Acton is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of South Carolina, a Supervisor (LPCS) of Professional Counselors, and a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). She has over 30 years experience in school settings and private practice combined. Though she uses a variety of theoretically-based therapy techniques, Acton is a devout Christian, who believes that Jesus is "the healer." If attitudes are right and comitted efforts are made, healing of damaged emotions, relationships, and lives can be achieved... lives can be made whole, and if, as in the case of Saint Paul, God chooses not to remove the thorn, He will provide insights and supports to help live out the dance of life successfully and joyfully. He came that we should have life abundant - when we know the truth, we are set free.

 

Acton operates off the axiom, "Hell's hot, life's short, and stakes are high!" She is confrontive, "puts skunks on the table" (they don't bless us when hidden!), and cuts to the chase. Although there certainly are cases of significant abuse, trauma, addictive issues, and personality disorders that take more time to address, she believes that long term therapy, in many cases, is poor stewardship of time and money. If you don't find yourself on the mend, or back on track after the first few sessions, she may not be the therapist you need.

 

Acton has been involved in many lay witnessing and discipling ministries over the years, including marriage ministries, Kairos in women's correctional institutions, and three trips to Rwanda, Africa for healing and reconciliation of survivors of the 1994 genocide that took place there. She has served as consultant to churches and women's groups and leads retreats and seminars on a variety of Biblically-based topics (for more information, click on "Retreats & Seminars").

 

DiSC Personal Profile®, the Listening Profile®, Time Management Profile®, and Cultural Diversity Profile® are registered trademarks of Inscape Publishing Company.

Acton & Jim Beard

Jim has a Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of South Carolina. He is a  former business professional with a wide breadth of experience from numerous business endeavors, which include banking, retail, development, contracting, and consulting. Jim is certified to administer the DiSC Personal Profile® assessment, the Listening Profile®, Time Management Profile®, Cultural Diversity Profile®, and others. The DiSC Personal Profile® is an invaluable tool, used to help people understand their own behavioral dimensions, and those of their spouse, family, or co-workers. The other assessment profiles cover a multitude of socially and vocationally important skills and attitudes, and all can be administered over the internet.

 

As a Christian, Jim has participated in many intensive ministries over the years, including marriage ministries, prison ministries, lay witness, and administrative ministries.  He served as operations manager for the North American Missionary Society, was Executive Director for First Promise (fore runner of the Anglican Mission in The Americas), and Parish Administrator of a large Episcopal church.

 

Jim and Acton have worked together facilitating marriage retreats for over 15 years, including 2 years of intensive private couple retreats aboard their sailing catamaran, Ruwach. They have been married for 38years, have 3 children, 5 grandchildren, and live in Pawleys Island, South Carolina.