Dr. Leo Natale

S.A.C.C.
INTERNATIONAL
REPRESENTATIVE
SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Leo Natale of Sayreville, New Jersey has been a Certified Pastoral Member of the Sarasota Academy of Christian Counseling and an International Representative since October 7, 1996.    He has been a member of the National Christian Counselors Association since 1993 and is a   Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor through this Association.

Dr. Natale was the recipient of the 2010 S.A.C.C. International Representative of the year award.  This award is given in recognition for enrolling the largest number of new members.

It is an honor to be recognized by the S.A.C.C.  Dr. Natale and the rest of the teaching and administrative staff are humbled by the accolades.  And while much effort and much work have gone into making this school a success, it hasn’t always felt like work.  Dr. Natale believes that this is because when you are passionate about something, it’s easy to work hard, and he is passionate about helping the hurting, healing the wounded, and teaching the lost as well as training up those to do the same.

Faith Fellowship’s School of Christian Counseling (FFMSCC) held its inaugural class in 1997 as the first school operating under the newly founded certified academic institute (CAI) Counseling and Certification Network, Inc (CCNI), both overseen by Dr. Leo S. Natale.  Dr. Natale, Vice President of Faith Fellowship Ministries World Outreach Center in Sayreville, New Jersey, is also the president of Counseling and Certification Network, Inc., as well as the Dean of Students for Faith Fellowship’s School of Christian Counseling.  As such, he has worked diligently to bring about tremendous growth and success to the school, implementing a rigorous course of study to ensure that the students going through this training truly receive a well-rounded and thorough education which results in graduates fully equipped to minister to the hurting at a level equivalent to graduates from other academic institutions.   It is the belief of CCNI and FFMSCC that merely reading a book and filling out a workbook are not enough to ensure a person is ready to counsel.   Therefore, Dr. Natale has put together a program that guides all students through the curriculum from start to finish.  No student is left on his or her own resulting in students receiving a multi-dimensional learning experience second to none.  During every phase of the program, Creation Therapy included, the students are taught by Licensed Christian Counselors who not only teach the curriculum, but practice it every day.  Many of the instructors hold their Ph.Ds in Clinical Christian Counseling making the teaching staff at the school qualified and equipped to train up the next generation of counselors.  During the Phase II portion of the program, Dr. Natale requires the students to take part in an internship program lead by Dr. Rose Dean during which time the students complete an intensive training in counseling situations.  This training further prepares the students for what’s to come after they graduate from the school and set off on their own. 

In 2009, FFMSCC began offering Phase III, the degree program, on campus for any student wishing to further his or her career with a master’s or Ph.D. with the help of an instructor during the process.  So far, several students have enrolled in this fairly new offering with many more looking to do so in the future.  It truly is a blessing to see how the Lord has multiplied and continues to multiply the number of students coming through the doors!

In addition to offering classes at Faith Fellowship’s Sayreville campus, students may also opt to enroll in the unique distance learning program developed by the school.  For those students who live out of state or out of the country, CCNI has put together an option that allows them to interact directly with an instructor on a weekly basis as well put them in touch with each other so no student feels left alone throughout the process.  Additionally, this helps the school to monitor the students’ progress and work with each and every one on a more personal level.  The result of this endeavor has been amazing as the graduates of the distance learning program have been able to go from the virtual classroom to the real world with ease. 

In January of 2011, FFMSCC began a partnership with Faith Fellowship’s Bible School, Faith International Training School (FITS), which educates students from all over the world at its Sayreville campus.  As part of the FITS curriculum, an overview of all the temperaments will now be taught to all students entering the program.  Every student will have his or her temperament analysis administered and read to them by a qualified Temperament Therapist.  This introduction to Creation Therapy will undoubtedly whet the appetites of the students for more, as it has done for so many others, and so it is anticipated that many more students will desire further training and enroll in the official program offered by the school.  Now, truly, CCNI can excitedly proclaim to be obeying Mark 16:15 by going into all the world to preach the Gospel!  What a tremendous blessing!

It is the desire of CCNI to continually partner with all students, past or present, distant learning or on campus, to help them achieve their goals whether that is opening private counseling practices, working with their churches to create counseling departments that utilize Temperament Therapy, or simply working as a part-time counselor at the church on an as needed basis.  The school has a mentoring program that allows graduates to work with an instructor, if needed, at any time.  Furthermore, many of the on campus graduates of the program have been employed by Faith Fellowship Ministries as counselors making the church’s counseling department a frequently sought out refuge for those hurting.  The counseling department has been inundated with requests for counseling because the word has spread locally and beyond how effective the counseling is.  It is a genuine testament to the level of excellence and professionalism CCNI and FFMSCC requires of its students.

In closing, it is worthwhile to note that since its inception, FFMSCC has had over 1000 students participate in the program.  Of those, a good portion has gone on to receive licenses or degrees.  Recently, the school has had the opportunity to work with local radio talent to get the word out about the positive results Temperament training has had on the lives of those involved in it.  An influx of inquiries and students has been the result of that partnership and so the growth continues at a steady pace.