co-dependency. I work with individuals, couples and families. My areas of specialization include marital and pre-marital counseling, sexual addictions, co-dependency, multi-cultural issues, anger and spiritual formation. State Counselor Registration ID: RC00039269

Church Background

Member of Sanctuary Church in Seattle. Grace-centered.

Philosophy

My counseling philosophy is holistic. I believe that people are made in God’s image and when we think about the health of a person we need to consider the dimensions of both body and soul. This philosophy is based on three main principles:

  • Scripture is God’s inspired written revelation to man.
  • It is trustworthy in providing solutions to man’s problems.
  • It is the final authority on moral issues of life.
  • My approach is to explore three interrelated perspectives: the Existential, the Situational, and the Normative. A person cannot adequately understand oneself or one’s situation without a biblical perspective. Neither can someone understand one’s situation without understanding oneself as a sinner who is saved by grace.

Core Values & Beliefs

  • Gospel: Counseling sessions do not offer a system of redemption, but a Person, a Redeemer. Change is experienced in a covenant relationship with Him.
  • Community: Change does not happen in isolation. A counseling relationship provides safety, patience, love and insight to facilitate change towards sanctification.
  • Changed Lives: Counseling is an examination of the heart and change is the work of the Holy Spirit.

My Approach

My psychotherapy practice is a general practice in which I see adults in individual psychotherapy and couples in marital or couples counseling. I have experience working with a diverse clientele and welcome individuals from all racial and ethnic backgrounds.

I make a point of working collaboratively with all my clients in that I am an active participant during sessions and periodically solicit feedback about your experience of the therapy process. We will work together to decide, depending on your goals and the nature of your difficulties, whether a brief psychotherapy approach is best or whether a more open-ended one would be appropriate. Brief psychotherapy, which usually lasts less than six months, works best when you feel relatively stable in your life and want to focus on one specific area of difficulty. Open-ended psychotherapy allows for a broader focus and a deeper level of exploration in which ample time is allowed for multiple themes to develop.

At the beginning of therapy, we will negotiate a kind of psychotherapy contract in which we will agree to meet at a given frequency, usually once a week, at a set time, and for a given fee. Occasionally, circumstances are such that I may suggest meeting more than once a week. The consistency of appointments and mutual commitment to the psychotherapy process are important ingredients to a successful outcome.