About Melanie
The Basics
My name is MelanieJoy. I'm a Biblical Counsellor with clients on Canada's West Coast. I am married to Dave and mother to my young adult daughter, Mady, and dog mom to the wiggly and sweet "Rosie" the Lab. I enjoy good coffee, taking long walks to soak in great sermons and podcasts, love day trips and exploring west coast trails, studying God's Word, theology, church history and current church culture, and really love expository preaching. I delight in witnessing the Counsel of God's Word in transforming lives!
A Little More...
My clients come from the Greater Victoria Area, Vancouver Island, the lower mainland of British Columbia, Alberta, and other parts of Canada and the USA. You might note I have a US number because I am married to an American with the majority of our time based on Vancouver Island.
I have more than 5+ years of experience in counselling, but decades in the field of consulting, advising and coaching. Before I received my Diploma for Applied Psychotherapy & Counselling, Specializing in Counselling, I worked as an Executive Coach, plus ran a business of Business Coaching and Marketing. Previous to that, music ministry and keynote speaking for women's conferences and retreats.
My counselling clientele have ranged from school-aged children through women in their 70s. I have worked with many women particularly in their 20s and 30s, especially during and post-Covid. However, at any given time, I seem to have a range of women of all ages and enjoy working with women of every life stage.
Main influencers and biblical teaching mentors include:
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Dr. Steven J. Lawson, OnePassion Ministries
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Dr. RC Sproul, Ligionier Ministries + the many teaching fellows (ie. Sinclair Ferguson)
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John Piper, desiringgod.org
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John MacArthur, Grace To You
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Allistair Begg, Truth For Life
My Statement of Faith
My full-time focus is to know God and apply that knowledge (His instruction, wisdom, counsel, discipline) first in my own life and in such a way that I am in a biblically faithful posture to counsel, disciple, and mentor women of all ages.
My favourite thing to do with clients is to pray with them, to point them to God's Word for His Counsel, and to watch how God changes them through the renewing of their minds, the softening of hearts, the reordering of loves, and with eyes on the ultimate prize of Jesus - our Living Hope.
To borrow the words of Apostle Paul... Colossians 1:28, "Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me."
My Statement of Faith is firmly rooted in Reformed Theology; one that emphasizes the Authority of Scripture and the Sovereignty of God. Here is the Statement of Faith Ligonier Ministries website that I would fully concur with.
Biblical Counselling Mission Statement
My mission is to continue to know and teach the Gospel of God, and to keep this “good news of joy” central in the counselling room. I endeavour to hold up the whole Counsel of God, the Word of God, as the standard by which I conduct myself outside the counselling room so that I can authentically and biblically faithfully minister, counsel, disciple, advise, and mentor clients in the sessions. I endeavour to demonstrate and teach foundational theology (who God is, what He says about us, how we apply this to every aspect of our lives), and sound doctrine (the teaching and principles of God’s Word). For this is the power of God, through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit to renew minds, restore relationships, and develop new disciplines, behaviors, and attitudes, from a heart level, with a Christ-centred focus for real, lasting, and God-glorifying change.
God’s Word, God’s Attributes, God’s Gospel, God’s Standards, God's Personhood through the Trinity are all essential in my counselling toolbox; to do otherwise is inconceivable to me. I have committed to be a lifelong learner as reflected in my daily pursuit to know God and to know His Word.
If my Mission Statement were directly from word for word from God's Word, it would read:
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). For the word of the cross is folly to those who are dying but to those who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). For His divine power has granted to us all things for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me (Colossians 1:28-29). Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith (Philippians 1:25). Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season: reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching (2 Timothy 4:2). All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16).
Contact
I look forward to hearing from you if I could be of help or encouragement to you. Reach out to book a session.