Book excerpt: The pastoral counselor brings God's presence to the counseling session. The counselor radiates God's enormous unconditional love and forgiveness to the client. Clients come in because they are spiritually broken and prey to the allies of darknessaEUR"fear of abandonment from God and those they love, resentment, frustration, anxiety, and callousness. He is the prodigal son. Through empathy, compassion, and counseling skills, the pastoral counsel connects them to the God who runs to meet him with joy, throws his arms around him, kisses him, forgives him, and makes him psychologically and spiritually whole again by giving him the signet ring. The pastoral counselor's role is to facilitate this occurrence.