I'm captivated by the mystery of each person and bent on figuring out how best to live. I love the depths and secrets of each person's soul and I love finding the way to untangle the mess and find concrete ways to live really, really well. My own story was the starting place for my interest. Losing my father to leukemia when I was eight made me believe two things; 1--that any horrible thing might happen and 2--that it was up to me to survive. I was grounded in the brokenness of the world which made me unshocked by the depth of human struggle and very preoccupied with how to stay steady and okay in the midst of it. In college, I found Jesus' life to be an answer for me on so many levels; in an ultimate and existential sense, his life, death and resurrection gave me hope. But in the granular grittiness of his interactions and lifestyle, I found a model of being in the broken world that gave me direction in the moments and hours of my days, where real living is worked out. I became a student of human nature. What are we missing and how can it all work better? How can I tinker with mine and others' inner experiences and learn how to unlock the higher capacities in all of us? How can we be more fulfilled, more congruent, more steady, and more empowered? Somewhere along the way, it became essential to me not only to survive, but to bloom, to expand. All that fervor has led me to lots of trainings and directions along the way. An MDiv and a counseling degree and lots of certifications like so many of us these days; spiritual direction, the Enneagram...But it all boils down to wanting to know the mysteries of the inner world so that more freedom and hope can emerge. I love speaking, writing, training, and counseling as it fits into my passion to empower people to be the best version of themselves. But I also get juiced by other things that run in the face of all the sad and bad things that can happen; I love being finished with workouts and I love starting a new recipe. I love throwing great parties and seeing musicals. I adore making people cry with a sacred question and making them laugh with a wry observation. I love speaking to large groups and I love making spaces beautiful. I love delighting my people with my wine cork Christmas tree ornaments I make every year and a steady stream of novels is food for my soul. I love to cry in movies about how achingly beautiful life can be. My early beliefs were foundational seedlings out of which grew my hope that Jesus came not only to save our souls but to save us from despair in this life. And I am most deeply myself when I'm living in dependence on Jesus for my own daily hope. I light up when I can be a part of someone else becoming liberated to live as the truer and freer version of themselves, finding their place in God's story. For more information, go to janicemcwilliams.com Janice McWilliams is the co-author of the Small Group Leader's Handbook and The Anxiety Toolbox on Scribd Coach. She attended Howard University's Divinity School for her theological training. It was there that she found her love for pastoral counseling and pursued her counseling degree at Loyola University in Maryland. She has worked in a number of capacities with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, more recently as a trainer and spiritual formation specialist. She is a certified Enneagram trainer and Spiritual Director. Janice works as a therapist and spiritual director in private practice, specializing in couples counseling and treating anxiety disorders. She speaks and offers workshops on Marriage Strengthening, Self-Care, and the Enneagram. Find out more at janicemcwilliams.com
