Heather Davediuk Gingrich

Strangely enough, my favorite course to teach is Counseling for Trauma and Abuse, a course I teach at Denver Seminary, and have taught in my native Canada, the Philippines, Guatemala, and other countries. Why? Talking about the horrendous things human beings are capable of doing to each other certainly is painful. The reason I’m passionate about the course is that in my over 30 years of clinical work I have seen victims of complex trauma become true survivors as they have healed and have become whole. There is hope! But counselors and other helpers need the proper tools.

I graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Carleton University (Canada), an MA in Counseling Psychology from Wheaton College Graduate School, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of the Philippines. I worked full-time for various Christian counseling agencies for about 14 years, and have continued in a part-time private practice as I moved into full-time teaching.

The 2 ½ years I spent in Karachi, Pakistan as a child initiated my interest in the world beyond Canada, resulting in me becoming a missionary professor in Manila, Philippines for 8 years along with my husband Fred, and two sons, Brandon  and Nathan. God’s cross-cultural call to Littleton, CO upon leaving the Philippines was totally unexpected, but Denver Seminary has been a wonderful place for my husband and I to work and Colorado a beautiful state in which to live.

My life is not all about trauma! In addition to the trauma and abuse class I teach courses in counseling skills, diagnosis, counseling theories, research methods, and social/cultural foundations of counseling. I also supervise practicum students, interns, and students writing theses as well as I serve as a case consultant, and conduct pre-field assessments for missionaries.

I work hard but also play hard. Music is my best form of self-care. I sing on our church worship team, and in two classical sacred music choirs. Nature and the outdoors are also very healing for me. I work outside on my computer whenever I can.  I love to tent, hike, ski (downhill and cross-country), swim, water ski, bike, and do aerobic exercise (well, I don’t really like aerobic exercise but my body likes it!). I love walking with my husband and dog, Max, and enjoy playing games, watching movies, and just hanging out with my husband, children and friends.