Chris S. Andersen, MA LPC
To schedule an appointment with Chris, please contact him directly at 623-680-8172, or by email at chris@nwchristiancounseling.com. Chris's client hours at NWCC are limited to Mondays and Thursdays (daytimes only).
Chris is the founder of Northwest Christian Counseling, which opened its doors in April 2007. Prior to that, he counseled for more than six years at Phoenix Christian Counseling Associates, where he was also a founding member; and one year at the Family Life Counseling and Education Center, an affiliate of Family Life Ministries. Chris attends Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV), where he has been a member since 1996, and has consistently served in volunteer ministries, including teaching and counseling programs. Chris has been married since 1999; has 2 children; and enjoys sports and outdoor activities.
Chris earned his Master's Degree from Ottawa University in 1999, and has been licensed with the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (AZBBHE) since 2000. He currently holds his Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) certification; is a Board-approved Clinical Supervisor; is a reviewed and approved counselor for Focus on the Family's Christian Counselors Network; and is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). In addition to his counseling practice, Chris works part-time for the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC), where he has specialized in victim advocacy work since 2002. Chris also has previous experience in teaching, coaching, and training.
Some of Chris's counseling specialties include (but are not limited to): men's issues; sexual addiction and compulsive sexual behavior (including pornography, masturbation, lustful thinking/fantasizing, and other sexual issues); recovery from affairs/infidelity; communication and conflict resolution; marital conflict; premarital counseling (including being certified to administer the PREPARE/ENRICH premarital and marital enrichment programs); adolescent and teen issues; depression and anxiety; and more. Chris also enjoys counseling pastors and ministry leaders and their families, and is sensitive to the challenges that ministry presents. Chris utilizes empirically-based interventions and modalities (such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to assist clients in overcoming challenges, resolving issues, and accomplishing their goals. Chris has many years of experience integrating Biblical principles and Christian-based spiritual disciplines into the treatment of mental health issues.
Rebecca Andersen, MAPC LPC
To schedule an appointment with Rebecca, please contact her directly at 623-680-8054, or by email at randersencounseling@gmail.com. Rebecca's client hours at NWCC are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (daytimes).
In 2010, Rebecca earned her MA in Professional Counseling from Liberty University, a Christian-based program applying Biblical principles to mental and spiritual health. Rebecca is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and has been licensed with the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (AZBBHE) since January 2012.
Rebecca volunteered in the Personal Care Ministry at Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV) for more than four years, where she worked with women dealing with anxiety, depression, marital issues, and more. For years, Rebecca has also been involved with CCV's Premarital program and teaching team.
Rebecca worked at Calvary Addiction Recovery Center, serving one year as an intern and 2.5 years employed as an on-call therapist working in the inpatient and intensive outpatient programs. Rebecca has also worked as a Therapist for Thrive Therapy and Northwest Christian Counseling.
Rebecca has a passion for helping hurting people and restoring broken relationships. Her goal is to come alongside hurting clients, and provide a safe and understanding place for them to share their burdens and address the issues that are causing them distress. She provides a Christian-based perspective for those seeking to integrate their Christian faith into the counseling process; however, she welcomes the opportunity to work with any clients regardless of their spiritual beliefs.
Rebecca has experience working with older teens, adults, and couples. Treatment areas include (but are not limited to): anxiety and depression; self-esteem and self-worth; spiritual growth; grief and loss; anger; addiction recovery issues; and more. She has experience working with couples on communication and conflict resolution skills, blending families, parenting, as well as recovery from affairs. She enjoys premarital counseling, and is certified to administer the PREPARE/ENRICH assessment, which is a research-based premarital assessment and marital strengthening and enrichment program. Her primary treatment approaches include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy , Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.
Julia Folden, MAPC LAC
To schedule an appointment with Julia, please contact her directly at 623-695-3075, or by email at julia@nwchristiancounseling.com. Julia's client hours at NWCC are Tuesdays (evenings).
. Her primary goal as a counselor is to help hurting individuals, couples, and families find and feel God’s Hope and Healing.
Julia completed her Master of Arts in Professional Counseling (MAPC) and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in Christian Counseling at Ottawa University in 2012. She went on to complete her Graduate Diploma in Christian Counseling from Phoenix Seminary in 2014. Julia has been a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) with the AZ Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (AZBBHE) since 2013.
In addition to her part-time counseling experience, Julia has an MBA and over 20 years of experience in Human Resources, including: executive coaching, employment/career development; employee relations; training; conflict resolution; strategic planning; team-building; and employee consultation within all levels of an organization.
Julia completed an internship at Scottsdale Bible Church's Counseling Center, where she counseled women dealing with a variety of life issues, including marital/relational, anxiety, grief, depression, trauma and abuse, and spiritual issues. She also completed an internship at Calvary Addiction Recovery Center, working in the inpatient and outpatient residential program with drug and alcohol addictions, as well as other co-occurring mental health disorders.
Julia works with a variety of client issues including trauma and abuse; depression and anxiety; grief and loss; couple counseling; career and life coaching, and spiritual issues. She also provides counseling to individuals who are recovering from addiction and/or for the families or friends who have been impacted by a loved one with an addiction.
Julia has previously co-facilitated Mending the Soul healing groups and is certified to use the PREPARE/ENRICH premarital and marriage enrichment assessments.
Christine Bielinski, MC LPC
To schedule an appointment with Christine, please contact her directly at 602-399-4699, or at christine.bielinski@outlook.com. Christine's client hours at NWCC are Tuesdays (daytimes) and Wednesdays (daytime, evenings).
Christine “Chris” Bielinski Dorn is a Licensed Professional Counselor who offers individual, couple, and group counseling, all delivered with professionalism, sensitivity and insight. Chris counsels those who struggle with anxiety, depression, grief, loss, trauma, and relationship issues. Divorce recovery and/or blended family support is also an area in which she assists her clients. She has a special expertise in working with partners of sex addicts. Chris has special training in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. She utilizes Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for individuals and couples, as well as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Chris also provides counseling within a Christian context, yet can work with anyone from other belief systems. She desires to bring hope to what oftentimes feels like despairing situations.
Chris is also a Performance Consultant. She works collaboratively with individuals, groups and teams who desire life and career coaching, or sport and business peak performance consulting. Christine works side-by-side with her clients to close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. She also provides a supportive environment so clients can deepen their understanding of themselves, as well as work on who they want to become as human beings. Committed to her clients, Chris desires nothing more than helping them realize their greatest potential.
As a writer and speaker, Chris enjoys communicating messages of hope, inspiration, and motivation. Her personal stories of hardship and prosperity make her genuinely transparent and relatable. Speaking to television and radio audiences, women’s community functions, business meetings, or church gatherings, she shares of topics such as healthy emotional living, success strategies and spiritual matters.
Chris has served as an adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University teaching both counseling and coaching courses. Chris holds a Master’s degree in Counseling and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication, both from Arizona State University. Chris is nearly finished completing her Ph.D. in Psychology from Grand Canyon University.
Chris’s experience in helping
people find healing has spanned over 20 years.
Rivka McGovern, MSW LCSW
Rivka is bilingual in both English and Spanish. To schedule an appointment with Rivka, you can contact her directly at 602-541-8246 or by email at rivka@nwchristiancounseling.com. Rivka's client hours at NWCC are Thursdays and Fridays (daytimes). Please note that Rivka will be out of the country from August until October 2018, but she will resume seeing clients the 1st week of November 2018.
Rivka McGovern is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who offers individual, couple, and group counseling services. Rivka is an experienced Clinical Social Worker who practiced for many years in the State of New York, working with both children and adult clients. Some of Rivka’s counseling specialties include: Domestic Violence; Anxiety/Stress; Anger; Self-Esteem and Self-Worth; Substance Abuse; Parenting Issues; Child Abuse Issues; and more. Rivka also has experience working with AIDS/HIV-infected and affected individuals.
Rivka was born in Chile, South America, and was raised in Israel. Rivka completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work at Haifa University (Israel), and earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York (1983).
Upon moving to Arizona with her husband in 2013, Rivka began working at Luke Air Force Base’s “Family Advocacy Program,” where she assisted couples and families that were impacted by Domestic Violence issues. In 2014, she got certified to conduct “Change Step,” a court-approved 24-week men’s DV group. Rivka also provided couple’s and family counseling services to Active-Duty members and their families, utilizing a variety of treatment interventions.
As a therapist, Rivka aims to help each client become more self-aware, and assists them in recognizing their abilities, skills, and capacities to encourage positive changes that will lead to self-growth, enhancement of self-esteem, and the attainment of personal and therapeutic goals. Rivka uses a client-centered, strengths-based approach to help clients understand how their personal experiences may have influenced their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and assists clients in learning new ways to create positive change based on personal strength and a renewed perspective that fosters a sense of hope.
Rivka has been married since 2002, and has a blended family with two daughters and two sons (and one grandchild). Rivka became a Jewish-Christian in 1995 and served for more than 15 years at the Vineyard Church in Rockville Centre, New York. Rivka has also completed a two-year course in Leadership Training. Rivka states: “I believe in Christian counseling and bringing God’s truth and healing to my client’s lives, so they can keep growing and moving toward becoming the person God intended them to be.”
NWCC is always accepting resume's for part-time counselor positions!
NWCC is always accepting resume's from therapists who are interested in part-time positions. Clinical Supervision by an LPC and AZBBHE-approved Clinical Supervisor may be available. If you are a licensed counselor in AZ and are interested in working part-time with NWCC, please forward a letter of interest along with your resume and availability to info@nwchristiancounseling.com. If positions are not available at this time, we will hold your resume for future consideration and may contact you as positions become available. NWCC currently needs therapists that can address the following: marital issues; men's issues; adolescent/teen issues. NWCC also needs part-time therapists who can work evenings and Fridays and/or Saturdays.