I have recently read a book entitled 'Emotional Freedom' By Rev. Mario Rivera, which I found very interesting and enlightening. Does any one know anything more about this model of counselling.

-- Doris Synnott (dorissynnott@hotmail.com), July 09, 2002

Answers

Dear Doris,

I know that Theotherapy contributed a great deal to wrecking my marriage and family and also to others.It drags up past hurts but does not invoke the love of God and His compassion and forgiveness. This theme is central to Christianity but it appears to not be part of Theotherapy.The result is hardness of heart, anger and unforgiveness.

God bless you

Kazik

-- (chartersc@hotmail.com), August 29, 2002.

Can I just correct the previous response. A major part of theotherapy is conflict resolution using the Biblical tools of Forgiveness, Acceptance, Surrender and Love. Whilst I cannot really comment on the experience of the previous responder, Theotherapy properly exercised should lead to the Biblical concepts of reconciliation and loving relationships. However as with any christian counselling you are working with fallen human beings - "you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink" - If a person doesn't want to face issues and doesn't want to see them resolved in a Biblical manner (as Theotherapy directs people to) then as a counsellor your hands are tied. Ultimately people have the choice to follow Jesus or not. If you would like more information on Theotherapy check out www.cciworld.org

-- Martin Stokley (martinstokley@hotmail.com), November 01, 2002.

It is interesting that some should experience something under one name and characterise everyone that uses that same name or word as being the same. I must agree with Martin that Theotherapy is a good form of therapy. I would add, if it is practiced appropriately I don't think there is any better form of therapy around. I would suggest that those intereseted in finding out more about Theotherapy go to a correct source for learning the correct theotherapeutic approach. The only source I know is found on www.theotherapy.org.uk .Perhaps the unhappy Kazik will find something better for her life there. I really hope she does.

-- Emilio R. Vega (docriver@msn.com), February 18, 2003.

I'd just like to say that Theotherapy is what you make of it. If you want to hold onto the anger remembering your past you can. But Theotherapy can also help you deal with the anger. Some people have to dig deep to even find suppressed emotional damage while others know exactly where theie "Negitive Active Past" stems from. It is my experience that Theotherapy and the facilitaors are some of the greatest persons I've ever had the priviledge of meeting and getting to know. All the way to the founder to the USA President Ms Darr. Infact Theotherapy helped me throught one of the toughest times in my life. PRISON. I am just like the lady next door. An average citizen. Who found out just how life can change at the blink of an eye. I had a husband, and three beautiful children, a home, a job, a future. That I never expected to land me behind bars but it did. Theotherapy helped me, which inturn helped my family. I realized I had made the choices that resulted in my fate. And had it not been for Theotherapy I would have came out Bitter and Mad at the world. Instead I was able to work throught my issues and understand myself and why I behave and react the way I do.

Any one who would like more information on Theotherapy please feel free to contact me at dallen2416@comcast.net

Thanks for allowing me to voice my oppinion. Amy Allen Nashville, Tennessee

-- Amy Allen (dallen2416@comcast.net), April 10, 2003.

How can one respond to that first communique? All the answers above seem to me to be valid.

I myself had gotten myself very enmeshed in the world when I happened (not "happened":) ...when I Providentially met the oldest son of the Founder of the movement, Mario Revira, Jr., and his lovely wife, Delia.

I was converted at age 14 through the ministry of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. I attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA in the the '50's. I served a small Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia as pastor from 1958 to 1966, when I resigned and demitted the ministry because of a disastrous marriage.

I had gone to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI, with the idea of finding a wife who was "theologically and ecclestiastically correct". I succeeded in this, but found after sixteen years that these two criteria, although basic, were not adequate in themselves to guarantee a sound and successful marriage. The reason fsor this? My wife came from a very spiritual, very Biblical home Her parents loved the Lord. They were simple, pious, uneducated immigrants from the Netherlands. They were of what is usually described as "good yeoman stock". Nevertheless, they lacked the cultural refinement and the intellectual interests I had received in my own home. But my own home was a strange ambiguous mishmash of generations of genteel and pious Christian commitment and alcoholism, disfunction, divorce, and agnosticism. My father was the conveyer of both strands to me.

By God's grace I was converted early, and espoused the high cultural and Bilical life principles of my Old School Presbyterian forebears of three and four generations back.

My wife loved the Lord. She was far more pious and spiritual than I. But her cultural and educational background, coupled with her painful shyness, did not mix well with mine, nor with my extroverted personality and character. So we divorced. I spent nineteen years in the world, indulging in the lifestyle of the Biblical "Prodigal Son". All through those years, the Lord kept sending wonderful born again Christians into my life. I would attend sound Biblical churches from time to time during those nineteen years, but always just until the preaching got too hot for me, when I would disappear into thed world again for weeks or months.

But through the urging of young Mario, I attended three Theotherapy Seminars in Pittsburgh in the spring of 1985. They changed my life. After this, although sometimes stumbling and falling, I was, in the words of one of the attndees at the seminars, Carol Guidish, I was "on my way"!

I have recently made reaffirmation of faith and joined a Bible believing church. I hope many of my old Theotherapy friends read this, and email me. wjr1927@yahoo.com.

-- William James Rankin (wjr1927@yahoo.com), June 19, 2003.

I am honoured to be involved in the ministry of Theotherapy and spend my life teaching the modality throughout the world. I have experienced a great deal of personal healing and have seen many lives transformed through the implementation of the biblical principles used in Theotherapy. As with any ministry, an untrained person can cause harm and maybe Kazek had the misfortune to encounter someone who was not trained correctly. As the European Director for Theotherapy I would certainly be interested to know about anyone who is misusing such a powerful counsellling approach. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is given to us to Save and Heal. Theotherapy - which means God's healing - is the most profound and life changing ministry I have ever encountered in my 30+ years as a Christian. If Kazek lives in the Europe, I would personally be glad to help sort out any distress caused through her experience. Dr Julia Muir

-- Dr Julia Muir (juliaATdfl@aol.com), July 07, 2003.

I fully understand that many biblically based counseling modalities must resign themselves to the fact that all who are born of God's Spirit have the new creation in an earthen vessel (as a previous person has noted). It is a problem in most of evangelical Christianity that often; God's grace and the new birth are not properly understood.

People in Messiah are not told the truth of the Great Exchange and therefore do not understand that strongholds of the flesh (lies that we have been brainwashed with and that are still 'on tape' in our carnal minds) continue to adversely impact our walk in the Lord.

The good news is that God has already declared us to be holy ones, saints and the inner man/woman is free to live in God's faith, hope and love. The carnal mind (left over from the person we used to be before we believed) remains unchanged and often involves itself in our Christianity. Until you solve the identity crisis of 'who are you really?' drudging up past hurts can be disastrous.

I have found that a person with extremely toxic tapes (a euphemism for the lies that our carnal mind continues to run) must first understand that that God has truly changed them completely into the image and likeness of Messiah before they can confront these difficult issues in a spiritually healthy manner. Unless you understand God's Righteousness At Christ's Expense (GRACE) is a 'done deal', you have no healthy basis from which to deal with the dysfunction of the world, the flesh and the Devil. Unless you understand that you cannot even take another breath without God's grace, your carnal flesh will not be recognized when it involves itself in your Christianity.

-- Steve Rowitt (steverowitt@hotmail.com), September 05, 2003.

Dear Doris, I am the Southern Regional Director for Theotherapy here in the States. I ran across your question while browsing the internet for anything related to Theotherapy. Theotherapy Seminars, Incorporated is currently working to establish a webpage, which will have plenty of information which you hopefully will find helpful. We are hoping to have it up and running in the near future.

Dr. Mario Rivera, the author of the book you read, is a very gifted man with degrees in psychology, theology and physical therapy. Years ago he utilized his knowledge in these areas to formulate a modality of ministry he called "Theotherapy" which means "God's Healing". Although the modality of ministry was established many decades ago...it's principles are as old as the Bible. Theotherapy utilizes not only these biblical principles, but psychological principles as well that are not in conflict with Scripture. Things like resolution of fear through God's love, forgiveness, dealing with anger, rejection issues, etc., are all a part of what we deal with in Theotherapy. And the Lord has truly given us the method in Scripture for working through all of these issues.

I can assure you, it is very biblical and as a minister for over 20 years, I can attest to the fact that the principles I personally have learned in Theotherapy have done more to heal me personally, heal my family, and have become such a part of my life, I share these principles with anyone I can. I would be delighted to send you some information about Theotherapy. Dr. Rivera has several books out in addition to "Emotional Freedom". He has written books entitled "Facing Unresolved Conflicts" and "The Church as A Redemptive and Healing Community". All are excellent resources.

As Amy Allen wrote in a previous email to you, we are doing work not only in church settings, but in a local Nashville prison as well. We have been working with male and female inmates for over a year and a half now. Out of approximately 300 inmates who have been thru our intensive 6 month program, to my knowledge only about 5 have returned to incarceration. With a national average of over 80% recidivism, Theotherapy is obviously making an impact with a less than 2% recidivism rate for those in the program.

There is much more I could say. I am sorry that the individual who initially answered your question had such negative things to say. It is sad they were not able to get the incredible benefits available in such an awesome ministry.

God bless you in your quest! Please feel free to email me if you would like me to send you some additional information on Theotherapy.

Sincerely,

Mark A. West Southern Regional Director Theotherapy Seminars, Inc.

-- Mark A. West (theosouth@comcast.net), September 08, 2003.