Abundant Life Christian Counselling Services

What Abundant Life Christian Counselling Services does

Abundant Life Christian Counselling Services is a privately-held Christian counseling ministry and training institute headquartered in Oliver Springs, Tennessee, founded and operated by Dr. Rickey A. Nation, Ph.D. The organization provides one-on-one biblical counseling addressing anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship problems, grief, trauma, identity struggles, and spiritual issues, using a methodology called Creation Therapy (also referred to as Temperament Therapy) that targets root causes such as fear, shame, and pride. The clinical approach relies on the Arno Profile System (APS) for temperament assessment and is delivered under a 5-step framework that the organization claims resolves most cases in 6-9 months at approximately half the cost of traditional therapy. Operations are run from a single office at 520 W. Tri-County Blvd., with appointment booking available online and by phone.

The company's product portfolio extends well beyond direct counseling into a structured training and credentialing business delivered primarily through a partnership with the National Christian Counselors Association (NCCA), the largest Christian counseling training and licensing association, and with Christian Leadership University, originator of the Lamad Teaching System used for instructional delivery. Training offerings include certification, commissioning, and degree pathways (B.A., M.A., Ph.D.) along with specialty certifications in Marriage and Family Therapy, Substance Abuse and Addiction, Child/Adolescent Therapy, Grief Therapy, Crisis and Abuse Therapy, Domestic Violence Intervention, and Spiritual Growth. The Creation Therapy home-study course ($880) is a flagship training SKU, supplemented by manuals, DVDs, visual aids, and Fast Forms CDs available through the website shop. NCCA-affiliated degree programs are accredited through Accrediting Commission International (A.C.I.) and the National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance (N.P.S.A.A.), and are offered by more than 180 ministries, Bible schools, colleges, and seminaries.

The business model combines multiple revenue streams: fee-based individual and couple counseling sessions, one-time payments for training courses and physical/digital materials (price points ranging from approximately $5 for aptitude assessments to $880 for the Creation Therapy home-study course), a one-time $85 commissioning application fee, and $225 annual renewal fees for credentialed Christian counselors. Go-to-market is a hybrid of direct sales (phone/online booking) and community-led acquisition via church networks, pastor referrals, blog content, and a YouTube channel called "Hacks For Connection." Customers are distributed across individual counselees in East Tennessee, pastors and ministry leaders seeking to add counseling services, and aspiring Christian counselors (pastors, missionaries, homemakers, secular counselors, educators) drawn from across the U.S. and select international markets such as Liberia. The organization is independently owned, with no disclosed external capital, parent company, or M&A activity.

Name

Abundant Life Christian Counselling Services

Legal name

Abundant Life Christian Counselling Services

Website

https://abundantlife4me.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Abundant Life Christian Counselling Services is a private Christian counseling ministry and NCCA-affiliated training institute in Oliver Springs, TN, delivering biblical counseling and Creation Therapy training programs to individuals, pastors, and aspiring counselors across the U.S. and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Counseling Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Religious Organizations (8131), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health Counseling & Psychotherapy Services (EDALAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Recreation Therapy, Stress Management & Mindfulness Programs (EDALAFAO), Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Christian counseling services
• Biblical therapy programs
• Counselor certification training
• Addiction recovery counseling
• Marriage and family therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Oliver Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Counseling Services: Fee-based individual and couple counseling sessions providing Christian-based therapy for various emotional and spiritual issues.
2. Training Programs and Certifications: Online and home-study certification, bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. programs in Christian counseling through partnership with NCCA and affiliated colleges. Programs include Ministry Starter Training, Certification, Degree programs, and specialty certifications.
3. Training Materials and Products: Sale of books, manuals, DVDs, CDs, and training materials including the Official Beginner's Guide to Christian Counseling, Creation Therapy materials, and temperament resources.
4. Commissioning and Licensing Fees: One-time commissioning application fee ($85) and annual renewal fees ($225) for credentialed Christian counselors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Abundant Life Christian Counseling Services provides one-on-one Christian counseling for anxiety, stress, addiction, depression, grief, relationships, and family issues using the Creation Therapy/Temperament Therapy methodology and the Arno Profile System (APS). The organization also operates as a Certified Academic Institution of the National Christian Counselors Association (NCCA), offering certification, commissioning, bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. training programs delivered online and through home study, and sells supplemental books, manuals, DVDs, CDs, and visual aids.

Product overview

Abundant Life Christian Counseling Services operates as a counseling practice and training institute offering a unified portfolio of Christian counseling services paired with comprehensive training programs. The core offering is one-on-one biblical counseling using the Creation Therapy/Temperament Therapy methodology developed through the National Christian Counselors Association (NCCA). This is complemented by structured training pathways including certification, licensure, and degree programs (B.A., M.A., Ph.D.) delivered through the Lamad Teaching System. The organization also sells supplementary training products including manuals, courses, DVDs, and visual aids. Specialty certifications in areas such as Marriage and Family Therapy, Substance Abuse Therapy, and Child/Adolescent Therapy extend the training offerings. The portfolio is distributed through the organization's WordPress-based website for appointments and enrollments, with an e-commerce shop for training materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Christian Counseling Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% success rate claimed for the 5-step counseling method
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Christian Counselors Association (NCCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertified Academic Institution through NCCA. NCCA is recognized as the largest training and licensing agency/association for Christians in the world. Provides certification, licensing, and degree programs (B.A., M.A., Ph.D.) in Christian counseling through affiliated colleges and seminaries.
• Andersonville Baptist Seminary (GA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated college participating in NCCA degree transfer program for Christian counseling degrees.
• Chesapeake Bible College & SeminaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated college participating in NCCA degree transfer program for Christian counseling degrees.
• Colorado Theological SeminarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary degree-conferring partner working with Abundant Life. Works primarily through Colorado Theological University in the NCCA degree transfer program.
• Family Bible Institute, College & SeminaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated college participating in NCCA degree transfer program for Christian counseling degrees.
• Jacksonville Theological Seminary (FL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated college participating in NCCA degree transfer program for Christian counseling degrees.
• Pillsbury College & SeminaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated college participating in NCCA degree transfer program for Christian counseling degrees.
• Sarasota Academy of Christian CounselingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped Creation Therapy methodology by Dr. Richard Arno. Abundant Life uses this temperament-based counseling approach.
• Christian Leadership UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped Lamad Teaching System used by Abundant Life. Dr. Mark Virkler is President and granted permission to use Lamad materials.
• Accrediting Commission International (A.C.I.)coreOthersAccrediting body for NCCA and affiliated degree-conferring colleges and seminaries. Contact: 877.244.1989, www.acreditnow.com
• National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance (N.P.S.A.A.)coreOthersAccrediting body providing full accreditation for NCCA. Contact: 407-522-0124, www.npsag.com

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Andersonville Baptist Seminary: Affiliated college that participates in the NCCA degree transfer program for Christian counseling degrees alongside Abundant Life. Comparable as a partner institution that extends Abundant Life's degree pathway reach without itself being a counseling practice.
• Christian Leadership University: Creator of the Lamad Teaching System that Abundant Life integrates into its training programs. Comparable as an enabling institution that supplies foundational curriculum IP for the Christian counseling training pathway.
• Colorado Theological Seminary: Primary degree-conferring partner for Abundant Life within the NCCA degree transfer program, awarding B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in Christian counseling. Comparable as an enabling institution that supplies academic credentials for Abundant Life's training ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC): A well-established parallel certification body for biblical counseling (distinct from NCCA), training and certifying Christian counselors across churches and ministries. Comparable because it serves the same aspiring biblical counselor with a competing credentialing pathway and curriculum.
• American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC): The largest and most established professional association for Christian counselors in the United States. Comparable because it is the broader incumbent that Abundant Life's NCCA-trained counselors could alternatively affiliate with, and competes for the same aspiring Christian counselor persona.

Direct peers

• Biblical Counseling Institute: Training organization offering structured biblical counseling curriculum and certification to church-based and aspiring Christian counselors. Compares directly as a competitor for the training/credentialing segment Abundant Life targets.
• National Christian Counselors Association (NCCA): The largest U.S. training and licensing agency for Christian counselors and the strategic partner through which Abundant Life delivers certification, commissioning, and degree pathways. Directly comparable because NCCA defines the curriculum and credentialing standards that Abundant Life's entire training revenue depends on.
• Sarasota Academy of Christian Counseling: Originating organization for the Creation Therapy methodology and Arno Profile System (APS) that Abundant Life licenses and operates. Compares directly because it both trains counselors and delivers temperament-based Christian counseling, overlapping Abundant Life's core offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=5yHgFxwUc0c
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abundant-life-christian-counseling-services

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Abundant Life Christian Counselling Services