Al Heystek, MDiv, MA, LPC, is an ordained clergy person and Licensed Professional Counselor. He has specialized in working with men since 1995, and has offered specialized counseling services to men at the Men’s Resource Center in Grand Rapids since 2002. Al is trained in EMDR Treatment and has a particular interest in helping men recover from trauma, He is also co-facilitator of Transformations Toward a Healthy Sexuality, a comprehensive sex and pornography addiction treatment program providing help for pornography and sex addiction. The program includes psycho-education, support, and psychotherapy groups.

Al’s expertise also includes anger and control issues, substance use disorders, and sexual addiction issues as well as other areas including personal growth, relationships, intimacy, fathering, and spirituality issues. His clients have included vets from the Vietnam War, Iraq, and other military-related conflicts.

For a number of years, Al has led men’s support groups in Grand Rapids’ Heartside community with Heartside Ministry. His passion for working with men on their journeys of healing and growth is very much connected to his own personal growth.

He is a part of the ManKind Project, a men’s network of interdependent centers with members internationally. The goal of the ManKind Project is to enable men to live lives of integrity, accountability, and connection to feeling. Al has participated in project workshops and is active in a men’s group himself. He sees this work as having deep parallels with the mission of the Men’s Resource Center.

You can hear Al’s perspective on topics such as men’s relationship with anger and addiction to sex and pornography, on segments of the Revealing Men podcast hosted by Randy Flood, psychotherapist, and Director of the Men’s Resource Center.

Online Counseling

Made a Major Impact

Al, thank you for your guidance and patience in helping M. deal with his issues. I know you made a major impact on him because he talked quite highly of you. Somehow you were able to connect with him more than anyone else. Thanks again for all the great work that you and the (Men’s) Center have done.

Patti