Meet the Founders

Dr. William Clark

Dr. William Clark is a gifted and effective psychotherapist. His extensive training in Clinical Psychology and his studies in Biblical Counseling and Theology are foundational to Bill’s theory of counseling. He uses these ideas in his psychotherapy practice, and as co-founder and President of The Lay Counselor Institute (LCI). Bill’s natural strengths as a teacher have benefitted students in Young Life, as an adjunct faculty member at several seminaries and counseling programs, and for the past 20+ years, as the leader for all of LCI’s training programs. Bill has been married to Debbie for over 30 years and they have two grown sons, Adam and Alex.

Barbara Giuliano

Barbara Giuliano is the first lay counselor and the co-founder of LCI. She began her ministry in counseling with the encouragement of Dan Allender while living in Florida. Barbaraa and her family moved to the northern Virginia area and she began working with Bill Clark at Reston Presbyterian Church. She led Precept Upon Precept Bible studies, developed a weekend retreat with three other women and has had a focus on Spiritual Direction. She served on the board of Mars Hill Graduate School (now The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology). Barbara and her husband, Lou are the parents of two grown daughters and grandparents of six grandchildren. She counsels at and attends Reston Bible Church in Dulles, VA.

For more than 30 years, Barbara has met with individuals, couples and groups. They shared stories and talked about life. Discerning wounds, struggles and pain similar to her own, allowed her to see God at work. She experienced freedom, peace, comfort and compassion. She felt as if God whispered, “Share this!” Hence, her ministry of lay counseling and teaching others to be lay counselors. II Cor. 1:3-5!