Our Story
We arrived in Morocco in1997, eager to help start a new school. When our plane landed, our boss was not in country, and the person who was delegated to help us was away on vacation. We felt so alone.
We taxied to a church that first Sunday and were grateful to meet a couple who took us under their wings. They helped us to get settled into Casablanca life. That was our first touch with the reality of how important it is to care for people, especially when it comes to overseas living.
That’s probably why—a year later, when the school was being launched—we took on the role of welcoming new staff and making sure their needs outside of work were met.
One year, a young teacher became suicidal, and we searched for an English-speaking counselor to help her. We had to go to Spain to find someone. The next year, a new member of our staff was in a taxi that was hit by a truck. His driver died moments later, and he was deeply shaken. We knew he needed something called a “debriefing,” but we didn’t know how to help.
These situations compelled us to get more training so that we could help others succeed and manage the difficulties of cross-cultural living. Many years of study and practice later, we decided to start See Beyond—helping expatriates to do better and stay longer in North Africa.
Our Vision
DO Better. Stay Longer.
We seek to support communities of expatriates living in North Africa, the Middle East, and the Sahel in better caring for one another. We train individuals and groups in how to have better communication skills and to know exactly what to do when a situation is beyond their abilities.
We envision communities where leaders more effectively care for their teams, not only in the work they are called to accomplish, but in how they care for the whole person—and even the whole family.
We desire for spouses to have the deeper relational skills needed to not just survive, but to truly deepen intimacy. We want children to blossom in the environment in which their family is working.
We are eager for singles to be less isolated and to feel like valued members of larger communities. We aspire to see communities flourishing—like an oasis in the desert.
We Are:
Mobile: We visit Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania, and Chad regularly and seek to visit multiple cities during our visits.
Insiders: 25+ years of experience and still living in North Africa and the Sahel. Culturally aware, expatriate, experienced, with shared experiences.
Affordable: Non-profit rates. No need for international travel to get the same service. Often, no need to leave your home.
Multi-disciplinary: Service provided in the areas of counseling, coaching, training, and debriefing. We collaborate with others to provide for other needs.
Flexible: Personalized services customized to your needs. Often able to respond to crisis situations.
Professional: We are licensed and credentialed in our fields and use the highest quality assessments, tools, and models for our services.
Learn more specifics about our vision here.
Our Team
Katie
Hey! I have loved living in Morocco and traveling throughout North Africa for more than 25 years. I have raised two boys here and am the happy “Mimi” of three grandsons.
Painting, hiking, and flower arranging are all things I enjoy. I am happy to do them whenever I get the chance.
Professionally, I love training in interpersonal skills and leadership practices, in order to bring increased health to the community life of teams and organizations. I especially enjoy proactive work with teams to lay foundations for a strong, healthy future. Believe it or not, I even enjoy helping groups in conflict to find a safe, productive way forward.
I started out pursuing a counseling degree, but a good friend basically said to me, “Sorry Katie, but I think Tim would be better at that.” He was so right!! As a result, I ended up with a Master of Science in Psychology, with dual specializations in Organizational Leader Development and Leadership Coaching Psychology through Capella University. What a mouthful, but what a better fit!
Looking forward comes naturally for me. That’s probably one of the reasons that coaching became so important to me.
Five hundred plus hours of coaching moved me toward my Professional Coach Credential (PCC) with the International Coach Federation. My love for facilitating group work is endorsed by the International Association of Facilitators.
Making See Beyond a place where you can get the resources you need to do better and stay longer in North Africa is one of the greatest joys of my life.
Tim
Outside of my passion for helping people live an abundant life, I love mountain biking, NASCAR, and playing tennis any time I can find a partner. I hold a love for Monster Truck racing deep down inside. Katie is just happy that I didn’t take it up as a profession!
I got into counseling through a “back door.” I was in charge of crisis management for the school I worked for and took a training on helping people in crisis. It wasn’t what I expected, but I loved learning how to help people on an emotional level, even through traumatic events.
That’s what started my journey, which includes a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling through Liberty University and a Professional Counselor License from the state of Ohio. (Verify my license here.)
My goal is to provide a safe, confidential, caring environment for my clients so they can develop emotional, intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual resources to bring about change, healing, and restoration. Two decades of overseas work give me firsthand understanding of both the stress and struggles of cross-cultural life, as well as the potential toll it can take on individuals, couples, and families.
I’ve experienced a lot of what you are going through, and I’d love to help see you thrive cross-culturally in all areas of life.
MORE OF OUR STORY
Several years ago, as we were growing, we were faced with a decision. Would we remain a “Mom-and-Pop” business, or grow? My “aha” moment came when I was sharing my concerns with my dad. He said, “Well, if you are going to stay small, you’ll need to change your name from See Beyond to something else.”
That statement turned me back to our original vision to serve not only North Africa, but also the Sahel, the Middle East, and maybe beyond! We had to grow! Just as I was feeling lost about how to do that, the person who would become our first staff member reached out to us, and we’ve been adding staff and services ever since.
OUR STAFF
We now have 24 staff, all of whom have lived in North Africa, the Sahel, or a similar environment, and share See Beyond's values. They are part-time staff who are highly trained and qualified in their areas of service, all while continuing with their regular work. They go through a rigorous application process and have the appropriate credentials or licensure for their fields, along with practical experience.
Counseling: We have two licensed counselors and a child psychologist on our team of professionals, all of whom live or have lived in North Africa. Learn more on our Counseling page.
Personalized Care: We have eight staff who provide ongoing Personalized Care, which includes debriefing, coaching, spiritual direction, and/or mentoring. All our debriefers are certified.
Debriefing: Our nine debriefing staff have gone through extensive training to help you untangle and understand your story. Their debriefings have been evaluated twice and passed our high standards, so you’ll get more than just an awesome listener. Learn more about Debriefing here.
Coaching: We have two Professional Certified Coaches (PCC) and several staff who are Associate Certified Coaches with the International Coach Federation. Check out our Coaching page.
Navigating Decisions & Desires: We have two certified Marriage Coaching couples and two couples who are working toward their certification to help you and your spouse strengthen your communication skills.
Third Culture Kids: While this area is new and steadily being developed, we are thrilled to have four staff who are focused on helping meet the needs of our children who are growing up overseas. Two of our TCK specialists are TCKs themselves. The other is happily married to a TCK! Additionally, we have a child psychologist who is happy to consult with parents and meet with children.
“See Beyond has been a tremendous catalyst for growth in my life through debriefing, several coaching courses, and mentor coaching. The team brings deep empathy and integrates that with accessible neuroscience and adult learning principles to gain new insight. I've continually been impressed by the breadth of services and the quality, especially for the cost.”
-Renee Murphy
