AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care

You are going to have conversations with hurting people all your life:

How prepared are you??

What if you could learn to discern the deeper implications of what people are saying, of what they are experiencing?
And what if, after engaging in sensitive, savvy listening, you could offer them something of real value:
biblically-based, skillful guidance that can make a significant difference in their life?

AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care will equip you to do just that.

For Whom is AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care ideal?

  • Pastoral staff or ministry leaders of any kind who desire to be better equipped in their roles as elders or deacons, those serving in women’s or youth ministry, prison ministry or outreach, community or small group leaders, missionaries, and more.
  • Practicing counselors, therapists, social workers, coaches, or consultants who want to ensure their work is thoroughly biblical and optimally impactful.
  • Someone interested in exploring Christ-Centered Care or biblical counseling as a possible career path without the intensive demands of a formal degree program.
  • Any Christian who desires to be a better friend, parent, leader or co-laborer in any personal or professional context, by deepening their understanding of the human mind/heart and by learning how to use God’s Word to engage effectively with those in their spheres of influence.

That’s Me! I’m interested…

– OR –

My whole team needs this. Train us all!

What Makes AYSF Training Uniquely Effective?

Here are just some of the ways AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care is so different from anything else out there:

  • Scope and Depth: We do a deep dive into over 30 of the most common ways people struggle, including:
  • Anxiety, anger, shame, grief, disappointment, betrayal, rejection
  • Issues that arise in: singleness, marriage, parenting, career, in the church
  • Sexual abuse, body image, addictions 
  • And much more!
  • We focus not only on theory, but technique: HOW to navigate helping conversations around these topics (rare to find)
  • Intimate class size: We use a cohort model to create a truly special learning experience. Unlike most classroom situations wherein you have limited direct engagement with the professor, AYSF Training involves ongoing interaction with the instructor. We prioritize addressing all of your questions to ensure you are truly absorbing what you are learning.
  • Vibrant community: AYSF Training enables you to journey meaningfully with a small group of like-minded Believers. You will be part of a community of support that often evolves into precious friendships that endure beyond the program’s completion. 
  • Unlike formal degree programs, AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care involves none of the following:

NO:

• Paper writing
• Exams
• Grades
• Lengthy reading assignments
• Required classes you’ll never use
• Financial debt

How to Experience AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care

AYSF Training: for Individuals

    • If you are an individual interested in AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care, we invite you to join our next AYSF-hosted cohort. You will learn (live, online) with a select group of Christians from around the country (may be all women or co-ed). The program is designed in two phases. In Phase 1: Foundations for Christ-Centered Care, the cohort meets over the course of 9 months for weekly training, bi-weekly practice sessions with fellow cohort members, and a monthly one-on-one with your AYSF instructor.  Those in the cohort who desire hands-on practice with in-depth feedback will move on to the 8 week practicum in Phase 2, in which you will have the opportunity to participate in live sessions with a woman seeking Christ-Centered Care.

    Become Equipped to Help Others Flourish

    Spots for this exclusive program open up only once a year so reach out today to find out more!

    AYSF Training for Your Existing Group

    (Women only or co-ed groups welcome)

    AYSF Training is ideal for any Christian group or team, whether all women or co-ed, seeking to be well equipped to have theologically rich, emotionally sensitive, and practically helpful conversations with all those they serve. Such training can be a true game-changer for those leading and serving in churches, Christian non-profits, missionary organizations, or anyone on the “frontlines” of ministry. It is also an excellent option for any group of Christian friends who decide to band together to form their own cohort to become better equipped as parents, spouses, co-workers, friends and more.

    • AYSF would be delighted to customize a training program exclusively for your group or organization. You let us know how many participants you will have, which elements of the two phases we offer you wish to incorporate (see “For Individuals” description above), etc. From there we determine cost, scheduling, and nail down all the details to create a custom-tailored program that perfectly suits the needs and goals of your group.

    Equip Your Team or Group for Fruitful Ministry

    Equip Your Team or Group for Fruitful Ministry

    Testimonials

      Maureen

      I wish I had taken AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care before starting my 30 year career as a missionary!  I do quite a bit of informal counseling as part of my work and this program has taught me so much about how to better help people who are hurting. There is a lot of trauma in people’s lives here and now I am much better equipped to help with that pain. I was asked to speak at a women’s retreat a few months ago and I found myself working concepts I had learned in class into my teaching. I was amazed by how many women later shared about how God met them through what I had offered. It was such a powerful experience (one of many now) where I got to use what I have learned through AYSF to help women flourish. 

      There is just so much about this program I could rave about. It felt so comprehensive: I really can’t think of any relevant topic we didn’t cover and I learned so much in each session. Susan knows the Word of God and uses it to help others more than most anyone else I know. She is so professional and so well prepared for each session. She is very sensitive to the Holy Spirit and can say hard things in a way that you are open to listen to. She is kind and strong. She has integrity and lives what she teaches. She is inspiring. My life is better and healthier because I have learned from her. And my experience of learning with the other cohort members was amazing. We helped each other in so many ways. I really felt a camaraderie and a bond with the other women. We realized we were all in the same boat and we became each other’s biggest fans. 
      When I initially heard about this program my first thoughts were: I can’t afford that and I don’t know that I want to be a counselor. But I felt a tug to talk to Susan about it anyway and started to realize how much I could benefit from this type of equipping in the work God already has me doing. So I signed up… and the Lord provided the money in ways I could not have imagined! Having been through the program now I would say: I do not know one person who would not benefit from this course both personally and in any professional context. It has been truly invaluable.

      Cristiane

      AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care is completely remarkable. It is unlike anything I have experienced before. The classes well exceeded my expectations in terms of the wide variety of topics we covered as well as the depth and detail and how thoroughly biblical the content was. Susan is like a walking Bible reference book! She is unwavering in what the Bible says and yet gentle in how she helps others understand and apply it. The way Susan unpacks Scripture the hearer is drawn in, hearts are softened, and eyes are opened. She genuinely cares for each of the cohort members and is sensitive to each of our needs. We left each class not only with practical knowledge, but feeling like we were personally ministered to. 

      When I attended bible college years ago there was always a large number of students in class, and being in a large church, events can feel impersonal. This cohort program was a warm and safe setting where I felt heard and seen by the instructor and my classmates. Learning alongside other women was truly special. It was a beautiful picture of what women supporting women should look like. I got to know the women at a deep level as we studied, encouraged and prayed for each other and shared our stories of how God was working redemption in our own lives through what we were learning.

      It is difficult to put into words how impactful this experience has been for me: it was still 100% worth it. I had been very nervous to sign up for this program but I am so glad I did not not “shrink back.” God has been so faithful every step of the way. Through this training and applying myself, I have thrived. This has been one of the most purposeful and transformative experiences of my life.

      Susan M

      I took a course with a well-known Christian counseling center a few years back to learn how to help people in our congregation who are struggling. I found it very clinical and cold and overly simplistic, showing us how to make charts and to label what we thought was going on with the person. AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care could not be more different!

      I have learned so much about who God is and who I am in Christ through this training. I was surprised how deep we were able to go with so many topics. The information is so rich you don’t want to miss anything. Susan is extremely knowledgeable but presents everything in such a way that is easy to understand. She inspires you to really study this material and to share in her passion to promote the flourishing of others. It was surprising how easy (and helpful) it was to talk to the other cohort members when at first I thought it would be intimidating. I never expected to finish the program with a group of such good friends/sisters in Christ. 

      Through this training I have grown in my own walk with the Lord and feel equipped to help others walk their path. I’ve developed skills in learning how to really listen for what people are going through, not just what they are telling me on the surface. I’ve become familiar with so much scripture and learned how to apply it. I’ve learned how to stand with somebody and fight with them as a warrior daughter of the King. I look forward now to helping women who feel stuck, to help them access options they did not realize were possible, and to help them discover the riches that are theirs in Christ.

      I also discovered more about what I am capable of by going through AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care through the process of taking tons of notes, understanding the material, and processing my own issues. There were times I would say ‘I can’t do that,’ but with God’s help and Susan’s encouragement, I did it. I was pushed out of my comfort zone so many times but I am still standing and it was so worth it. My life has changed for the better for having gone through AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care.

      Leigh Ann

      As a woman who had been in and out of counseling for years, I can attest that the AYSF approach is nothing short of a revolution. It is the only example of true freedom and healing that I have experienced in a care-giving setting. Previous counselors offered me “bandaids” to ease my pain. Susan’s approach is so unique and effective. So when I heard about AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care I was so excited to learn how I could be an instrument of the same kind of growth and healing in the lives of other women.

      I knew that participating in this program was going to change me but I had no idea how profoundly both the content and the people would impact everything in my life. As for the people: Susan is a bold and passionate teacher of God’s Word. Her knowledge of the Bible is impressive, but it is her deep insight into the heart of human beings and into the heart of our Father God that really makes her approach special. Susan is also very authentic, candid…and funny! As for the other cohort members: I loved getting to know each of the women individually as we discussed how our lives related to the subject matter at hand. I developed a true admiration and respect for each woman. As a result of exchanging ideas and sharing insights with them, my understanding of the material increased exponentially. 

      As for the content: Through AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care I have learned so much more about what the Lord says about himself, his creation and his children. I also have a new clarity about what the enemy sounds like and how he comes for God’s kids in sneaky ways. I have learned how to help women replace worldly understandings in each area of their life with the Lord’s beautiful intentions for us. This training has been a profound paradigm-shifting experience in the best way and I am SO grateful!

      Bethany

      Tears of gratitude are filling my eyes in real time as I write this. The Word of God is truly changing my life because it has first been loved, studied, prayed through, and wrestled with in relationship with God by Susan at AYSF and I am one of the blessed students under her instruction.

      When I graduated seminary I thought, “How am I going to use this theoretical information to actually help people??” There was more “meat” in the first half of AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care program than in the entire two years I spent earning a Masters degree in Biblical Counseling! The scope and diversity of the content AYSF provides is incredible. The topics really are all-encompassing of what a counselor might see coming through their door/Zoom screen. Real wisdom and practical tools have been imparted to me so that I can invite others into a better way, a way that leads to abundant life in Christ. 

      Through AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care I have learned I am capable of partnering with the Holy Spirit in real time to draw on His inspired Word and offer it in regards to real problems people have. Now I actually have the skills to know what I am listening for and how to respond in a way that is truly helpful. I have the tools to offer wise counsel rather than only a passive ear and platitudes. There is a confidence in me now that real change is possible for anyone who comes through my door because God is after their flourishing and I get to be part of facilitating that.

      From years of experience of being in counseling myself I can tell you that typical counseling focuses on behavioral management and symptom alleviation but never quite “removes the tumor” that’s stealing your life. You can go from counselor to counselor rehashing the same stories of your past but not much is different. AYSF Christ-Centered Care equips you to “remove the tumors” so the people you serve can live free. (It has for me and for the many people I have referred to AYSF).  And now I am prepared to help others to process pain with God so they can truly move forward. With AYSF Training in Christ-Centered Care, you won’t help people just “manage” their problems, you will be able to skillfully apply the Word of God to their wounds in such a way that they finally heal.

    It’s Your Turn.
    Let’s Prepare You to Get Others Flourishing!
    Inquire as an individual
    –  OR  –
    Inquire on behalf of your group