Gwen Purdie (formerly McDowell) was born and raised in Scotland. Becoming a Christian as a teenager changed her life dramatically and led her into professional social work, desiring to see people made whole. It became clear that Gwen’s work with people had to be done in the power of God and with all of His resources. After ten years as a specialist with adolescents and alcoholics, Gwen was one of the first pioneers in Christian counselling in Scotland. It was as though she heard the deep cry of peoples’ hearts to be set free from emotional pain and the very real symptoms that come from inner turmoil. She has a Certificate Qualification in Social Work, trained other counsellors and directed the Christian Counselling Service in Edinburgh, which continues to operate as Dove Christian Counselling in Glasgow. She has been a Christian counsellor for well over twenty years having initially been sponsored by her church at that time, Bruntsfield Evangelical Church, Edinburgh and has seen God working His healing out in countless lives.