Today, more voices than ever give us parenting advice…yet we have a poverty of wisdom when it comes to parenting the way God designed. In this interview, Keith McCurdy highlights the most common parenting struggles and current cultural and psychological dynamics he sees in his counseling practice. He points us back to to the order God put in place so that kids can function best in this challenging world. Every family will benefit from the practical and timeless advice he offers.
Keith McCurdy has worked with families, children, parents, and individuals for over 30 years in the field of mental health, working with more than 15,000 individuals and families. He received his Master of Arts and Education Specialist degrees from James Madison University. He is currently the President and CEO of Total Life Counseling, Inc., and is licensed in the state of Virginia as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
Keith provides counseling and consulting services as well as a variety of workshops on improving parenting skills, building strong marriages, and maintaining healthy relationships. He has developed and regularly offers parenting retreats entitled “Raising Sturdy Kids” to help parents operate from the correct paradigm with their children and has extended and customized this powerful program for schools and students.
For many years Keith has been a consultant and speaker nationally to businesses, churches, and schools both within and outside of the world of Classical Education.
He previously served as Chairman of the Board at Faith Christian School, a Christian classical school in Roanoke, VA. Keith has been a regular contributor to The Roanoke Star with articles on children, parenting, and marriage. Keith has been featured on the Circe Institute’s podcast “The Commons”, “BaseCamp Live”, and “Crosspolitic” podcasts respectively, discussing topics related to raising sturdy kids. His primary focus is helping others better understand how a Christian worldview, not psychology, should be the primary influence in parenting and relationships today.
A significant part of his work has been helping parents understand the needed benefit of allowing their children to struggle to learn to do hard things. Keith is an avid outdoorsman and has been actively involved with Boy Scouts of America and coaching high school basketball. He and his wife Lynnie have been married for 25 years with two adult children, both classically educated.
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PREVIOUS EPISODES WITH KEITH
Davies,
My name is Reagan Harper, I am a grammar school teacher at Midland Classical Academy in Midland, TX. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Base Camp Live, and will be actively promoting it at our inservice in August!
I’m writing to request that you consider producing some podcasts on how we can make our classical schools more special needs friendly. Having an autistic son who could not continue at our school, has opened my eyes to the huge need in this area. In conversations that I’m having w/ people in this classical renewal, I’m seeing that the desire to serve this part of the body is there, but w/ limited time and resources we aren’t sure how to go about it.
There are many people working on this issue. I attended Leslie Collins’s (Head of School at Covenant in Houston, TX) breakout session on this subject at SCL in Austin this summer. She did an excellent job laying out a clear path not only theologically, but also got down to the brass tacks of how this practically works out. A few others to consider interviewing would be Cheryl Swope, author of “Simply Classical- A Beautiful Education for Any Child”, and Michael Beates, Dean of Students at Geneva School in FL, who wrote “Disability and the Gospel”.
Thanks so much for all you are doing at Base Camp Live!
Will continue praying and listening!
Sincerely,
Reagan
P.S. I believe that Leslie Collins and Keith McCurdy are collaborating on this as well??
Reagan,
Thanks so much for your support and promoting of the podcast!
Your request is very timely. I just interviewed Leslie Collins and we are excited to have this podcast and topic out in a month or so. We had many podcasts this summer and are getting them out week by week. We even did a “backside” extended discussion with Leslie, given the importance of this topic!
I have added Cheryl and Michael to my guest list. Thanks for the recommendation!
Thanks again!
Davies