About Us
Each of our counselors has personally experienced Christ’s kindness in their own struggles. This gives them genuine compassion and biblical wisdom as they walk alongside those they serve. All counselors are certified by the Association of Biblical Counselors (ACBC) or the International Association of Biblical Counselors (IABC) and are actively involved in local churches.
Pastor Dayton Kitterman
Dayton serves as Pastor of Faith Community Church in Visalia, where he has faithfully shepherded the congregation since 1989. He began his biblical counseling ministry in 1991 under Dr. Bob Somerville. He earned his Ph.D. in Biblical Counseling in 1999 and holds certifications as a Fellow with ACBC and certification with IABC.
Dr. Kitterman is equipped to counsel in the areas of marriage, emotional upset, depression, anger issues, broken relationships, parenting, and communication. What he loves most about biblical counseling is “seeing God at work changing people’s lives through His Word. Men and women who come burdened, discouraged, and without hope often leave with renewed purpose, fresh hope, and confidence that God will continue His transforming work in their lives. Witnessing that work of God’s grace is one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life and ministry.”
Pastor Ron Story
Ron serves as Community Life Pastor at Parkside Chapel, where he has been on staff for the last 42 years as part of 54 years of pastoral ministry. He provides pastoral counseling for individuals, marriage, youth, and the many entanglements of life.
Ron’s appreciation for biblical counseling is rooted in the understanding that “our basic problem is not solved through external behavioral change, but must be addressed by internal heart change that is only provided through God’s Spirit and His eternal truth in Scripture.”
Renee Hellstern
Renee has been counseling for over 7 years and is certified by ACBC. She attends Radiant Church in Visalia.
Mike Anderson
Mike has been counseling for over 19 years and is certified by IABC. He attends Living Word Fellowship Church in Porterville, Ca.
Sharon Anderson
Sherry attends Living Word Fellowship Church in Porterville, Ca. She is certified by ACBC and IABC. She has over 20 years of counseling experience.
Joe Gruchacz serves as an Elder at Parkside Visalia. He has been involved in biblical counseling for 30 years and is certified with ACBC.
Joe is equipped to counsel in the areas of marriage, premarital counseling, and mentoring men. What he loves most about biblical counseling is “seeing God’s amazing work as someone applies His truth.”
Karon Ussery
Karon attends Parkside Chapel in Visalia, and is certified by IABC. Karon has been counseling for over 15 years.
Claudia Brookshire
Claudia has been counseling for over 15 years and is certified by IABC. She attends the Assembly of God in Visalia, Ca.
Important to Know
Our counselors are not licensed mental health professionals. We base all guidance on the truth of Scripture and will encourage referrals for medical, legal, or financial matters when needed. We are deeply committed to maintaining confidentiality, with biblical exceptions only when necessary for safety or accountability.
BCM is guided by a dedicated Leadership Committee. This team provides spiritual oversight, administrative direction, and strategic leadership to ensure BCM remains faithful to its mission of bringing Christ back to counseling and serving alongside the local church to minister to hurting people in California’s Central Valley together.
Lester Moon
Lester is the Director of AMP Ministries and Hands In The Community, a non-profit serving Tulare and Kings counties. He has served as a board member and counselor with organizations providing biblical counseling and training. His biblical counseling training was through IABC.
Pastor Jathan Newton
Jathan is pastor of Abounding Grace Church in Visalia, CA. As pastor in the local church, Jathan has been counseling for 20+ years. He is pursuing certification through ACBC.
Leanne Whitaker
Leanne serves as the Executive Director of BCM. She also serves part-time as a biblical counselor at Abounding Grace Church. She is certified with IABC and holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling from Faith Bible Seminary. She earned her teaching credential from California State University, Los Angeles, and her Bachelor of Arts in History with a specialization in Diversified Liberal Arts from UCLA.
Leanne’s desire is to see BCM become a place where counselors and ministry leaders are equipped, encouraged, and supported as they provide compassionate, gospel-centered care to the Central Valley. She and her husband make their home in Visalia.
Other Leadership Committee Members:
Pastor Dayton Kitterman
Pastor Ron Story
Sharon Anderson
Michael Anderson
Romel Pumarejo
We believe the Bible is sufficient to address every issue of life (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Our counseling is not based on secular psychology or psychiatry, but on the timeless truth of God’s Word.
At BCM our biblical counselors use the Bible as our God-given, Spirit-inspired tool to diagnose, explain, and solve problems understanding that God’s Word provides true, authoritative, and sufficient wisdom for every person in every life situation.
We make it our aim to focus on heart change – not just symptom relief – through a living relationship with Christ. As a result, counselees learn to handle their personal and relational problems in a biblical way and grow in Christlikeness.
