Meet our Counseling Staff
The New Life staff meets both clients and groups, and holds classes and seminars, at our Ankeny and West Des Moines, Iowa locations. We are also available to bring our seminars or classes to your group or organization. We invite you to contact us for details and availability of schedules and topics.
Meet Dr. Gilbert, Dr. Newkirk, Mr. Shannon Bauer, Ms. Stephanie Blanchard:
Dr. Don Gilbert, M.S., L.M.H.C.
I began my career as a pastor in the Wesleyan Church. In 1989, I returned to school and received a degree in Mental Health Counseling from Drake University. I had the fortune to counsel under the tutelage of Dr. Gary Rosberg, nationally known author, speaker and founder of Crosstrainers Ministries.
A journey of self-discovery and my passion to serve resulted in my returning to school, once again. I received a Doctorate of Philosophy in Mental Health Counseling and Religious Studies. It was during this time that I discovered a gift of working with couples on building and strengthening their intimate relationships. This passion of working on couple growth resulted in the birth of my inter- and intra- personal communication program. This opened the door to consult for the next nine years with Iowa Heart Center and Mercy Hospital as a medical staff team facilitator in a heart disease prevention program. As my journey continued, I expanded my areas of expertise to include a broad area of individual, family and marriage counseling, business and organizational consulting, as well as professional and personal coaching.
In the fall of 2002, I had the opportunity to begin a New Life Clinic in Iowa, and New Life Counseling, Coaching, and Consulting was born. I continue to rejoice in the gifts of my wonderful and loving wife, the blessings of our 4 children, their spouses, and our grandchildren.
Dr. Richard Newkirk, M.S. Counseling
Dr. Newkirk has a wealth of experience as a teacher, guidance counselor, principal, superintendent of schools and college professor.
Since 2000, Dr. Newkirk has given more than 180 workshops dealing with neurological impairments that affect learning and personality. In June 2003 he was featured in a documentary for educational television dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder. The presentation was entitled, “Worried Sick, Over and Over and Over Again”. Dr. Newkirk was featured as an authority on Streptococcal infections that can cause obsessive compulsive disorder.
Dr. Newkirk welcomes your calls for marriage and family counseling in addition to child and adolescent counseling dealing with educational issues that impede learning. Dr. Newkirk is also available for speaking engagements for educational and corporative settings.
Mr. Shannon Bauer, M.A. Counseling, M.A. Theology
We are an imperfect people, struggling with imperfect relationships relying on the guidance of a perfect God. My calling is to help people explore their various relationships and seek to understand how God can be an active part of building healthy relationships.
Over the past ten plus years I have served and learned in the Lutheran, Reformed, Baptist and Presbyterian traditions. These numerous ministry experiences in various denominational systems have strengthened my understanding of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness present in our lives.
My approach to counseling comes from a systems perspective. In our relationships there are two main perspectives on which we can focus. We can focus on flaws or on hope. No relationship is perfect within a faith community or within our personal lives; it is easy to get caught dwelling on the perceived flaws. When hope is our focus we see the potential for solutions, love and peace. One of my roles as a counselor is to address relationship issues, understand their context, and seek boundaries to lessen or remove their destructive influence on our lives.
I am available for individual, couple, group and family counseling. I am also available for church consulting. I can help faith communities explore the foundations for a healthy small group ministry, family ministry, youth ministry, or church and staff relationship growth.
My wife and our four children are excited to be a part of this community seeking God’s loving embrace and guidance as we journey with God in the Des Moines area.
Stephanie Blanchard, MA, LMHC, CADC
Healing happens in the context of healthy relationships. God’s Word confirms that we were not created to do life alone; this realization from Scripture started my journey and interest into the healing relationship of counseling. I received my undergraduate degree from Oklahoma Wesleyan University followed by my Masters of Arts in Counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky. Being married to a United Methodist Pastor, we were appointed to the Des Moines area in 2007. I started my professional career within the field of Chemical Dependency where I developed a passion for the hurt, abandoned, unheard, and distraught. It was during this time that I discovered a gift of compassion and hope for assisting women in developing empowerment and building resiliency.
Being a Licensed Mental Health Counselor as well as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, I have been able to increase my expertise in the areas of Co-Occurring Disorders. As my counseling endeavors continued, I have worked with a broad arena of individual, couple, and group counseling. I have special interest in women’s issues including: depression, anxiety, grief and loss, family issues, and overall support for women in general.
I am continually grateful for the opportunities and blessings God grants to me. I am challenged daily to become a more fervent disciple of Christ, a Godlier wife and mother as well as a steward of the gifts Christ has instilled within me. I would be honored to walk through this time with you.