parakaleo christian counselling

About us

Walking alongside you

Hello, I am Dr Mercy Manyema - Christian counsellor, public health expert, speaker and founder of Parakaleo Counselling. I am registered with the Council for Pastoral and Spiritual Counsellors, CPSC,  (Reg: 2022P00916).


The word parakaleo means to come alongside - encouraging, comforting and strengthening. This is how I see the counselling journey.


There are times in life when we need someone to walk alongside us—to listen without judgement, to help us
make sense of what we are experiencing, and support us as we find our way forward.


That is the space I aim to create through Parakaleo Counselling.

A safe space to be heard

Counselling is not about telling you how to live your life. My responsibility is to create a safe and confidential space where you can explore what is happening in your life, understand yourself more deeply and consider healthier ways of responding to the challenges you face.

 

I believe that every person's story matters. Your experiences, relationships, beliefs, losses, hopes and struggles all form part of the person you are today.


My role is to walk alongside you as you explore your story.

Christian counselling

My counselling practice is grounded in the Christian faith, and operates from a Christian worldview.


I believe that physical, emotional, relational and spiritual wellbeing are interconnected. For clients who want their faith to be part of the counselling process, Christian principles and Scripture will be thoughtfully integrated into our work.


This is not about being dismissive and giving simplistic spiritual answers to complex problems. It is about creating space for faith, hope and spiritual reflection alongside professionally informed and ethically sound counselling. The client's consent will always be sought before incorporating Christian practices into the process. 

My counselling approach

People and their circumstances are different. There is no single formula for healing. I use an integrative, eclectic approach that acknowledges the Holy Spirit as the Great Counsellor, while also drawing from professional counselling techniques. 


Our work together will depend on your circumstances, your needs and the goals you bring to counselling. My aim is to help you develop greater self-understanding, healthier ways of coping and stronger relationships.

 

To ensure that our conversations remain within the bounds of professional and ethical standards, I use the frameworks described below to guide our conversations. 

Counselling Frameworks

Paraklesis Counselling Model

The Paraklesis Christian counselling model is a bible-based, Christ-centered, and psychologically sound framework that acknowledges the biological, psychological, social and spiritual factors that can lead to or arise from life problems. 

 

Through this lens we will seek to discover the various factors that may be contributing to your distress. 

5E Counselling Model

This framework acknowledges that the Holy Spirit is already speaking to a client before they even come to the counsellor. My role will be to come alongside you as you gain greater awareness of yourself and the problem you are facing. Through the counselling dialogue, I will move with you on your journey from self-awareness to self-discovery through self-discipline. 

Problem-solving and Opportunity-development Model

Relying of the power  and presence of the Holy Spirit, this framework leads the client to ask and answer the following questions:

 

  • What is really going on?
  • What does my ideal future outcome look like?
  • What do I need to do to achieve this outcome?
  • How do I put my plans into action, and persevere to get the changes I need?

You don't have to walk this road alone

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