Jennifer Lowe, M.S., L.P.C., and Donald Kinner, M.A., are licensed therapists at the Association of Christian Family Counseling in Corpus Christi. Three-D puzzles take up every empty space in their offices at 700 Everhart Road, a perfect symbol
Playful symbols that illustrate the serious work of therapists Donald R. Kinner and his associate. Jennifer Lowe. decorate the offices of the Association of Christian Family Counseling in Corpus Christi. Three-D jigsaw puzzles — both completed and in process — adorn the surface of every table and bookshelf in the lobby and counseling rooms. Some even hang from the ceiling and on the walls.
“I think there is a real symbolism here,” Kinner told Corpus Christi Business News. “We start out with a box of mixed-up pieces and dump them on table and say, ‘Look at this mess!’ Then, we gradually work on them — this piece fits here, this one there — and it all starts to make sense.”
That’s not why the puzzles are there, however. They started as a Kinner family activity that caught on with patients, some who come early and stay late to sort through the pieces, building structures a section at a time.
But the symbolism remains. Piecing together a human puzzle, Kinner said, means working on all aspects of a person to build a strong, whole and happy being.
“We are emotional, social, mental, spiritual beings,” Kinner said. “We look at how what you are doing affects your family, your relationships, your work. And for those open to it, we look at how God sees them, what is God’s view of them.”
While Kinner and Lowe combine a Biblical world view with traditional talk therapy, their holistic approach works on a secular level as well.
“I don’t need to quote the Bible to offer wisdom and value in a session with a client,” Lowe said. “I bring the foundation with me. If someone’s not open to that, we can still give them the skills and tools to make their lives better.”
Kinner has 30 years’ experience in counseling patients, while Lowe, a fairly recent graduate of Texas A&M University-Commerce, has been in practice for about three years. The combination of hard-earned wisdom and insight with the fresh perspective of youth makes for a powerful team of counselors.
“Jennifer has a heart for people who are hurting,” Kinner said. “She has a good head to help people look for solutions and resolve issues. She’s a welcome addition to the practice.”
Counseling sessions, all of which are eligible for insurance coverage, can be scheduled in 45-minute increments or for longer in what Kinner calls “intensives.” These can run for several hours to an entire day or weekend and can include more than one person. Families often schedule intensives to work out troubling issues.
“Intensives are great for families,” he said. “If you have a lot of family members, you need more time.”
Their sessions involve more than just talking as they often use worksheets and a white board for discussions.
“Sometimes, after 45 minutes, we’re just getting warmed up,” Kinner said with a laugh.
A man with a calming, relaxed air about him, Kinner’s personality is a perfect match for his profession. He is respectful and caring of others’ feelings and beliefs and projects a true sense of purpose for helping his clients achieve peace of mind.
“Counseling provides a safe place for people to lower their barriers,” Kinner said as he explained his work. “I see counseling as peeling back layers of an onion. The outer layers are defensive. You peel those back, and people can talk openly about their struggles or emotions.”
Though the Association of Christian Family Counseling takes patients of all beliefs and world views, the word Christian is in the title for a reason.
“We want people to know we come from a Christian world view, that we see the human condition holistically,” Kinner said. “A lot of people are Christian and don’t want a secular therapy that ignores God or says there is no God. They want that foundation of saying there is a God.”
Kinner and Lowe both strongly believe, not just in God’s presence, but in the human need for spirit to make us whole.
“Personally, in my life, nothing’s worked without God,” Lowe said. “So even if I have someone not open to that, we can use the same skills and tools, and thankfully, the God portion is always inside of me.”
For Kinner, spirit is an important piece of the 3-D human jigsaw puzzle.
“I’ve heard philosophers say we have a god-shaped vacuum in us,” Kinner said. “People try to fill it with other things: relationships, food, drugs, electronics, new toys, materialism.”
Without the spirit piece of their being, they feel empty, he said.
“We are spirit beings having a human experience,” he continued. “Therefore, if we can really tune into God, then there’s a sense of fulfillment, of finding our true selves.”
The key, whether a client takes a Biblical world view or not, is that they find a therapist with whom they can connect — one who can work with them to fit all their pieces back together.
“We are not here to impose our beliefs on people,” Kinner said. “Just know that for those who do want it, that we offer that as well.”
To connect with Kinner or Lowe, call 361-814-4488. Their offices are located at 700 Everhart Road, Building D21 in Corpus Christi.
