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Suzette Bowen -- MEd, LPC, MFT Intern, NCC  Counselor - I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Nationally Certified Counselor, a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern, and a Certified Collaborative Coach.  I am currently pursuing a PhD in Christian Counseling with a speciality in Marriage and Family Therapy from Liberty University.  My counseling style is more directive than client-centered and this directive style is most effective in marriage counseling (especially couples in crisis.)  I know that couples and individuals need help/counseling when they get stuck in unproductive or maladaptive patterns of thinking, living, and interacting.  I am committed to teaching couples the importance of having a fulfilling marriage as a means of achieving individual, marital, and familial health.     Educational Journey - I received a Master’s of Education in Marriage and Family Therapy from Southeastern Louisiana University. I taught high school for seven years and left the school system to be a “stay at home mom,” raising my three children (what a blessing).  During this time, I owned and managed an interior design company.    Local and Regional Speaker -   Often times, men and women lack understanding when it comes to communication, expectations, agendas, and life-cycles of marriages and family systems.  In an effort to educate others, I use a variety of venues, such as:  retreats, presentations, and seminars.  I have a passion for helping people achieve the abundant life God promises His children.     Controlled Separation/In-House Conflict Control - I am not a proponent of separation or divorce.  Separation, in any form, is risky and dangerous to marital and family systems.  Unfortunately, when traditional marriage counseling is ineffective and the destructive patterns cannot be broken within the current marital structure; separation is often a viable option.  Separation, when used to achieve reconciliation and healing, can be useful.  I have a passion for helping couples in crisis and equipping them with needed skills training.  One technique that is exceptionally helpful is controlled separation.  This contracted separation process requires the couple to commit to intense, pre-paid therapy for six months.  Strict boundaries are set for the couple to follow.  Another technique is in-house conflict control.  This affords the couple with an enhanced opportunity to change destructive relational patterns in hopes of healing the marriage.   Collaborative Divorce Coach - The function of a certified CDC is to aid the divorcing couple progress through the painful process of ending the marriage without the legal system exacerbating the anger, bitterness, disappointment, and grief which are inherent in divorce.  This is a revolutionary new dispute resolution process which keeps the family out of the court system and provides the couple with a team of  attorneys, mental health coaches, child specialists, and financial consultants, who work together with the couple to minimize the negative impact of divorce on the children, family finances, and the future relationship of the divorcing couple.  This process is based on the "good-will" of the couple toward one another and the well-being of their children.  The clients are aided in prioritzing goals, learning effective communication skills, clarifying potential solutions, and establishing a workable long-term co-parenting relationship.  Wife/Mother - I have been married for 19 years.  My husband, Todd and I have been sweethearts since we were 14 years old.  He has always been the “wind beneath my wings”.  Through many twist, turns, and bumps in the road, the Lord has taught us the value of unity.  We have three beautiful children who are truly rewards from the Lord.  My greatest accomplishment, as a wife and mother, has been provided by God’s wisdom on how to establish my home as a refuge for my family.  Most of all, His love for me has provided a template for me to honestly and deeply love those He has placed within my life.  Christian - I have been a Christian for 35 years.  God has taken me through many trial and tribulations.  He has taught me how to be an overcomer of adversity and He has given me the desire to help others to become overcomers too. Throughout my life, I have ministered to the body of Christ through song.  In recent years, God has brought me to a deeper understanding of worship.  He has revealed the vast difference between singing about Him and worshipping “Unto Him”. In addition to worship, I have a heart to minister to women, specifically mothers, teaching them how important it is to be stimulated spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually every day.     Contact Information: suzette@murphytoerner.com Mobile:  225-975-7584