Interview

An Interview with Peg Roberts, M.A., LMFT

One option upon graduating from the Counseling Psychology program at Bethel is to go into private practice.  Peg Roberts, M.A., LMFT did just that immediately following graduation from Bethel’s program. She later founded the Spirit of Hope Counseling Center in Minnetonka.

She is a Minnesota Board Approved Supervisor, a Clinical Member of the AAMFT (American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy), a member of AACC (American Association of Christian Counselors), and a Seminar Director for PREPARE/Enrich, a premarital and marital assessment tool. 

Peg’s clinic employs six therapists, three of whom graduated from Bethel University.

BU: To what extent does the Christian faith impact your counseling?

Peg: Personally, I find it really difficult to counsel without the Christian perspective. In our clinic, I think we look at the whole person, the psychological and behavioral concerns, and also the spiritual aspect. A relationship with God is a real resource available for people. It is great to personally talk about God and prayer. I can’t imagine counseling without it. It’s a big piece.

In our center we do more clinical counseling. We use skills like EMDR that are not necessarily Christ-centered. I consider myself very clinical with a Christian perspective. There are definitely ways to weave in the Christian faith. Faith can be weaved into cognitive behavioral therapy to a certain extent. I try to pay attention to how God is directing me. I don’t necessarily pray with our clients, but will do that if they ask. I try to follow the lead of the client. I try to do what works for them but God is part of the counseling whether they know it or not. 

BU: How was your experience at Bethel?

Peg: My experience at Bethel was just awesome. The university really wanted to help us succeed, and I feel that is really what happened. 

BU: How is it helpful to have several therapists in your clinic who graduated from Bethel?

Peg: It is great to have a real commonality about the kind of training that we had. I know what they have gone through: just the connection between us. We know who each other is, understand the struggle of the job we have. We are faith-based and pray together and talk about God. 

BU: Did you seek out Bethel people or did they find you?

Peg: I did both; because we are Christian we wanted Christ-centered people. People have been connected to us through the grapevine: someone knowing someone who knows someone.

BU: What advice would you offer someone interested in setting up his or her own practice?

Peg: The best advice I ever got was to be a good therapist. You have to build relationships and establish trust with people who will be referring clients. Patience is important. I enjoy meeting new people and learning what the church community is like. I am truly interested in it.  I’ve had lots of different work experiences that I have been able to apply to my counseling practice. I decided on private practice because I felt called by God.