About The Institute for International Care and Counsel
History
In 2008, Drs. Brad Smith, Fred Gingrich, and Gary Collins created Care and Counsel International (CCI), a nonprofit organization focused on mobilizing Christian counseling resources internationally. CCI, working in cooperation with the Lausanne movement, organized an International Lausanne Consultation in 2009 in Mexico City and organized the Care and Counsel as Mission track of the 2010 Lausanne Congress. One of the outcomes of the congress was the Cape Town Declaration on Care and Counsel as Mission. In 2014, Belhaven University President Roger Parrott invited Brad to become the founding director of the Institute for International Care and Counsel providing a stronger home base to carry on the work of CCI. IICC was launched in January of 2015. Dr. Roger Parrott, as one of the longest serving Christian college presidents and an innovator in Christian mission since the 1980s identified mental health as a new, urgent priority for the global Church. In founding the Institute, he said, “We as the global Church need to revolutionize the way we engage with mental health just as we have with other pressing issues like physical disabilities.”
Staff
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Bradford M. Smith, PhD, Institute Director Brad served as the first Cross-cultural and International Track Leader for the Christian Association of Psychological Studies (CAPS) and is a frequent speaker on global mental health for the American Association of Christian Counseling (AACC). Together with Institute Fellow Dr. Fred Gingrich, he co-edited the Journal of Psychology and Christianity: Special Issue on Psychology in the Global Context. He was an editor for the 2017 book Global Mental Health and the Church. He and Fred Gingrich are currently writing a book entitled Global Mental Health: Expanding the Transforming Mission of the Church for InterVarsity Press. |
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Amy Rex Smith, RN, DNSc, Director of Research Amy is currently on the Board of Nurses Christian Fellowship International (NCFI) and is one of the curriculum developers and trainers for the Art and Science of Spiritual Care course which provides spiritual care training from a Christian worldview world-wide. Amy holds certifications both as a spiritual director and as a Faith Community Nurse. Her research interests include the American Association of Critical Care Nurses’ Synergy Model, spirituality and health in the acute care setting, prayer and coping with cancer, and the role of the Faith Community Nurse in End-of-Life decision making. |
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Kimberly Campbell, Project Coordinator As Program Coordinator, Kim Campbell is focused on developing the Institute’s communications efforts and website as well as managing Institute events like Mental Health First Aid and the day to day Institute office operation. Kim is a 2017 graduate of Belhaven University with a degree in Intercultural Studies. She began working at the Institute in the summer of 2016 as a work-study helping prepare for the fall 2016 Summit and then transitioned into her new role after graduation. Kim has lived internationally and traveled extensively. She is deeply involved in local ministry having volunteered in prison ministry to youth offenders, and is currently working with children and families in West Jackson. |
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Kathryn Eltzroth, Global Network Coordinator As Global Network Coordinator, Kathryn Eltzroth’s current focus at the Institute is on cultivating global networks around the role of churches and other faith-based organizations in mental health including Lausanne’s Global Health and Trauma Network. She graduated from Belhaven in 2016 with an International Studies major and Psychology minor and has been with the Institute for nearly three years. Beginning as a work-study and then as Program Coordinator, she organized and conducted interviews for the Jackson Area Church, Health and Mental Health Project. She also served on 2016 Mind, Body, Spirit Summit team, and co-authored an article with Dr. Smith in the recent Global Mental Health and the Church book. She currently resides in Cardiff, Wales with her graduate student husband. |
Senior Advisors
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Barbara H. Johnson, PhD, RN, Conference Co-Director |
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Gladys Mwiti, PhD Dr. Gladys Mwiti has worked for over 20 years in the field of trauma, and family and personal counseling. She founded Oasis Africa with a purpose and commitment to bring healing to many hurting communities in our world, and to build leadership committed to integrity and accountability. Dr. Mwiti holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology that she earned in Nairobi as well as an M.A. in Christian Leadership and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary. She is the author of four books and a video based training curriculum for counselors in Africa, produced in conjunction with Fuller Seminary. She is currently the chair of the Kenya Psychological Association and the Catalyst for Global Mental Health and Trauma for the Lausanne Movement. |
Fellows
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Angela Gaddis, PhD Angela has taught social work for fifteen years. Her nine years at Belhaven University has included the development of the social work department and its accreditation process. Research has been focused on child welfare and human trafficking. Honors have included recognition by the United States Army, the Mississippi Air National Guard, and the Mississippi Higher Education Appreciation Working for Academic Excellence Award. She is currently serving as chair of the Social Work Department at Belhaven University. |
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Ulrich Giesekus, PhD Dr. Ulrich Giesekus is Professor of Counseling Psychology at the Liebenzell International University of applied Science in Germany. A doctoral graduate of US International University, San Diego (now Alliant International University) and the University of Delaware (M.Ed., B.AS) , he has been involved in research and teaching on Christian counseling for many years and authored numerous books. His special interest in intercultural and interreligious aspects serves well within the missions context of Liebenzell University, formerly a Missions Theological Seminary and now part of Liebenzell Mission. The Mission cooperates with many partner organizations worldwide. Giesekus is the academic director of the M.A.-course “Integrative Counseling” at Liebenzell University. He was director of the first “International Conference on Global Mental Health and the Role of the Church” in 2015 with speakers and participants from over 20 countries. The former track leader of the “Global Issues track” at several AACC World Conferences is now involved in the “Christian Care and Counsel” track of the Lausanne Movement, a global missions network. |
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Fred Gingrich, DMin Fred spent his early years as a missionary kid in Japan and then Kenya and his teen years and young adulthood in Canada. As noted above, Fred and Brad have collaborated on editing the JPC Special Issue on Psychology in the Global Context and are writing a book for InterVarsity Press. |
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Heather Davediuk Gingrich, PhD Heather has degrees from Carleton University (Canada), Wheaton College Graduate School, and the University of the Philippines. She spent 2 ½ years in Karachi, Pakistan as a missionary kid and, with her husband Fred, was a missionary professor in Manila, Philippines for eight years. Her areas of expertise include trauma and abuse, counseling skills, diagnosis, counseling theories, research methods, and social/cultural foundations of counseling. She also supervises practicum students, interns, and students writing theses as well as serving as a case consultant, and conducting pre-field assessments for missionaries. Heather is a frequent conference speaker |
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Tina D. McDyess MSN, RN, PhD Tina holds degrees from Tina is a member of the Mississippi Nurses Association, the American Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. She was recognized as one of the authors of the article, “Psychometric Examination of the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale” in the Journal of Cultural Diversity. |
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Scott White, PsyD Dr. Scott White is Scott’s academic experience includes conducting empirical studies with students which are regularly presented at professional conferences. He has published articles in the Journal of Psychology and Theology, The Journal of Psychology and Christianity and the Home School Researcher. Scott’s international experience includes developing an HIV/AIDS prevention program on the island of St. Vincent and providing training to counselors and social workers working with victims of human trafficking in Cambodia. Over the past four |