The North Central Missions Center Program maintains a ministry sharing partnership with Dr. Garry Barber (of the Joy House Counseling Center). Dr. Barber is available for assistance with those in need of professional pastoral counseling covering a wide variety of needs including depression/anxiety, marriage and family, parenting, grief and spiritual confusion.

Appointments can be made by phone (678-452-2037 office/706-455-1199 mobile) or by email (garry@thejoyhouse.org). Dr. Barber is available for referral by area pastors, staff and friends as well as those who seek assistance on their own.

For more information concerning Dr. Barber or the Joy House Counseling Center please visit www.thejoyhouse.org and click on the Counseling Center tab.

Dr. Garry Barber is a native of Cherokee County, Georgia. Ministry pursuits have led him to many places in the world (including Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, Central and South America as well as other parts of the U.S.). Garry has served pastoral staff roles in churches in the Etowah and Hightower Associations and as pastor in the Roswell Association. Garry and his family served as IMB missionaries to Ukraine from 1997 – 2002.

In 2009 Garry and his family moved to Pickens County where he has focused upon Christian counseling. He became the founding director of the Joy House Counseling Center in May of 2012. God has given Garry a love for people and a desire to walk with them through the challenges of life. Through the ministry of the Joy House Counseling Center he works with people of all ages and a wide variety of counseling issues.

He holds a B.S. in Public and Social Services – Psychology (Kennesaw State University); Master of Arts in Human Services –Marriage and Family (Liberty University); Master of Divinity (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary); and the Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Christian Counseling (International Institute of Christian Counseling). He has also done doctoral studies at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in missions and pastoral ministries. He is a licensed and ordained pastor as well as a Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor (NCCA).

In 1986 Garry married Judith Cagle. Judith is a high school English teacher and the mother of their five children. One of the great joys of his life is making music and leading worship with his wife and children. He hopes to live by the words of God to the prophet Micah: “do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.”

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