At the June business meeting of Bayshore Baptist Church, members voted to affirm, bless and provide support to the Pastoral Counseling Ministry of Rev. Stephen F. Smith, Ph.D.  Dr. Smith is available to provide counseling services to members of our church and those outside the church in the larger Tampa community. You or your family may need his services. You may know of a friend, couple, or family going through some tough times who could benefit from professional pastoral counseling.

If you are member of Bayshore Baptist Church, we will supplement your first four visits to the Counseling Center by paying $25 of the regular $75 counseling fee. After the first four sessions, Dr. Smith will see you on a sliding scale fee basis that is determined by your income and the size of your family. Individuals and families who are not members of Bayshore Baptist Church pay a flat rate of $75 per fifty minutes session.

Dr. Smith is available by appointment on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and on Saturday mornings. To make an appointment, call the confidential voice at 813-868-4425. Leave a message, and he will return your call in a few hours.

As our church offiers this new ministry, you may be wondering, What is a Pastoral Counselor? Specifically defined, a pastoral counselor is a pastor (called, ordained and theologically informed) who practices counseling at a level of competence beyond that of the general practive of ministry. He or she is one who integrates religious resources with insights from behavioral science. Four general qualifications are commonly accepted for the more specific designation of pastoral counselor: validation and accountablilty to a religious group which authorizes the person for such ministry, education in theology and behavioral science, professional skill in counseling/psychotherapy, and awareness of the counselor's own personality functioning.