Called to Counseling

A Calling I Never Expected

When I lost my job in June of 2017, I was feeling discouraged and disoriented. My career up until that point had been in the financial services industry, but after six years of being on that path, I could sense it was time to make a change. The only problem was that I had no idea what that change was going to be.

One day, I “randomly” had a thought about attending seminary. What felt strange to me, however, was that this idea seemed out of the blue. On top of that, I did not feel particularly drawn to becoming a pastor or even vocational ministry in general. So, I was unsure about what to make of this seemingly random idea at first.

The next day, Laura (my wife) asked me a question.

“Have you ever thought about going to seminary?”

I had not mentioned to her that I had in fact thought about seminary, so I responded, “Yes, literally just yesterday for the first time. Ever.”

This seemed, as church people often say, like “a God thing.” To this day, I remain convinced it was all a God thing. At this point in time, though, I had way more questions than answers. All I knew was that this “seminary” idea was one I would be foolish to ignore.

As I thought more about it, I reconsidered the idea of ministry. Did I see myself working for a church? Was God calling me to become a pastor? Would my tendency to talk a little too much be turned into having a captive Sunday morning audience as I rambled from the pulpit?

I continued on the hamster wheel of questions, but I remained unconvinced that pastoral ministry was my calling. I loved to serve in my local church, but as a volunteer. So too remained this new question. What was I to make of this new seminary idea?

At some point, it dawned on me. Seminaries – at least some of them – have counseling programs! Suddenly, this idea made a lot of sense to me. As I began reflecting on my life experiences that led me to this cross-roads in my late twenties, I thought about the significant firsthand experience I had in my late teens back in 2005, when I struggled with crippling anxiety. During that time, I had gone from a kid who “did everything” to someone who felt unable to do much of anything. Thankfully, my parents had the resources to connect me with a team of mental health professionals, and that experience would change my life forever. Realizing I was not alone and that there was in fact hope for me allowed me to keep going. As I got older and continued to mature emotionally and spiritually, I held onto that experience I had when I was seventeen, which helped to sort through the messiness of life while also discovering that my identity and self-worth were not merely a product of my performance.

Suddenly, this “idea” felt more like a calling. My wife and I ended up living in the Pacific Northwest for three and a half years, which was an adventure that will always be near and dear to our hearts. After earning my counseling degree at Western Seminary, we moved back to Texas to be closer to family once again, at which point I was offered a job here at Sequoia Counseling Center. I suppose the rest, as they say, is history. I could not be more grateful for the work I get to do every day.

It was meant to be.

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Ryan Woods, LPC

My goal as a counselor is to help adults, adolescents, and children by providing a space to be heard, process life’s challenges, and develop the necessary skills to thrive mentally, physically, and spiritually. My overall approach to therapy involves cognitive behavioral methods, as well as narrative therapy. I view counseling as a collaborative effort in helping clients recognize strengths, identify needs, understand conflicts, discover new options, set personal development goals, and make informed choices.