Tres Adames, MDiv, BCPC

He/Him/His
Hi, my name is Tres Adames and I provide pastoral counseling for adults and teens and specialize in working with those struggling to reconcile their sexuality and their faith. If you grew up in a home, church, or community that was not affirming of who you are, it can be isolating and cause a lot of internal conflict. I want to help create a safe, sacred place where you can explore questions and concerns that you feel you were not allowed to express or explore in the past. 

My Approach
I seek to be nonjudgmental and unshockable as a counselor. I am comfortable discussing difficult topics and have a passion to help others through the angst, struggle, and confusion that comes with life. I have a desire to help others after going through my own spiritual journey of healing and transformation. I originally went to seminary to become a minister, but slowly felt called toward the work of counseling. Rather than leading a congregation, I fell in love with the process of working with people one-on-one, helping each navigate their individual journey. 

​Though my background and approach is centered on integrating spirituality with overall wellbeing, I welcome people of all faiths or non-faith. I want you to feel comfortable opening up about anything you are going through. I plan on sharing some insight and wisdom so you can find strength for today and hope for tomorrow. 

​I'm excited to be on this journey and am passionate about helping you weave a transformative story of your own. ​Counseling can empower you to work through life challenges, discover who you are called to be, and find strength for the journey ahead. I provide counseling at my office in Phoenix, Peoria, or online. 

Qualifications and Professional Experience
​I received my Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Wesley Biblical Seminary, and Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Asbury University. I am a Practitioner Member of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) and a Board Certified Pastoral Counselor (BCPC #0791), certified by the Board of Christian Professional and Pastoral Counselors. I am ordained as a Commissioned Minister through the Federation of Christian Ministries. ​I am also a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA). 

I previously served as a commissioner on the ACPE Psychotherapy Commission in 2020 and 2021. I am a trainer, contributing writer, and developer of the ACPE Pastoral Care Specialist continuing education program for clergy, chaplains, lay leaders, and allied professional caregivers of faith. I host and produce a weekly podcast called ​Ask a Christian Counselor, as well as Spiritual Care Today, the official podcast of the Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling.
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​​I previously served on the Board of the Pacific Region of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC) before it was consolidated into ACPE in 2019. I have previously been on staff as a pastoral counselor for Life Changers Christian Counseling (2014-2019) and Arizona Baptist Children's Services & Family Ministries (2015-2018). In the past, I was also previously on faculty in a teaching assistantship in the College of Theology at Grand Canyon University (2012-2014). I am a member of Desert Mission United Methodist Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, and am ordained as a Commissioned Minister through the Federation of Christian Ministries — both fully-affirming faith communities. I also have over ten years of previous pastoral and leadership experience in the Free Methodist Church and the Church of the Nazarene.

Specialities

  • Anxiety
  • Boundaries
  • Career and Calling
  • Codependency
  • Coming Out
  • ​Crisis of Faith
  • ​Dealing with Dysfunctional Family
  • Decision Making
  • Depression
  • Deconstruction and Doubt
  • Existential Crisis
  • ​Forgiveness
  • Gender Identity
  • Grief and Loss
  • Health and Fitness
  • LGBTQ+ Issues
  • ​People-Pleasing
  • Personal Training
  • Relationship Issues
  • Religious Trauma
  • Spiritual Abuse
  • ​Self-Esteem and Self-Image
  • Self-Differentiation
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Stress and Burnout
  • ​​Spiritual Direction
  • Spirituality