Judy Lair has always taken the scenic route through life. Born in Boise, Idaho, her family moved to Alberta, Canada for mom’s job, eventually relocating to Pennsylvania for dad’s job where she graduated from Hershey High School. Her life journey has taken her through many denominations. She’s currently a member and home group leader at Discovery Church in Gahanna, Ohio. Judy has an eclectic set of skills gathered from a variety of jobs. She worked as a customer service rep for Blue Shield, held administrative roles in post-secondary education organizations, was an adrenalin junkie emergency room intake interviewer, and spent many years as an investigative litigation paralegal. Coming from a Christian family and growing up in church, Judy felt pressured to live according to someone else’s set of expectations and rules. Determined to be her own person, but without knowing who that was, Judy wandered through life making disastrous life decisions. Jobs, schools, marriages, divorces; nothing she did brought a lasting sense of meaningfulness. Fear of failure was overwhelming. Personal, professional, and spiritual circumstances all crashed down in 1998 and Judy began working with a Christian counselor. 1 John 4:18 teaches perfect love drives out fear. As Judy learned how to love the person God made her to be, she found freedom to love God and others well and fear receded. A year into her journey, God began calling Judy to become a counselor and lead others through the same process. She politely declined, enumerating all her inadequacies, telling God he certainly must have made a mistake! Judy took a risk and applied to Ashland Theological Seminary where despite not having a bachelor’s degree, she was accepted into the Master’s program. Graduating in 2002, Judy began her own practice called Counselorplace Christian Counseling located in Worthington, Ohio. Through story, Judy uses her professional counseling expertise to give people hope for God’s healing and direction for transformation. Her vulnerable, godly approach helps people find courage to move from Fear to Freedom. In June 2014, Judy self-published her first book, “From the Other Side of the Couch: A Biblical Counselor’s Guide to Relational Living” available on Amazon. She’s had the privilege of speaking at church events, business meetings, MOPS groups, and mental health seminars. Judy facilitated numerous DivorceCare groups, has been a speaker at International OCD Foundation Annual Conferences, created continuing education programs for Ohio counselors, and has been interviewed by Channel 10 news regarding folks with hoarding issues. “Judy Lair is a dynamic speaker with a message that will impact every listener. Her honesty and vulnerability really reached the hearts of the AIA leadership when she spoke to them. She shared how to tangibly allow God to intersect with our hurt, pain, and fear so that we could find real freedom in Christ. I would highly recommend Judy as a godly, passionate speaker with timely wisdom for people of all ages.” Sarah S., Athletes in Action, The Ohio State University Women's Ministry   “Judy Lair is passionate about sharing the wisdom God has given her through her speaking. She uses everyday life parallels to explain godly principles that help others transform their lives! Her joy and excitement in helping people move from fear to freedom is both refreshing and admirable. I want to be Judy Lair when I grow up!” Brandy B., Soul Reflections Christian Counseling  Judy currently lives in Columbus, Ohio with her parakeet Daisy. She and her son Ben enjoy vacationing together, although he thinks her sense of humor is cheesy Judy had the privilege of visiting Israel in 2010 where she took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and walked through Hezekiah’s tunnel in Jerusalem.  “Freedom is attainable. Trust me, I’ve been on the anxiety side, gone through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and now I’m praising God, eating at the banqueting table, and helping others make the same journey. Whether you find yourself stuck in anxiety, disappointment, grief, or confusion, your heart can be set free.” Judy Lair, “From the Other Side of the Couch.”