Meet Heather Tomes.
Heather is a registered psychologist in Saskatchewan and serves as the Program Coordinator for two counselling degree programs at Horizon College & Seminary, where she also teaches and supervises students as they complete their counselling practicums.
Alongside her work at the seminary, Heather continues to practice professionally as the founder of Living Well Psychology, offering supervision, consultation, and counselling for individuals, churches, and organizations.
Heather Tomes, Coordinator of the counselling programs at Horizon Seminary.
Before joining Horizon, Heather served as the Clinical and Executive Director at Christian Counselling Services in Saskatoon, providing therapy for individuals facing anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, relationship struggles, and spiritual concerns. She also supervised clinical staff and supported ministry leaders navigating the emotional realities of pastoral life.
With that depth of experience, Heather entered seminary with a clear sense of vocation and years of real-life ministry already behind her. But as she shares in her story, what she discovered during her studies surprised her.
“I thought seminary would mostly be an academic exercise,” she reflects. “But it ended up shaping me in ways I didn’t expect.”
Learning to Hold Hard Questions
One of the most significant parts of Heather’s journey was learning how to wrestle with difficult questions of life. In her work with people navigating trauma and suffering, she encountered questions that couldn’t be answered with simple explanations.
“Although I knew from my own Christian walk that God did indeed care when one of his children was hurting, it was in seminary that I learned in a deeper and richer way that the Lord is indeed close to the brokenhearted, and his desire is to reach out and to save those who are crushed in spirit.”
Seminary helped her develop the tools and humility to sit with complexity. Theology became less about quick responses and more about the ability to humbly “sit in the question,” and admit that, sometimes, we just don’t know.
“In many educational settings, students are rewarded for certainty. We learn the right response. We learn that if we repeat it accurately, we can move on to the next learning task. In contrast, I found that seminary invited me into the middle of some of life’s biggest questions about meaning, suffering, justice, doubt or hope, and it asked me to stay there.”
An Unexpected Gift
So what began as a season of academic study soon became a season of personal transformation. Seminary didn’t just sharpen Heather’s theological understanding—much to her own surprise, it became a place where her own life and faith were being formed. In the midst of lectures, readings, and discussions, something deeper was happening: God was at work within her.
“I found that so many of the courses and the topics within the courses became a personal meeting ground between me and God, to sort out deep questions that I held about his nature and his character, and to process those between he and I. “
More Than Education
Heather’s story is a reminder that seminary is not simply about gaining knowledge. It’s about formation—shaping the way we think, lead, and live out our faith.
Watch Heather’s full story to hear more about how seminary shaped her journey and what she discovered along the way.
Why Horizon Seminary?
Grow personally and continue your education through selected courses or graduate certificates.
Engage with one of five robust degree programs:
- Master of Arts in Clinical Pastoral Counselling
- Master of Arts in Pastoral Psychotherapy
- Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership
- Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies
- Master of Divinity
Women leaders – learn about Horizon’s distinct Women’s Cohort.
Mature students (25 and older) learn about admissions options without an undergraduate degree.
Flexible & Affordable
Our seminary courses will challenge and enrich your Christian life, equipping you to serve with excellence wherever the Lord calls you. Each course is purposefully grounded in the mission of preparing competent Christian leaders, and there are a variety of formats available to meet your needs.
Thanks to our distance education options, you can study with us from anywhere. Plus, our seminary is affordable, with tuition rates up to 30% lower than the average Canadian seminary*.
*Horizon College & Seminary offers 30-credit programs (including tuition + fees) at one of the lowest rates in Canada, based on an independent study comparing similar Canadian institutions of Christian Evangelical tradition. Data collected from the institutional websites as of December, 2024. See the Data >
Horizon Seminary is an associate member of ATS and an accredited institution of ABHE.
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