Daybreak Counseling Services

Welcome to Daybreak, a Pastoral Counseling Agency

We will post information about our staff and services here, as well as useful links to internet resources. For questions or concerns, please use our contact link.

What is Pastoral Counseling?

Daybreak Counseling Services is an interfaith pastoral counseling agency.

Folks often ask us "What is pastoral counseling?"  Pastoral counseling is a discipline that seeks to integrate psychotherapy and spirituality. We are living in an era of renewed understanding of the importance of positive spiritual practices to one's overall well-being. Our clinicians have been trained to address mental health issues while at the same time inviting clients to explore how their spiritual beliefs might impact their current situation. We help clients explore how the resources of their tradition may be called upon to promote healing of mind/body/spirit. At Daybreak we seek to honor the religious beliefs and values that our clients bring with them, with the goal of being a companion on a journey of discovery.  Becoming aware of one's core values and beliefs can be very empowering, regardless of whether those beliefs are formally or informally practiced, or whether one is Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Eastern-oriented or uncertain about spiritual beliefs. The pastoral counselor's goal is to provide the context in which one can examine one's connection to a reality greater than self and renew meaning, hope and wholeness in one's life.

Facing a traumatic loss, a life-threatening event, or a perceived failure can create a spiritual crisis, one in which one's most fundamental beliefs about life may be called into question. Pastoral counseling provides the opportunity to explore losses, doubts and questions in a caring, non-judgmental setting that honors the individual's faith experience. It is an invitation to sort out, clarify, and affirm one's beliefs and values while at the same time benefitting from the pastoral counselor's clinical training in mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, relationships, addictions, anger, grief, etc.

Community Recognition

In April, 2002. Daybreak was honored with the "Program of the Year" award given by the Interagency Council for Children and Families for Sussex County, DE. This annual award is given to the organization best able to collaborate with other existing services to more fully meet the needs of children and families.

Pre-Marriage Counseling

Daybreak uses the PREPARE/ENRICH Program to provide pre-marriage seminars to couples who are referred by their marrying pastor.

The process begins with the couple completing a standardized questionaire focusing on issues that are highly significant for successful relationships (for example, communication, conflict resolution, sexual expectations, role relationships, financial management, etc.), as well as assessing personality types and family backgrounds and expectations. PREPARE is statistically very successful at discriminating between couples that are more likely to get divorced from those that are more likely to be happily married (80 - 85% accuracy).  Taking the assessment and reviewing the results can provide couples with a very realistic picture of what areas of their relationships are strong points and which areas require extra care and attention. 

PREPARE SEMINAR GROUPS

After completing the questionaire, each couple schedules an individual session with the seminar leader to review the results. Participating couples then attend a group couples seminar, typically held over two sessions, one week night and one weekend half-day.  A second individual session is also generally suggested. The total counseling time is about 7 hours.  The cost of the questionnaire, individual couple sessions, and group seminar per couple is $200.  A certificate of completion will be provided. 

PREPARE SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUAL COUPLES

For couples who are receiving PREPARE services as individual couples, rather than part of a group seminar, the cost is higher, since costs are not spread across the group.  The couple receives individualized feedback tailored to their unique relationship.  Following completion of the questionnaire, the couple schedules six counseling "hours" (45-50 minutes) with the counselor to complete the PREPARE program.  These sessions may be scheduled as six separate meetings, as double sessions (three 90 -100 minute sessions), or some combination of single and double sessions, according to the needs and availability of the couple and the counselor.  The total cost of the program, including the questionnaire (which can be completed online by those with computer access), is $245.  A certificate of completion will be provided.