GUARDIAN COUNSELING-PAUL PRACHAR, MA, LMHC

Guardian Counseling began as a dream in 2006 when Paul Prachar and his wife went through a very rocky period in their marriage. With four young children, God chose to heal their relationship, but not without making it abundantly clear that there were going to be some big changes in their lives. God wasn't going to waste their pain, rather he was going to use it to help others. A few years later they left their acreage in Iowa, along with their secure jobs, and went into full time missions work. After a year in missions, some time as an executive pastor, a stint in the financial industry and a few years in construction, Paul saw that God had mapped out specifically what he wanted him to do. He followed the call on his life to counsel individuals and couples and has not looked back. Since then Paul has earned his Master's of Arts in Professional Counseling to serve others who need individual and relational healing, opening his own office in 2018.

941-214-2230

Paul Prachar, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, License Number: MH19521

941-214-2230

Paul Prachar is a retired police sergeant who spent several years on his department's SWAT team as a police sniper and commander, he was also a commander on the street , he trained other police officers from very early on in his career, and spent time mentoring others while walking a few through some very difficult times.

His education includes an Associate of Arts Degree from Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1990, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri in 1992, and a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia in 2017. Since 2006 he has counseled in his church, coordinated financial training classes, organized and led several marriage conferences and has been a confidant and counselor to countless struggling friends and coworkers.

He has also completed Dave Ramsey's Financial Counselor Training program in Franklin, Tennessee in 2009 and an internship with Caring for the Heart Ministries in Colorado Springs, Colorado also in 2009.

Paul has been married to his wife for 28 years, and they have four children. They moved to Venice in 2008 and have been very involved in the community and their church since their arrival.

Paul's counseling theory is from a Biblical and Christian perspective, utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy as a primary means to assist others in making change. He is unapologetically a follower of Jesus, while striving relentlessly for professionalism. He understands that counselors who are believers in Jesus should remain true to the scriptures while using the research and wisdom of the world to give their clients the best. He also values the beliefs of others and understands that we are all different and come from different life experiences and cultures. Keeping this in mind he honors the wishes of his clients as individuals who have free will.