DeAron Washington knew he wanted to use his psychology degree to make a difference for the gospel, but when his Baptist collegiate ministry director suggested seminary, he was stumped.
“What’s a seminary?” Washington asked.
Washington had come to faith in Christ during college, and as a new believer, seminary was a foreign word. But Washington wanted to be salt and light to the culture, and he began looking for a degree program that would combine counseling licensure with a theological education.
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary “was the only place that allowed me to do that,” Washington said. “So, here I am.”
Now as a doctoral resident in the counselor education and supervision program, Washington teaches graduate level courses in marriage and family counseling and multicultural counseling. Through the seminary’s Leeke Magee Christian Counseling Center, Washington provides professional counseling services to others.
“He’s the kind of doctoral student and professional who takes his learning very seriously and pours himself into it,” said Craig Garrett, associate dean of the counseling division, who also noted that Washington “sows what he has learned back into his counseling, teaching and writing in ways that benefit others.
“For DeAron, the lines between scholarship, teaching, counseling and ministry in the church and community are continually overlapping. He really does embody the idea of salt and light.”
When Washington came to faith in Christ, he struggled with psychology’s “inadequate” understanding of human spirituality, he said. Washington found the gospel filled in the “holes” left empty by psychology.
“The light bulbs came on,” Washington said. “This really is the word of God. [Spirituality] really is an important piece of a person’s life, and it needs to be addressed.”
A biblical understanding of sin and the discord it brings is crucial.
“Sin came in and took us apart from God” is how Washington said he explains it. “Sin took us apart from people and [broke] our relationships. But sin also affects ‘me, myself and I,’ and ‘we’ don’t always agree.”
He has worked with individuals, couples and groups in inpatient and outpatient settings. He also is trained in a variety of behavioral and emotionally focused therapies, trust-based relational intervention and mental health care related to depression, anxiety, relational, spiritual and cultural issues.
Counseling has the ability to help people recognize the disruption caused by sin and helps them heal from sin’s trauma, Washington said.
As he encourages others in their personal struggles, Washington points to Scripture.
“You may ask that question, ‘How long, O Lord?’ How validating it is to know that I’m not the first person to ask,” Washington said.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Marilyn Stewart and originally published by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Share with others: