"Caring and committed to help you move forward, when life's obstacles hold you back."
Do you feel alone? Facing a crisis? Feeling overwhelmed with despair? Troubled Marriage? Have an uncontrollable Addiction or Eating Disorder? Are other issues of life preventing you from moving forward?
Hello! Thank you for taking time to visit my web site. I believe you have just taken your first step, by having made an essential, important decision and desire, to move forward, through God's help, rather then stand still, which may be the point where you are at right now. My prayer is that the Christian counseling will be a blessing to you, by helping you move forward in dealing constructively with the concerns (one or more issues of life) you are now facing.
Dr. Joseph A. Riccioli, LPCC, D.Div.
Board Certified, Licensed Professional Christian Counselor (LPCC) Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress (BCETS) (General counseling since 1996, Christian counseling since 1999)
Member of the American Association of Christian Therapists Member of the Association of Biblical Counselors
103 Park Street, Suite 4 (3rd. floor)
Montclair, N.J. 07042 For more information, call:
Tel. (201) 757-3627
Christian Counseling - Areas of Specialty (adults, teens):
"Depression" Anxiety Life crisis Post Traumatic Stress Addictions (alcohol, drugs, pornography, smoking, others) Drug & Substance Abuse Premarital & Marriage conflicts / Relationship issues Eating Disorders (Anorexia, Bulimia)
Other conditions that bring people to seek Christian counseling include (but are not limited to) :
Fears - Phobias - - Sleep Disorders - ADD / ADHD, and other issues not mentioned.
Mind Body Health Christian Counseling also provides these services:
Wellness / Holistic Health Counseling
Nutritional Counseling
Whole Body Detoxification
What is Mind-Body Health Christian Counseling (MBHCC)?
Mind Body Health Christian Counseling is the health branch of Grace Ministries International which provides specifically a service of (1) Christian Counseling (adults, teens) / Marriage counseling, but also offers (2) Holistic Nutritional counseling / Wellness counseling and (3) Total Body Detoxification and Oral Chelation.
My heart's desire, as president of Grace Ministries International, is to give you Biblical guidance, concerning whatever obstacle(s) or issue(s)are holding you back (present or past), so that you may be successful in moving forward and reach your goal(s).
As a Christian counselor, I am totally committed to you, and will help you with your daily struggles (spiritual, emotional, mental, family, general health), in accordance with Biblical principles and standards that will meet the needs of people spiritually, therapeutically, emotionally, and educationally. As a husband, I am also aware of conflicts and various issues that may arise between a husband and wife. When these conflicts or issues are left unresolved, and continue, a viscous cycle can develop, leading to a disharmonious relationship. Since 2000, I have been able to help and restore these troubled marriages, through marriage / family Christian Biblical counseling.
People that seek my help, have ongoing, unresolved issues which prevent them from moving forward and reach their goals. Most of these people seeking guidance, have either not been helped by psychological counseling, psychotherapy or prescription medications, or, desire not to take prescription medications (anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, sleeping pills, etc...). Many have also been self-educating themselves about other, natural choices available to them (natural herbal products, vitamins) and prefer to seek these alternative, natural remedies.
Seeking Help? - You Are Not Alone!
If you are one of those persons who have reached a point in life, where you just don't understand and are asking yourself, "What is going on here and why is this happening?", and you're seeking help, you are not alone. As a result, you may be experiencing emotional instability, and other areas of your life may also be affected. Perhaps it may be preventing you from moving forward in life, and you find living has become difficult not having answers and are losing hope. If you have tried other approaches (psychotherapy, psychiatry, medications), and they have not helped you successfully manage or resolve your present situation, you are not alone so don't give up.
Many people, when confronted with crises and other concerns, turn to social workers, psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists for help. Yet others, look for support, and the opportunity to discuss these issues within a spiritual context (Christian Counseling), where they can be addressed in terms such as faith, meaning, purpose, and direction.
My commitment to you as we work together, is to guide and help you resolve road blocks you encounter along your walk through life, bring peace and healing, to your woundedness, confusion, anxieties, struggles, doubts, fears, worries, addictions, marital issues, or other problems, which may be preventing you to live a so called, "normal", fulfilling life.
Goal of counseling: Help identify and resolve, through Christian "Biblical" counseling, an ongoing mental / emotional block or conflict previously diagnosed by a physician, but has not responded to conventional drug / psychotherapy, and may be preventing you from reaching your goals, and restore a well, balanced state of mind-body wellness.
Are You Talking Anti-Depressants? Do you think they work? Watch this video below.
"Christian Biblical Counseling will show you the truth found in God's Word the Bible, not man's best
guess."
It may be defined in short as: 1) meeting the person where he/she
is.... 2) pointing out what is wrong.... 3) and helping him/her obtain the desirable
personality and behavioral change -- based upon Scripture.
It arises out of the fact that there is a condition which God desires changed. The fundamental purpose of the confrontation then, is to effect personality and behavioral change-- conformity to the image of Christ. All counseling aims at change.
As a Christian, Biblical Counselor, I help bring your troubling concerns or life's problems (present or past), which may be affecting your emotions, affect the way you are presently living your life, or perhaps may even be affecting your ability to function as a balanced, healthy, whole, person, into dynamic healing contact with the God, who is known by His people as the Wonderful Counselor.
As a Christian Counselor, I help bring your troubling concerns or life's problems (present or past), which may be affecting your emotions, affect the way you are presently living your life, or perhaps may even be affecting your ability to function as a balanced, healthy, whole, person, into dynamic healing contact with the God, who is known by His people as the Wonderful Counselor.
God, who is the "Great Physician", Counselor and Healer, has a plan for each person, but most people have not turned to Him for guidance, therefore, not having found an effective solution, continue to be affected and confused by the many problems that come their way.
In the Bible, God says this...
2 Kings 20:5 - I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee.
Isaiah 41:13 - For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Click the green link below to read a very important, helpful article about The Bible, Psychology--And You:
Since the body is a complex machine working together as a whole, an unbalanced state of mind-body wellness in some cases, may result from other factors, so counseling may be integrated with the following :
NUTRITIONAL / HERBAL COUNSELING and WELLNESS COUNSELING (also called Natural Health or Holistic Health Counseling) deals with helping bring the body back into balance.
This is founded on a system of alternative health care approaches and healing modalities, and their accompanying theories, that do not fall within the realm of conventional medicine. They include: Herbalism, Nutritional Counseling , Homeopathy, Mind-Body Integration, Detoxification and Supplements (vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, and others).
EDUCATION:
Focuses on teaching "how" to restore and maintain a well balanced mind-body healthy state.
(Knowing what are the most common causes which may lead to an unhealthy, unbalanced state, may help prevent it)
Dr. Joseph Riccioli's short Bio.:
Joseph began his life training as a classical pianist at five, and started composing his own music at nine. During his teenage years, his father, a physician, always told him that "musicians are a dime a dozen", and Joseph was never able to fully launch a professional career as a full time classical, concert pianist as he desired. After graduating high school, his father convinced and persuaded him to change his career plans, and he followed his father's footsteps by training in the health / medical field.
In 1977, he went to Bologna, Italy to study, and had also worked there as a musician (pianist, guitarist, singer) which helped pay bills. In 1988, he graduated and earned a degree in Medicine & Surgery (M.D.) from Bologna University Medical School, the same medical school his father graduated from, and also received his license to practice medicine there. Joseph also completed a hospital internship, but never practiced medicine after that by choice. Though his license to practice medicine is now expired, he can renew it at any time, should he decide to do so. Due to a career change to counseling and natural / holistic health, as well as no longer desiring to practice general (orthodox) medicine, he has no interest in renewing it.
It was during Joseph's hospital training when he first started volunteer counseling. He encountered people with all types of issues, and was led to counsel them. He successfully helped many adults and teens who were overwhelmed from various, life's problems and controlling issues (substance abuse, drug / alcohol addictions, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, abuse, and other issues) that brought their life to a standstill. As time went on, his interest in the area of mental health and counseling began to grow. A short time later, however, due to his volunteer counseling experience, he no longer desired to practice medicine, but enjoyed counseling instead.
After living in Italy for some time, in 1994, he decided it was time to return to the US. His success in helping people through counseling, along with being disillusioned with the limitations of general medicine, eventually convinced him to change careers, and dedicate himself to continue helping people through counseling. Very important to know, is also his desire to not be part of a monopolizing, dishonest, dysfunctional health-care system (search the internet, see links on my site), whose main interest seems to be selling drugs and making money, instead of people's health.
Though he studied in depth, psychology (general psychology, health psychology, neurobiopsychology)and psychiatry in medical school, and completed a training internship in a mental healthcare facility, he furthered his education (institutes, schools, organizations) and received training in various, specific areas of mental health:
American Health-care Institute: Memory: Minding the Body, Embodying the Mind, Trauma Survival: Overcoming the Psychological scaring Crisis Management Intervention Eating Disorders: Assessment, Planning and Effective Treatment
Harvard Medical School A graduate of the Clinical Training Program in Mind-Body Medicine / Behavioral medicine
FEMA: Training in Disaster Mental Health counseling, and others (see certifications link).
Initially, the counseling was general, "life" counseling, and also implemented other counseling techniques which fall in the area of new age. In 1996, Joseph became a Christian, and in 1999, started a Christian, Evangelistic, Outreach ministry named Grace Ministries (initially was named New Life Ministries), and since then, he has been helping people as a Christian "Biblical" Counselor.
Joseph's desire to help as many people as he can, led him to further his studies in the natural (holistic) health field as well. Though his love and passion is to help people through Christian "Biblical" Counseling, he is also a Certified Nutritional Consultant (Holistic Nutrition), Board Certified Alternative Medical Practitioner, and has received extensive training in Therapeutic Herbalism and Traditional Chinese Medicine. As a musician, he knows the effects and power music has on our health. Though he is not a clown, and before the "Patch Adams" movie, he also studied and has seen the beneficial, positive effects humor has on our immune system, and at times, this also naturally comes into play. In the Bible, Proverbs 17:22 states, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (suggested reading: "The Anatomy of an Illness" by Norman Cousins)
Joseph strongly believes to many people are not educated about maintaining optimal wellness and preventing the body from becoming unbalanced. It is important that people are informed about the many natural, less toxic, less expensive and very effective alternatives available, when compared to drugs... especially those used for depression, anxiety, and other conditions.
For those seeking help for addictions, besides Biblical guidance to help resolve interfering issues, Joseph uses a natural, total body detoxification system to help rid the body of toxins, drug metabolites, heavy metals and other substances, which when accumulate, may cause further imbalances. This step should not be be neglected, as the elimination of toxic substances, is also part of the goal to help restore wellness.
You can read a more complete auto-biography of Joseph by clicking below.
Before learning the instructions that will teach you how to relax where ever you are, whenever you want, click the red Music & Healing link below, and experience Music & Healing
Look at the picture below (if this is a relaxing place for you), or imagine yourself in a place where you feel most comfortable (mine is below) and read instructions below the picture.
Please do this exercise sitting down with your back straight.
First exhale completely through your mouth, making a "whoosh" sound.
Now close your mouth, and inhale s-l-o-w-l-y through your nose for 4 seconds. Be sure to fill the lower part of your chest first, then the middle and top part of your chest and lungs. Do this slowly.
Next hold your breath for it for about 7 seconds.
Now quietly and easily, relax and exhale completely, letting all the air out through your mouth (with lips together making a "whoosh" sound) for 8 seconds.
Wait a few seconds and repeat this cycle 2 more times.
The breathing time ratios of 4-7-8 are very important. Note:Remember, your body is learning to relax in a new way, so Do Not do more than 3 breaths at one time for the first month. The effects of this technique become more powerful over time, as your body learns to relax.
* Please Note *: If you find yourself getting dizzy, then you are overdoing it. Slow down.
You can continue this breathing technique for as long as you like. I do this about 3 times and my body now relaxes automatically.
This exercise will help you relax, help synchronize your body and mind and also will improve your memory. Again... don't over do it.
With time, your body will automatically learn to relax when you do this.
* * * NEW * * * Looking for effective, high-standard, natural health supplements and wellness products? Visit the MBHCC NATURAL HEALTH WEB STORE by clicking the link below!
Claims and statements on this website have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Information stated on this website is not to be considered as medical advice for dealing with any given problem, or to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease.
All information posted on this web site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be considered as a medical recommendation, or as professional advice. It is not to be construed as medical advice. Only a licensed medical doctor can legally offer medical advice in the United States. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information contained herein with other reliable sources and to consult your health care professional for individual guidance for specific health problems.
