Joel has been a tremendous blessing in my life, my husband’s, and to our marriage. Over the past six months, we have been working with Joel together as a couple and individually. In that time, we have identified how intimacy anorexia and sexual addiction have impacted our lives, actions, decisions, and relationships. The tools and strategies Joel utilizes have allowed us to begin the healing process. Joel is approachable, encouraging, and tailors his services to meet our needs. We have felt empowered and supported throughout the process. While certain topics may be uncomfortable to discuss, Joel’s style creates a safe space to share and discuss. He is empathetic and compassionate which allows for work to be completed without feeling shame, guilt, or fear. Joel is a coach and advocate. His foundation is built upon Christ, and he finds unique ways to incorporate the Word of God within his services. Joel also has the awareness to bring in other supports and resources. He has provided us with access to support groups, reading materials / workbooks, videos, activities, and accountability tools. These tools transfer into everyday life. All this is done in the spirit of recovery. Without Joel, his wife (Megan), and the resources to overcome intimacy anorexia and sexual addiction, our trauma would have gone untreated, and our marriage would have dissolved. Now, we look forward to the future! We thank God for placing Joel in our lives at a time filled with darkness and hopelessness. If you are looking for freedom, Joel will join you on that journey!

When I first started with Joel at Restoring Hearts, I was in an extremely emotionally distraught place in my life. Having worked through personal trauma up to this point in a variety of ways – medications, talk therapy, groups, and on my own – I had reached another plateau of confusion. A familiar question arose for me: “Why does this (situation, behavior, emotional distress) keep happening?” Life was intensely emotional and I was devastatingly depressed. Through this work with Joel, I discovered that though I knew so much intellectually about what was happening in my life, there remained a serious disconnect between my mind, and my heart & body. I’ve always considered myself highly sensitive and so I believed that if I delved deep into what I consider to be the “unthinkable,” I would be completely destroyed. In this work with Joel, he helped me to see that actually the opposite is true; it is the “unthinkable” that destroys us when left in the dark. This is only one example of a perception shift that this work brings. The work Joel has helped me navigate through is tough, no doubt, but Joel’s guidance has made all the difference. His compassionate and committed approach has made this part of my journey feel like a victory.

I’ve been working with Joel for several months now and I can say that I have finally had my eyes opened to the destructive behaviors of the sex addict that I’m married to. For years I have felt so crazy and so alone in my marriage but with the help of Joel I’ve been able to identify the issues of my spouse along with working on my own issues. I thank God that he brought about these changes through Joel’s compassionate and knowledgeable coaching.

“I am so amazed and grateful for the methods Joel uses to address past hurts and pain. I was dealing with a lot of anger and feelings of shame from my past. Over the years, I had tried multiple avenues to address these feelings, but never felt completely restored. This is the first time in my adult life that I can say I am walking in spiritual, mental, and emotional freedom, without the shame of my past haunting me. So very grateful for God’s healing hand through Restoring Hearts.”