Co-Founders & Co-Directors

Let me introduce my self. My name is Deborah Simon. I am one of the co-founders and co-directors of GateWay of Hope Ministries. I’ve been married over 30 years and have two young adult children. Although I was born and raised in Arkansas, I have lived in Kansas since attending the University of Kansas. Even though I had been raised in the church and had a lot of head knowledge about God and the Bible, it wasn't until I was at KU that I understood that I needed a heart knowledge as well. Two lines from a song at that time described me well: “I looked for love in a friendly face, kind and true. I looked for love in a creed I once knew.” I was searching for love from people and trying to obey rules to please God. So during my junior year at KU, I began my personal journey of knowing Jesus.

Beginning a non-profit organization for women was never part of my life’s plan. Neither was becoming a counselor. I was a stay-at-home mom, but God had a change of plans for me. I was in counseling to deal with a recent hurt as well as some old pain. After about a year, my counselor, in a round about way, suggested that I become a counselor. Although my initial response was, “I'm too old,” when my son left for college, I headed back to get my masters in counseling. Isaiah 40:1-5 is the passage God used to clarify my primary mission as a counselor. I am to comfort God’s people and help clear obstacles in lives so God can walk unhindered. Although I counsel women with many issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and boundaries, I have a particular interest in counseling sexual abuse survivors and women with dissociative disorders. I am also a strong advocate of support groups where women can come together and offer each other hope.

Professionally speaking, I hold a Master of Arts in Counseling from MidAmerica Nazarene University and am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Kansas. For four years, I was a counselor at LifeLine Counseling Center and a volunteer facilitator for the Metropolitan Organization to Counsel Sexual Assault Johnson County Group. I also held various women’s ministry positions for over 20 years at Olathe Bible Church. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and hold memberships in the American Association of Christian Counselors, the Society for Christian Psychology,the American Mental Health Counselors Association and EMDRIA (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association). My most important credential, however, is that God has called me to this time and place to counsel women and to create GateWay of Hope Ministries. If you’d like more information on counseling, support groups, community referrals, or free hair cuts, or if you’d like to use The Gathering Place, contact me at 913.393.GATE ext. 1 or Deborah.GW-Hope@comcast.net.

Hi - I'm Dori Tompkins, one of the co-founders and co-directors of GateWay of Hope Ministries.I'm divorced and without children, at least the two-legged kind.My "kid" is my dog, Abby, and she brings me great joy.I spent the first 10 years of my life moving all over the United States.Then my parents divorced and I grew up in California with my mom and two younger sisters until I married at age 25.After several moves, I landed in Kansas and have made it my home for the past 20+ years.I was raised in a home that was religious in nature but not relational with God.I became a born-again Christian in 1980 but didn't live a Christian life the first ten years of my Christian walk.I rededicated my life, surrendering it to God's will, and joined Indian Creek Community Church of which I've been a member for more than 15 years.

Being on a journey of healing myself, I have tried all the available resources from counseling, group therapy, spiritual reformation, journaling, self-help, fasting, experiential encounters, and Emotional Healing Prayer.All have been beneficial, but Theophostic Prayer has given me the deepest healing and the most freeing experience from my childhood emotional pain.I have always been drawn to talking and encouraging other women like myself - women who have been wounded from childhood and trying to make sense of the reoccurrence of emotional pain in their lives.I also have been actively involved in intercessory prayer and know that it is a call on my life.It was in 1999 that I believed I was to minister to women in ways that would merge emotional healing and prayer together.It wasn't until a couple of years ago that I actually experienced Theophostic Prayer or healing prayer and realized God's calling to open a healing center.

I'm a registered nurse having initially obtained my associate degree and then continued on to complete my bachelors in nursing at MidAmerica Nazarene University.I have been in various nursing management positions having done start ups of new programs.In my church, I have served in leadership roles in various ministries including Stephen Ministry.I've received specific training in Emotional Healing Prayer completing the basic and intermediate levels.I'm excited to be a part of GateWay of Hope Ministries providing a safe place for women.For more information on Theophostic Prayer or a GetAway, contact me at 913-393-GATE ext. 2 or Dori.GW-Hope@comcast.net