Q & A with Jeff Pokone 

Center Director and Counselor Jeff Pokone was asked some important questions from
IBCC Board Member JK Wall regarding the counseling ministry of IBCC.

JK: Jeff, you've been counseling here at IBCC for over 20 years now. Tell us your general approach to counseling?

Jeff: When people call our office, they are suffering and need of help. At IBCC we look to the scriptures as the foundation for our counseling. I describe the counseling we do as discipleship counseling. I view counseling in our clients lives as part of their Christian growth as we depend on the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of our clients to help their understanding, how to bring about application, as well as, exposing the lies they believe and helping them receive the truth of God’s word as it applies to their life.

JK:You mentioned "discipleship counseling." Let's go deeper on that. What is discipleship counseling?

Jeff: We see the counseling we provide as a way to help our clients grow in their relationship with Christ. Regardless of their need we are helping them resolve issues that impact their faith, spiritual maturity, and their relationship and walk with Christ. My passion is to help them to grow in their relationship with Christ and live out of their new man.  (Ephesians 6:22-24. Put off their old man and put on the new man created in true righteousness and holiness.) 

JK: When people think of counseling, they might have previous experiences with it. Others might have a picture in their minds, like a movie scene with a person on a couch and a shrink doing psychotherapy.  Can you tell us the key features of counseling here at IBCC that may be distinctive compared to other approaches?

Jeff: We begin every counseling session with prayer. Without the Lord’s help real progress cannot be attained, not to mention that we are all in a spiritual battle. 

We help people get unstuck spiritually and grow in their emotional maturity. We desire to address root issues that keep our clients from fully understanding God’s love for them and how to live from their new heart in Christ. Some of our clients need healing from their past wounds, some need to forgive others who have hurt them, others have to address sinful flesh patterns in their life that cause them to sin in ways that are destructive to them and to those that they love. 

JK: An important part of your counseling is helping people understand that their true identity is in Christ. Why is that so important for managing or resolving or healing from challenges?

Jeff: Most clients I counsel base how God sees them or how they see themselves in Christ on how their sinful flesh performs. Obviously, that is not a pretty picture. One of the greatest joys in counseling is when I am able to help clients understand what the scripture teaches regarding the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We all struggle with the flesh but for the Christian that is not our true identity. It is a blessing to see clients grow in their understanding of what it means to be in Christ and to learn how to live out of their new heart in Christ. 

An example would be in a marriage where both partners have experienced rejection and are reacting out of their hurt toward one another. When they resolve their hurt and learn how to respond out of their new heart in Christ out of love …it completely changes the dynamic of their relationship. 

JK: Why is it so hard for so many of us to truly live day to day with our identities in Christ? And why is it so important in your counseling to go back and address the root causes that are preventing people from living with their identities in Christ?

Jeff: Unfortunately, most Christians I counsel have some understanding of scripture and doctrine but have not been discipled to live out of their new man or identity in Christ…not only is it important to believe and receive who God says that we are as his children, but to also live out of who God says that I am as His child. 

Many people are stuck in their spiritual and emotional maturity and still have difficulty applying this truth regarding their identity in Christ. Some have had false teaching; some have unresolved hurts from the past and react out of that wound. Others have difficulty with flesh and sin patterns in their life that keep them in bondage. 

JK: What is the range of challenges with which you help people here at IBCC? Which of those do you handle most?

Jeff: I am able to counsel individuals that are struggling in their marriages, from past trauma and childhood abuse, various addictions, emotional difficulties like anger issues, fear disorders, depression and personal growth . 

JK: Let's end with the basics. If someone wants to learn more about IBCC or even schedule an appointment, how can they do that?

Jeff: For more information they can look at our website at indianabcc.com. If they are interested in scheduling an appointment they can call our office at 317-585-1845 and schedule an intake phone call in which we can discuss their counseling need and if that is something that I can be of help with and does my availability meet their need.