CCC 28-2_LR

FROM THE PRESIDENT

A Call to Faithful Care Families matter to God. Relationships are central to His design. When par ent-child bonds are fractured, the work of healing is rarely quick or easy, but it is holy work. The same God who made the human mind knows how to renew it, for “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Romans 12:2, NIV). I am often reminded of our missional call at the AACC… to remain stead fast in our commitment to Scripture and in building on wise, evidence-based best practices. Science can describe the processes of the mind and brain, yet hope, healing, and flourishing come through a personal relationship with God. When guided by our faith and how practice works together in the way we care for others, hearts begin to soften, minds begin to clear, and life can start to flourish again—for us and for those we serve. We are in a moment in our culture that too quickly celebrates separation and division. May we be people who speak truth carefully, love deeply, and labor faithfully for resto ration wherever possible. ;

The command to honor father and mother appears throughout Scripture. Honoring as adults does not mean excusing sin or enduring abuse. It may include boundaries, confrontation, and, at times, dis tance, but Scripture never presents relational cutoff as a casual or pre ferred outcome. Paul’s words in Roman s 12:18 (NIV) remain instructive: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” That phrase acknowledges limits. Peace is not always achievable. However, it also calls us to exhaust every avenue of grace before abandon ing the relationship altogether. Scripture invites discernment, not default. Boundaries can be biblical. Estrangement should be a last resort, not a cultural reflex. Guidance for People Helpers For those of us who serve families, this moment requires wisdom. Not every story of estrangement is the same. Some involve real harm and need protection. Others involve profound misunderstanding, unre solved trauma, or manipulation that has gone unchallenged. Our role is not to validate or affirm every impulse to cut off, nor to shame those who are struggling with the pain and weight of a deci sion like this. Instead, it is to slow the process down, ask careful questions, and help people distinguish between boundaries that protect and walls that permanently divide, allowing relationships to flourish. We must resist the temptation to offer overly simple explanations or quick fixes, or to minimize what families are expe riencing, and instead respond in a way that faithfully holds both truth and grace together. This often means encouraging careful assessment, documentation, and collaboration with trained clini cians and legal professionals when appropriate. It also means helping individuals examine their own hearts before making decisions that may have lifelong relational consequences.

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Tim Clinton, Ed.D., LPC, LMFT, BCPCC, is president of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), the world’s largest and most diverse Christian counseling asso ciation. He also serves as Executive Director of the Global Center for Human Flourishing and Professor Emeritus at Liberty University. Dr. Clinton is president of Light Coun seling, a national clinical counseling organization that provides Christ-centered behavioral healthcare for indi viduals, families, and American heroes. For seven years, Dr. Clinton extended his ministry as co-host of Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk, heard on more than 1,400 radio outlets daily, and now hosts a weekend television program, “Sunday the Road Forward,” seen on Real America’s Voice News streaming service and numerous platforms. Licensed as a professional counselor and a marriage and family ther apist, Dr. Clinton is recognized as a world leader on mental health and relationship issues. He spends much of his time working with Christian leaders and professional athletes. Together, Dr. Clinton and his son, Dr. Zach Clinton, host a new radio broadcast and podcast titled “Life, Love, Faith, & Family,” focusing on mental health and relationships. Dr. Clinton has authored or edited more than 30 books.

Endnotes 1 Harman, J.J., Leder-Elder, S., & Biringen, Z. (2019). Prevalence of adults who are the targets of parental alienating behaviors and their impact. Children and Youth Services Review , 106, 104471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104471

2 Harman, J.J., Leder-Elder, S., & Biringen, Z. (2019). 3 Harman, J.J., Leder-Elder, S., & Biringen, Z. (2019). 4 Harman, J.J., Leder-Elder, S., & Biringen, Z. (2019). 5 Harman, J.J., Leder-Elder, S., & Biringen, Z. (2019).

6 See, e.g., Westmeath v. Westmeath: The wars between the Westmeaths, 1812-1857, in Stone, L. (1993). Broken lives: Separation and divorce in England, 1660-1857 , 284; Levy, D.M. (1943). Maternal overprotection , Columbia University Press, 153.

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