Kerans Christian Counseling

WELCOME! Corinne understands how hard it is to ask for help, and she understands that it takes courage, faith and humility to take that step. The mission of Kerans Counseling is to provide the highest quality, Christ centered counsel to Christian women who are seeking biblical guidance. May the Lord bless this initial step of faith you are taking and may you remember that He is with you always.

Christian Counseling Online Ministry: No fee. When possible, Corinne offers free counseling or "by-donation" counseling. This offering is only available because of regular donations. Any donation is helpful to keep this ministry going. Please ask if this is available (when donation levels are too low, Corinne has to charge for counseling, even though that is not what she prefers to do).

If the "by-donation" ministry is not available, the fee for online biblical support is $120 per session. Each session is scheduled for 75-minute increments. After the session, Corinne will prayerfully compose a customized homework email (based on the session) which usually requires 15-30 minutes of Corinne's time. Fees will be collected at the end of each session.

Financial Hardship Sliding Scale Fee: To inquire about Sliding Scale Fees, you will need to email Corinne at corinnekerans@gmail.com and request a quote based on your total household income and number of people currently living in the home. If Corinne has sliding scale fee slots open, she will reply with the cost per session and coordinate with you to schedule an appointment.

 

THREE Ways to Pay and/or Donate:

1. PAYMENT ONLY: If you wish to pre-pay, visit www.keranscounseling.com and go to the "Forms" Page at the top of the site. Then, under "Remote Support," click "Click Here." That will take you to a payment page where you can enter your credit card information. Otherwise, a link will be emailed to you at the end of your 75-minute session.

2.   VENMO: Two Ways to use. 1) Download the app to your phone, attach your bank information to the account, and search “Corinne Kerans.” Once you locate Corinne, use the icon (with a pen and $ sign) and fill out the dollar amount and select “PAY.” Note: If you wish to use Venmo, please have this app ready on your phone so that Corinne can request payment near the end of your session.

For donations, visit www.keranscounseling.com and go to the “Forms” page, and click “Venmo” under "Give a blessing." Women who decide to regularly donate to Kerans Counseling can use this link, however it can still be used to pay for sessions via Venmo. You will be instructed from the Venmo website on how to proceed should you enter Venmo through the counseling site. ***Payments can only be sent through a phone.

3. PAYPAL: This option is like the Venmo app, except it does charge a 3% fee to Corinne. This is ok if you already have this account and prefer this method. At the end of the session, Corinne will request payment through PayPal. You will need to have this account set up PRIOR to the session. For donations, visit www.keranscounseling.com and when you are on the HOME page, click “Give Support” near the top of the webpage.

 

Prior to Reserving your Appointment:

1. Consent to Services: Please read and respond to this paperwork. You will see your place to sign and date later in this online form.

2. Please fill out the “Personal Data Inventory Form” on the website. This is located on the “Forms” page. If this is not filled out, Corinne will wait to schedule your first appointment unless you communicate an inability to complete this form.

3. Corinne will review your paperwork and respond. If she believes she can help, she will reach out regarding scheduling, find out your availability and preferred method communication (phone or zoom), and of payment preferences. *** Venmo & Paypal Payment accounts need to set prior to the first appointment. At the beginning of the first appointment Corinne will make sure accounts are in order.

What kind of Christian Counseling is offered?

It is technically “biblical counseling.” Although Corinne has been educated and trained as a marriage and family therapist, her services do not include man-made therapeutic interventions or solutions. Corinne has had special training in the Scriptures & their application to life. What she says to you will not be based on the systems of human beings, or their own ideas. Her goal is to help you apply biblical principles to the particular problems with which you are facing.

Most of the problems that people have involve relationships. A person’s relationship with God is the most important one. Unless that relationship is right, nothing else in life can be altogether right. If you are uncertain about your relationship with Jesus Christ, Corinne will be glad to speak to you about it. Other problems that counselees typically communicate involve the concern over other people’s issues. The Scriptures teach us how God can enable us to relate properly to Himself and to others. During the sessions, you and Corinne will talk about your relationship with God and how you to associate with others.

Because it is foundational to all that is being done in the counseling session, Corinne suggests that you take time every day to read a portion of the Bible and to pray. She will also urge you to do your homework regularly. Prayerfully ask God to give you the strength to do what you have been asked to do. 

Christian counseling is not magic that takes place during one hour, one day a week. It is during the rest of the week that true changes occur. Within six weeks or so, Corinne is going to look for a definite change, and if there isn’t real change, she will want to evaluate the situation to discover the reason. 

If difficulties arise between sessions:

1.    Do NOT panic

2.    Write about the problem, specifically but briefly:

     a.    Write what you have done about it

     b.    Write what the outcome was and what led to that outcome

3.    Bring this information to the next counseling appointment

Corinne does not usually counsel on the telephone in between sessions. Advice given over the phone, without full consideration of all the circumstances, can be misleading. You need to wait until the next session to discuss the subject fully so that she can help you reach biblical decisions. 

If you are in crisis and have an urgent need you may reach out to Corinne & she will do her best to respond.

If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation, please call your pastor, your doctor, or the police. Also, you may want to call San Diego Crises hotline:

(888) 724-7240.

The Goal: The purpose of biblical counseling is to help you meet the challenges of life in a godly manner, which is pleasing and honoring to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Biblical Basis: Christian Counseling (Also commonly known as “Biblical Counseling”) is based on the belief that the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, provides thorough guidance and instruction for faith and life (cf. II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:3-4). Although Corinne is skilled in therapeutic techniques that aim to resolve “mental illness,” biblical counseling or instruction aims to offer solutions based solely on the principles of Scripture and does not employ methods of modern psychology or psychiatry.

Other Professional Advice: If you have significant medical, legal, financial, or other technical questions, you should seek the advice of a competent, independent professional. Corinne Kerans will cooperate with such advisors and will help you consider their counsel in the light of biblical principles.

It is urged that counselees properly care for their physical bodies and seek medical treatment for all physiological problems. Corinne Kerans will assist you in responding to such problems in a godly manner, but Christian counseling is not intended to replace the services of a qualified physician in the treatment of organic problems.

Confidentiality: Confidentiality is an important part of the counseling process. As Corinne Kerans differs in some respects with traditional guidelines regarding confidentiality, she has developed a policy, which specifically addresses this issue. Said policy is attached to, incorporated in and subject to the other provisions of this Consent to Counseling Agreement.

Conflict Resolution – Arbitration: If a conflict develops between Corinne Kerans and a counseling client/counselee, this consent calls for the response to be biblical. The Bible commands that Christians make every effort to live in peace and to resolve disputes with each other in private or within the Christian Church (cf. Matthew 18:15-20; I Corinthians 6:1-8), without involvement of the secular courts. Therefore, in order to ensure faithfulness to this biblical principle, Corinne requires all clients/counselees to agree that any claim or dispute arising under, out of, in connection with, or relating to, the counseling or biblical counsel given by Corinne Kerans or any dispute with Corinne thereof, shall be settled by biblically-based mediation and, if necessary, legally binding arbitration in accordance with the Rules of Procedure for Christian Conciliation of the Institute for Christian Conciliation (For more information, visit www.peacemaker.net/ICC).

(The arbiters will be selected from the elders of churches in the Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals (nationwide), with each party to the dispute choosing one arbiter, and the two arbiters then selecting the third. It is expressly understood that, by consenting in advance to arbitration, the client/counselee is waiving his right to trial in the civil courts.)

Corinne Kerans maintains the right to charge you if you do not show up for an appointment. As a counselee, you are required to provide 24-hour notice to let her know you will not be able to make your appointment. (Corinne will make exceptions to this policy - like for sickness or emergency - when necessary). You have the opportunity to cancel your appointment for up to 24-hours prior to your scheduled time. Please call, text or email Corinne to change your appointment as soon as you know you will not be able to keep it. You will be charged $120 for any missed appointment without 24-hour notice. Corinne will request payment by email and text.

Corinne Kerans understands that confidentiality is an important and vital aspect of the counseling relationship. Corinne agrees to carefully guard the information entrusted to her by her counselee to the fullest extent possible. Corinne intends to protect the information she receives in order to ensure the integrity of the counseling process and of your privacy.

Under certain circumstances, however, it may be necessary to reveal information obtained in the counseling process in order to uphold the principles of Scripture, the standards Kerans Christian Counseling, and/or the laws of the state of California. Corinne Kerans does not hold to the legal concepts of the priest/penitent, doctor/ patient, psychotherapist/patient or counselor/counselee privileges.

Situations wherein it may become necessary to reveal otherwise confidential information include, but are not limited to:

1. Where a counselee, although encouraged to renounce a particular sin refuses to do so, it may become necessary to seek the assistance of others in the church to encourage repentance and reconciliation in accordance with the Scriptures (cf. Proverbs 15:22, 24:11; Matthew 18:15-20). In said cases, only such information as is necessary to deal with that particular sin will be revealed. Further, said information will only be revealed to those biblically required to be involved. To that end, it may be necessary to contact the pastor and/or elders of a counselee’s home church.

2. If Corinne is uncertain as to how a particular issue should be addressed, she may reveal necessary information to & seek assistance from a biblical counselor or pastor.

3. Where a counselee threatens to harm himself/herself or another person, it may become necessary to notify the proper legal authorities, family members, pastor, intended victim or all of the above. If the counselee makes such threats in the context of a counseling session, the counseling will, upon receiving the information, consult with a Biblical Counselor and/or the Pastor, if such is available, who will work with them to assess the situation and assist in making the appropriate notifications, if necessary.

4. If Corinne is privy to evidence that abuse or some other crime has been or is about to be committed, it may be necessary to reveal such to the legal authorities.

5. Corinne Kerans recognizes that in the course of the loving discipline of their children, Christian parents may employ corporal punishment, in accordance with the teachings of Scripture and, in conformity with those Scriptures, Corinne supports a parent’s right to do so. However, if in the course of biblical counseling, Corinne suspects that a minor child has been physically or sexually abused, Corinne will immediately consult with another peer or pastor who will assist in the assessment of the situation. If it is then suspected that abuse has occurred, the legal authorities will be contacted. If no other biblical counselor is available and a child is in imminent danger of being abused, Corinne will contact the appropriate legal authorities without employing the above consultation process.