Journeys Counseling Ministry

Liza Gant has more than 20 years of experience in Next Generation ministries to children, youth and parents.

Liza is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Clinical Director of Journeys Counseling Ministry's Mission Viejo location. As a minister, mother, and Marriage & Family Therapist, she has had many opportunities to share her experiences and heart via church and school-based parenting seminars. She is Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) trained with a particular passion to help adolescents and adults faced with anxiety, depression and trauma.

She has been joyfully married to her husband, Jeremy, for more than 15 years and is blessed with 4 children ranging in age from middle school to Kindergarten. They love to spend time together as a family out on the soccer or softball fields, traveling on mission trips and serving wherever God calls them.

Dr. Elizabeth Powell is a licensed clinical psychologist, coach, and speaker. She has a passion for healthy churches and supporting those in ministry. Over the last several years, she has provided training to numerous churches around personal development, relational dynamics, and organizational health. She spent over a decade as a professor of psychology at Vanguard University where she also served as the Associate Dean for the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences there. She has a passion for travel and working with diverse populations.

Ross is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Clinical Director of Journeys Counseling Santa Ana. He has been a part of the Journeys team for 10 years now, working in both the Costa Mesa and Mission Viejo offices before helping to establish and oversee the Santa Ana office in 2022. Ross' passion is bringing a collaborative approach with his clients to develop a deeper understanding of one’s self in order to bring greater acceptance of ourselves, our stories, and those we share our stories with. Ross works with individuals, couples, teens, and families to navigate the demands of life, the traumas of the past, and to provide healing in a safe and welcoming environment.

Ross worked as a therapist for 5 years at Olive Crest Academy, a special education school for students with behavioral challenges and other learning disabilities. He then served as the Clinical Supervisor of the Therapeutic Department and an administrator for the school for 2 years.

Chris is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a regular speaker at churches, community groups, seminars, small groups, and large retreats. He has also been a reoccurring guest on YouTube shows and podcasts focused on mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Chris is also an adjunct professor in the psychology department at a Christian University and has been involved in multiple levels of ministry most recently serving as an elder and teacher at his church in Palos Verdes.

After completing his graduate work, Chris spent over 5 years working with high acuity patients in a psychiatric hospital gaining experience with issues ranging from addiction, to severe depression and psychosis. Chris has been with Journeys Counseling since 2008 and enjoys working with individuals, couples, and adolescents who are seeking to have a deeper understanding of who they are and why, as they learn how to draw closer to self and others.

Kristi began her Marriage and Family Therapist career at Journeys Counseling in 2007. She is passionate about using her background in business and education, combined with her clinical skills and Christian faith to help clients find hope and healing. Kristi is passionate about instilling hope for those suffering from depression, anxiety, fear of abandonment, trauma and PTSD. She also enjoys working with women in career/transition along with couples who struggle with communication, financial issues, or infidelity.

Kristi is the Director of Marketing for Journeys Counseling Ministry. Kristi has volunteered for the Saddleback Church Care Ministry for over 10 years, was Director of Recruitment for Vanguard University School for Professional Studies program for 15 years, and has over 20 years of experience working in the fashion industry as a buyer and in sales. Kristi has her Certificate in Eye Movement Desensitization (EMDR) training and is working to become EMDRIA Certified.