"This fascinating book by Rev. Dr. Mary Jonson exploring the 'Healing Heritage of The Counseling Ministry Of The Church' is a monumental achievement and offers a fresh integrated perspective for anyone interested in Holistic Healing, counseling, or pastoral counseling. Ministers, counselors, nurses, physicians, therapists, pastors, social workers, and lay people will find this superb scholarly work an invaluable guide and lively practical resource for diverse healing ministries including: care giving, clinical counseling, pastoral care teams, healing prayer, pastoral care, pastoral counseling, etc. " -Pastor E. Davis, MTS, M.Div. "Dr. Johnson offers a lifetime of practical experience, research, insight, and riveting scholarly study in this pioneering work that brings together vast areas of knowledge into an integrated whole offering vital practical and theoretical skills. It has influenced both my life and healing vocation deeply."-Carolyn Barber, RN "Love In Action" is a pioneering work bringing a Holistic perspective on Healing to the field of Pastoral Counseling. Pastoral Care, and Clinical Christian Mental Health Counseling. This book on "The Healing Heritage Of The Counseling Ministry Of The Chruch" has been used to train over a 100 counselors, pastoral counselors and ministers for professional licensure and certifications. This incredible book offers both essential information and great wisdom for any one intersted in this area and is an invaluable resource for both experts or beginners in this field. Both practical advice and extensive original academic research lay out a basis, plan, and purpose for healing through effective Christian and Pastoral Counseling that is both holistic and transforming. Pastors, counselors, psychotherapists, students, and any one involved in care giving or counseling will be richly rewarded by the knowledge and expertise contained in this profound yet practical work written by an experienced expert clinical Christian psychotherapist and pastoral counselor. A "must" resource for pastors, counselors, and anyone else intersted in the practical, theoretical, and spiritual dimensions of healing."-Pastor Eric Johanson "I have always felt the healing presence of God in nature", says the author of "Love In Action", Rev. Dr. Johnson."We live in an age that desperately needs a new understanding of both healing and counseling . In my experience the Bible reflects the powerful healing reality of Christ in creation and our own lives in many pivotal passages including one that inspired the final completion of this book: 'Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God .....On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit in season. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations' (Revelation 22:1-2)."
About the Author: Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson has served as an ordained minister for over three decades, both as a parish pastor and in diverse specialized ministry settings. She has pastored in Methodist, Assembly Of God, Congregational, and Independent Churches and had extensive chaplaincy, educational, Clinical Counseling, teaching, and Clinical Supervisory experience. Dr. Johnson is a skilled clinical psychotherapist and has earned credentials as a Nationally Board Certified Counselor (NCC), Nationally Certified Pastoral Counselor (AAPC), a Clinical Member of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (A.C.P.E.), and a NH State Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. She has been included in "Who's Who Among Human Services Professionals" and "Who's Who In Religion." Her Doctor of Ministry Degree in Psychology and Clinical Studies from Andover Newton is unique in its integrative emphasis on psychology, clinical work, and theology. A Th.M., cum laude, from Boston University School of Theology combined dual majors in Pastoral Counseling and Biblical Studies. She was on the Clinical Staff of New England Memorial Hospital and Middleton Pastoral Counseling Center in MA and served as a director of Renew and Green Pastures Counseling Centers in NH. Rev. Dr Johnson also worked extensively in Hospital Chaplaincy in MA at Bon Secours and Tewksbury State Hospital and was on the Clinical and Supervisory Staff for training Chaplain Interns at Tewksbury as a CPE Supervisor. She served as Executive Director/Clinical Director of Good News Specialized Ministries, Inc. for over 20 years after founding this unique non-profit ministry in 1982. Good News has provided Clinical Christian Counseling to thousands of people over the years and offered graduate school education to many while training over 100 Clinical Counselors, Pastors, and Counseling Ministers. Rev. Dr. Johnson has served on the Adjunct Faculties of Antioch New England Graduate School, University Of New Hampshire, Gordon Conwell, Keene State, and Goddard College while supervising ministers, pastors, professional counselors, and clinical counseling interns. Dr. Johnson has been published in the AAPC professional Journal "Journeys" and the Keene Sentinel and authored other available published books including: " Building Pastoral Care Teams", "Visions Of Hope: Voices Of Americana" and "Healing Streams".