LOLA ALLEN JONES is guided by God

Monday, March 01, 2010

IT was after feeling unfulfilled in her finance-based profession that Lola Allen Jones decided to go into the field of psychology. It's a job the former accountant said she loves with a passion and more importantly, she is now at peace with the knowledge that she is fulfilling God's calling for her life.

Apart from receiving a Bachelor's degree in guidance and counselling in 2005, Jones, a counselling psychologist, now holds a Master's degree in psychology which she received from the St Stephens College in Alberta, Canada last year.

It was during her studies that she took up the challenge of publishing her first book -- A study of St John Chapter 1, Part 1: The word, which is geared at making persons more spiritually aware.

"Everyone who has read it says it's really a powerful book for spiritual growth," she said.

Shortly after the publication of her book, Jones started the Spiritual Awareness Ministries, a counselling and book centre.

She said most of her clients are women who are trying to cope with the harsh realities of life, including parenthood and issues of sexuality.

"Women generally need to be reminded that there is no need for embarrassment if they are having problems with their marital relationship, children and getting old," she said.

And, she says, her ability to counsel and put people at ease is a "God-given talent".

It's a talent she said she used during stints as an educator.

Between 2002-2004, Allen Jones worked as a guidance counsellor at Charlie Smith High School, an institution nestled in the tough inner-city community of Arnett Gardens in Kingston. Overwhelmed by the harsh realities of their communities, Jones said that most of the students she dealt with had a number of self-esteem issues and suffered tremendous grief, which oftentimes led to aggression.

Even so, she maintained that they were "beautiful kids", whose lives she was able to impact in a positive way.

"I related to them on their level and I would use humour. I affirmed them too, because I find that you can better help people when you cause them to see their own self-worth," she said.

Following her two-year stint at the institution, Jones moved on to Donald Quarrie High School where she also took up the guidance counselling position.

Her influence on the children there was just as far-reaching and within a year of being there, she said she was able to gain the trust of the youngsters.

"I loved the challenge in getting them to understand that their evasive attitude was something that I understood, because even though I was much older than them, I understood being young and so I could relate to them," said the counsellor, who is the mother of a 13-year-old daughter.

After some time as a guidance counsellor, she felt God was calling her into another area of counselling, so she decided to pursue her Master's in counselling psychology.

"Throughout my life, God has been guiding me," she said.

-- Nadine Wilson

Did you watch American football's Super Bowl on Sunday?
	Yes, but just for the advertisements
	Yes, just for the game itself
	Yes, for both the game and advertisements
	No, I did not watch the Super Bowl.

View Results
Results published weekly in Sunday Finance

Username:
Password:

NEPA prosecutes developer, farmer

LOLA ALLEN JONES is guided by God