Christian Counseling Service

Volume 08, Issue 1
Christian Counseling Service
Spring/Summer 2008
Reflections

Reflections

ago a small group of pastors believed that counseling grounded in faith should
be available to the members of Redlands churches and accessible to individuals and fami-
lies in the wider community – and Christian Counseling Service was formed. Today, Christian Counseling Service is
serving close to 800 families – offering pastoral counseling; specialized, evidence based therapy methods for chil-
dren and their parents, therapy for couples and families, as well as a variety of other mental health therapies. All of
this is done in a context of compassion, faith and community.

We are excited about our growth, but more importantly, we are thrilled to be able to continue to add staff excellent at
what they do and committed to service. In addition to good people, we have been fortunate to be able to add cutting
edge programs, thanks to our partnership with our supporting congregations, individual donors and First 5 San Bernar-
dino. We have found that it is the combination of committed people and these people knowing how to do excellent
service that really changes lives.

But growth has its challenges and we are hitting a few right now…
1. Volunteers - We need people to volunteer as board members, we need volunteers
to greet clients and provide child care, and we need other professionals to visit us to

see what we do. Please help us get the word out about our needs and services.
CCS’ Mission is to serve
families and individuals in
2. Financial Support - We are ending our fiscal year in June. We changed from a
the Inland Empire through
December year end to match many of our grants and contracts, but many of our do-
professional, compassionate
nors help us only in December. Normally, this would balance out, but this year dona-
and evidence-based mental
tions are needed to end our fiscal year in the black. So the next couple of weeks we
health services which are
need to ask all who know and care about CCS to pitch in and help – every little bit
rooted in community and
faith.
does make a difference.
3. Space - Our biggest on-going challenge is the lack of sufficient space to provide
services to the people who call in for help. We are completely out of therapy space to
Inside this issue:
serve even the people who are currently on our waiting list. At this time we don’t even
have enough space for our current staff to work --our team of 10 therapists who spe-
A Personal Reflection: 2
cialize in working with kids are working out of 3 offices! We need partners: 1) to help
“Does Jesus know
Parent Child
begin raising money for a children & family center; 2) to help us raise money right now
Interaction Therapy”
for a 2-3 year lease on office space until we are able to build a new family and chil-
UPCOMIING:
2
dren’s center; and 3) to help us by donating any available or unused office space for
Parenting Class
our staff, so we can help more families.

HISTORY:
3
CCS’ Beginnings
I am proud to be part of a community of people who work together to see families
function better, who provide help to individuals looking for wholeness, and who seek to
Staff Introductions: 3
enable hurt children to find healing. CCS’ community has grown in 30
Elaine B. Zucco
Margi Wild
years from 5 local church partners to many churches and individuals
throughout the Inland Empire. This 30th birthday year is dedicated
Featured Supporting 4
with great thanks to those who have gone before, to those who have
Congregation:
Church of Christ,
enabled 30 years of service to occur, and to those who continue to
Redlands
support the work of Christian Counseling Service. This issue of CCS’
newsletter and the next, will focus on the churches and people
Sheryll Prinz-McMillan, who make the ministry of CCS a reality. Please join our com-
Executive Director
munity and work to make our mission a reality.

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Page 2
A couple of months ago a client asked
if there could be more of an integra-
By Jamie Wetherby,
tion of Christianity into her Parent
MFT Intern and PCIT Intern
Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) ses-
sions. This client said she had chosen
that parents call “naughty” or “acting skills when he became a human. He
Christian Counseling Service because of out.” are diagnosed with Attention Defi-
spoke and had conversations just as we
its religious affiliation and was surprised cit/Hyperactivity Disorder and/or Op-
do. He also did the things we do, from
that she had not heard much about positional Defiant Disorder. Most par-
walking and eating, to laughing and
God or Scripture in her sessions.
ents initially report that discipline is both crying. In reflecting and imitating us,

exhausting and difficult. Major goals of Jesus was say-
PCIT is a therapy that follows a strict PCIT are to help children comply more ing “Who you “While I chuckle at
the thought of Jesus
protocol to the extent that some parts of readily with their parent’s commands, are has value.” knowing PCIT, I am
each session are scripted; these scripts and to form stronger relationships be-
Children in deeply touched when
do not include any type of religious dia-
tween parents and their children. Ulti-
PCIT feel that I think about him
logue. Therefore this client’s request, mately children want to comply more. same worth
p
r a i s i n g m e ,
becoming a human
while wholly appreciated, left me room PCIT gives parents an integral role in when their par-
and doing and saying
to explore how exactly PCIT and Faith the therapy. Parents are taught certain ents reflect and the things I do.”
intersect.
skills and tools and they become the in-
imitate them.

room ‘therapists’ while a PCIT therapist
A basic purpose of PCIT is to strengthen coaches them through an earpiece from PCIT teaches parents to Describe what
the relationship and attachment be-
a different room.
they see their child doing, much like the
tween parents and their children. Many
way a sportscaster will give a play-by-
of the children referred for behaviors These basic PCIT skills follow the acro-
play during a sporting event. Among
nym PRIDE: Praise, Reflection, other things, this skill shows a child that
Imitation, Description and Enthu-
their parent is paying attention to them
siasm. As I thought about each of and sees what they are doing. I have
these skills I saw ways in which never heard the voice of God giving a
Jesus practices them all.
play-by-play of my daily activities, but I

know he watches me. The Bible de-
PCIT teaches parents to praise scribes how he knows the number of
their children for the good things hairs on my head, in fact he knew me
they do. Children love to please before I was born.
their parents and when they are
praised for specific behaviors The final PRIDE skill is Enthusiasm. PCIT
there is a good chance they will teaches parents to be genuinely enthusi-
want to do these behaviors more. astic while interacting with their children.
Furthermore, praise helps to cre-
This enthusiasm lets a child know their
ate a positive feeling between parents enjoy being with them thus
parent and child. Scripture clearly strengthening their attachment. Jesus
shows how Jesus praises his chil-
was passionate about people- children
dren: by communicating his love and adults alike. While I chuckle at the
for his creation, and ultimately thought of Jesus knowing PCIT, I am
greeting us in heaven with the deeply touched when I
words “Well done, good and think about him prais-
faithful servant.”
ing me, becoming a

human and doing and
According to PCIT, Reflection and saying the things I do,
Imitation mean saying and doing knowing me completely
what one’s child says and does. and being passionately
Jesus embodied both of these enthusiastic about me.
Christian Counseling Service, Redlands, CA - 2008 // vol 08, Is. 1

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Page 3
Staff Introductions


Elaine B.
Zucco is CCS’

newest staff
In 1977 the pastors of the
member. As
downtown churches began
the Operations
By Dr. Christa McNerney,
to dream of a service
Manager, she
Associate Director
which would understand
will coordinate
and utilize the faith of people seeking counseling help. These pastors had already
and direct the
support ser-
banded together in a Shared Ministry Project, meeting monthly to coordinate their
vices to keep
calendars and to propose joint programs for ministry to the immediate area around
CCS operating
their churches.
efficiently. Ms.

Zucco comes to CCS with over 15 years

These pastors were Robert Wallace of of experience in administrative and
Clockwise: Dr.
the First Baptist Church, John Inglis of fiscal management. Formerly, Elaine
Glenn Whitlock
the First Presbyterian Church, Franklin was the Administrative Manager of
and Dr. George
Greene, United Methodist Church, First 5 San Bernardino. Her manage-
ment skills combined with her pas-
Bruce VanBlair of the United Church of
sion to improve the lives of children
Christ, and Ira Hall of the State Street
make her a welcomed member to CCS.
Christian Church. These pastors were
to be part of the counseling ministry if they chose, along with
select community volunteers. All counselors would make use of
Margi Wild is
being welcomed
the consultation or supervision services provided by a profes-
to CCS as a
sional mental health board made up of: John Draeger, MD,
Marriage and
George Riday, Ph.D. and Glenn Whitlock, Ph.D. Fees would be
Family Thera-
asked for these services, but a sliding scale would be provided,
pist Trainee and
and no one would be denied counseling because of inability to
a Parent-Child
pay.
Interaction
Therapy

Trainee. Margi
By April of 1978, the Christian Counseling Service was officially established with an
offers a rich
Administrative Board including the thee members of the professional board and background in her work with young
representatives of the supporting churches. Volunteer counselors began offering ser-
children and families having received
vices in September 1978 in a little white house on the campus of First Presbyterian
her Master of Arts and Doctoral de-
Church.
grees from the UC Riverside. Her
interest and experience include social

development and counseling individu-
By 1981, it became apparent that the fledgling counseling program was floundering. als, couples and young children. Margi
But the board soldiered on guided by Glenn Whitlock and supported by the counsel-
aims to build up families and children
ing work of Bob Wallace, Richard Blakley, and Peggy Nance. In 1982, Glenn was
within a spiritual focus by supporting
joined by Jim Stumbo, a Baptist minister who
individual strengths.
had relocated to the area to begin a Ph.D in
CCS’ Supporting Congregations
pastoral counseling at the School of Theology

in Claremont.
Bethany Reformed Church of Redlands (1988)

Community Presbyterian Church, Redlands (1996)
JIm Stumbo was appointed the first executive
First Baptist Church, Redlands (1978)
Founding Congregation
director. He and Glenn Whitlock worked to-
First Congregational Church of San Bernardino (1999)
gether to develop a staff of accredited pastoral
First Lutheran Church, Redlands (1984)
counselors and professional mental health pro-
First Presbyterian Church, Redlands (1978)
Founding Congregation
viders to serve the churches and the wider com-
First United Methodist Church of Highland (1997)
munity. Over the years that followed, CCS was
First United Methodist Church, Redlands (1978)
Founding Congregation
incorporated as a non-profit, it was accredited
Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, Redlands (1988)
as a Service Center of the American Associa-
The River Christian Reformed Church (1988)
tion of Pastoral Counselors, it grew from 5 sup-
Redlands Church of Christ (2000)
porting churches to 17 supporting churches,
Redlands United Church of Christ (1978)

Founding Congregation
and from a part time staff of 3 to a staff of 20
most of whom work full time doing therapeutic
Trinity Episcopal Church (1987)
and supportive work. Executive Directors who
University United Methodist Church, Redlands (1984)
have fostered this growth include Jim Stumbo,
Victoria SDA Church, Loma Linda (2004)
Christa McNerney, Bea Phillips-Smith, and
Worship Company Fellowship Church, Loma Linda (2005)
Sheryll Prinz-McMillan.
Yucaipa Valley Presbyterian Church, Yucaipa (2005)
Christian Counseling Service, Redlands, CA - 2008 // vol 08, Is. 1

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Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
San Bernardino, CA
Christian Counseling Service
Permit No. 1156
of East Valley Inc.
51 West Olive
Redlands, CA 92373
Phone: 909 793-1078
Fax: 909 335-7330
E-mail: info@CCS-Cares.org
Your Giving CHANGES Lives!
Mailing Address Line 1
Mailing Address Line 2
Mailing Address Line 3
Mailing Address Line 4
Include CCS in your Living Will or Trust.
A Cash Donation is always welcome!
Donate stocks or securities that have gone up in value. You
receive a tax deduction for the entire contribution AND most
Pledge a monthly amount. You can now have it billed directly to
likely save on taxes.
your credit card through Paypal® on our secure website at
www.ChristianCounselingService.org
Call us at 793.1078 if we can assist you in any way!
The Church of Christ in Redlands has been a member of the Red-
lands Community since 1941. Steven Kay, minister, has been working with the congre-
gation in Redlands for more than 11 years, and holds the position of Hospice Chaplain for the
Redlands Community Hospital. Steve is a nationally certified bereavement facilitator and leads
an active grief support ministry that provides support to groups and individuals. Steve also vol-
unteers his time and expertise to the Sheriff’s Department. Jeff Partain, youth minister, provides
much needed Christ centered and directed activities for teens and their families. The church
actively supports a mission work in Mozambique, the City of Children in Mexico, and is begin-
ning a local mission work, FriendSpeak, to help members of our community improve their Eng-
lish skills. The Redlands Church of Christ has been a supporter of Christian Counseling Ser-
vice for almost 7 years with one of its members on the Board of Directors. CCS provides much
needed counseling services to families and individuals in and around the community of Red-
lands. As a church that recognizes the many needs of those in our community, the Redlands
Church of Christ takes great pride in that association.
To learn more about the Church of Christ in Redlands, please look at our website at:
www.redlandscoc.org

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