As a Minister
Growing up as the son of a Baptist minister, Mark attended Bible college in the mid 1970’s and received a Master’s Degree in Christian Education in 1984. After his ordination into the ministry, Mark went on to serve as a youth pastor, associate pastor and senior pastor at various churches in Missouri, Georgia and Tennessee until 1996 when he went on staff with Theotherapy Seminars, Incorporated as a seminar instructor, facilitator and eventually as Vice President of Prison Programs.
Mark West
Mark established Zion Springs Ministries in 1996 while also working for Theotherapy Seminars, Incorporated as a seminar instructor. In 2001, Mark developed and established Theotherapy Seminars’ prison programs in several Tennessee prisons and one Pennsylvania prison, several of which developed into long-term initiatives.
Struck by the impact of the Theotherapy ministry model in his own life and marriage, Mark saw how the principles of Theotherapy could effectively change the lives of those whom society has been compelled to incarcerate because of crime, violence and abusive behaviors.
Believing that anyone can change if offered practical principles of emotional healing, Mark introduced the Theotherapy model in the corrections environment in 2001 with the mission to actually make an impact on recidivism. Since that time, over 1500 inmates have participated in the program. Of those inmates who have completed the program and have then been released back into society, only 15% have recidivated as opposed to a national recidivism rate of nearly 70%. The Theotherapy model has proven to be an effective tool in reducing recidivism. The mission is being accomplished one inmate at a time!
Founding the Theotherapy Project Prison Initiative
In December of 2005, Mark and his wife Dana developed a new prison ministry known as The Theotherapy Project as an outreach of their local church, Zion Springs Ministries, and branched out to include a new initiative at Tennessee Prison for Women.
In August of 2008, the Theotherapy Project joined the Good Neighbor Foundation as a non-profit partner and works in conjunction with other Good Neighbor Foundation partners such as Leaving the Cocoon, a faith-based re-entry, transition and mentoring program for former female offenders.
As a Family Mediator
In 2007, Mark became a Family Mediator trained according to the standards of professional conduct under Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 with additional training in special circumstances of Domestic Violence. While his efforts are largely focused on the Theotherapy Project prison initiatives, Mark works part time providing professional mediation services to couples and families going through the trauma of divorce.
Relationship Consulting
RELATIONSHIP CONSULTANTS and MARRIAGE COUNSELING ALTERNATIVE
Mark West
At the Theotherapy Project, we offer a unique blend of Theotherapy-based conflict resolution ministry and relationship consulting with highly effective collaborative mediation skills. As a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 trained family mediator with additional training in special circumstances of domestic violence, Mark West brings a highly effective mixture of ministry, mediation and consulting to the table for any family or couple needing crisis intervention (when mediation has not been specifically court-mandated). For situations where mediation has been court-mandated, please see the section below entitled COURT MANDATED MEDIATION.
Whether you need relationship consulting, pastoral ministry or family mediation, we can offer the components you need to fit your unique situation. With over twenty five years of family ministry experience and over ten years of experience in the Theotherapy ministry model, Mark believes that any marriage or family situation can be salvaged if both parties are willing to work on it.
Dana West
Dana West rounds out the Theotherapy Project’s relationship consulting ministry with over twenty five years of experience in working with women, families and youth in crisis. Dana also has over thirteen years experience in the theotherapy ministry model. Her warmth and compassion help to provide a “safe” atmosphere to work on the marriage and other relational issues that many face in every day life.
Dana is also the Director of Transitional Housing for the Theotherapy Project and oversees the operation of the Rivera House Transition Home for Women.
Dana and Mark put their years of experience together to help individuals develop meaningful, lasting relationships. We offer hope and life-changing principles of conflict resolution whether you are single and looking for a life-mate, if you are parents needing restoration and enhanced communication with your children, or you are a husband and wife needing help to rescue a failing marriage. Often, couples who are striving to “tough it out” seek marriage therapy and counseling first in order to try to work through their issues and find a place of compatability. Pastoral counseling and family ministry often provide a safe and relational atmosphere for committed couples to “work it out”. The Theotherapy Project offers a marriage counseling alternative in an atomosphere where you can go to get very real and practical help for your unique situation.
The Theotherapy Project also works with couples seeking pre-marital counseling. Getting a head start on dealing with your individual issues as well as resolving issues that all couples tend to struggle with can have a very positive impact on the foundational building blocks of a new marriage.
The Theotherapy Project desires to make our relationship consulting services and marriage counseling alternative available regardless of your current financial situation. Therefore, we have set our fees at a fraction of what most family therapists and marriage counselors charge for this highly effective alternative.
A PERSONAL TESTIMONY
“My experience with Theotherapy has been a very successful one. From my first meeting, I knew that the facilitator was competent, sincere and sensitive to God’s leading. After many years of meeting with various counselors, God used this group to guide me in processing emotional wounds and false beliefs. For many years my relationship with my father had been strained. Mark provided a safe atmosphere for each of us to be honest and vulnerable. He guided us in discussing hurts and misperceptions. After my father and I met with Mark West our relationship began to heal. I would recommend Theotherapy to anyone who is seeking emotional healing.” Kathy from Nashville
COURT MANDATED MEDIATION
We live in a society in which one in every two marriages end in divorce. Unresolved family conflicts have risen to the point where mediation is often needed in order to help the disputing parties begin to resolve their conflicts through meaningful communication. Because so much can actually be accomplished through the mediation process, the Tennessee Supreme Court recently passed a law that all couples seeking divorce must first go to mediation in an effort to work out their differences if possible, and to reach a fair and equitable settlement if divorce is inevitable. As a family mediation neutral trained according to the standards of professional conduct mandated by Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31, Mark West can offer court-recognized mediation services for couples going through divorce proceedings.
Important Note: Court mandated mediation is much different from relationship consulting and pastoral ministry and must follow the specific rules and guidelines established by the Tennessee Supreme Court for family mediation neutrals. When court mandated mediation is scheduled with us, it must be a stand alone process without any components of counseling or ministry in order to maintain the state of Tennessee’s requirements for complete neutrality. Mediation fees are negotiable.
WE CAN HELP YOU
If you or someone you know needs relationship consulting, pastoral ministry or mediation services, contact us today.
