Coming Alongside You with …Compassionate Caring, Therapeutic Excellence, Holistic Spirituality, Faith Based Wellbeing, Reputable Counsellor Training

Paraklesis is derived from the Greek “parakletos”, the word used for the Holy Spirit as Helper, Counsellor, and Comforter (John 14: 25, 26)

Parakletos literally means: Advocate… one called or sent for to assist another; an advocate, one who pleads the cause of another, one present to render various beneficial service (Analytical Greek Lexicon  1973:303)

Paraklesis Counselling was founded in 1992 by Dr Mervin and Hildegard van der Spuy to provide compassionate caregiving with therapeutic excellence. Together they’ve presented the Paraklesis training, courses and seminars. Dr Mervin has provided professional counselling/therapy in his private practice while pursuing his career as a professor of counselling psychology. Dr Mervin retired from Private Practice in 2018.

We believe that the central and pivotal mode of care-giving and training  is “Paraklesis”  – coming alongside.

The concept is derived from the Greek term for the Holy Spirit (Parakletos), the Counsellor, the  Helper, the Advocate and Comforter. The Holy Spirit is the primary Helper (Counsellor) who facilitates spiritual and personal development in people and helps them to grow into wellbeing and equips them for service. Emulating this, we want to come alongside people in need

Dr Mervin is a counsellor-educator and a retired psychopharmacologist. He offered professional counselling therapy for individuals, couples and families, specialising in helping people with medication related counselling issues until his retirement from practice in 2018.

He is still actively teaching online and now concentrates on the training of pastoral and lay counsellors (especially in Africa).

Counselling and training is done from an integrative faith-based approach and a Christian worldview, but individuals own believe systems are always respected.

Paraklesis also offers personal and spiritual enrichment opportunities; marriage, family and relationship courses; lay counsellor training; and counsellor supervision.

These affordable online Paraklesis Courses are specifically developed for lay counsellors and people interested in caregiving, and those looking for self-help and enrichment. It will enrich you as a person, and will equip you as a caregiver for your church ministry and as a lay counsellor for community work.

The courses are informative and educational. They are all based on accredited counsellor training material, and presented by Dr Mervin van der Spuy.