Ed Khouri
President
For more than 40 years, Ed Khouri has worked with substance abusers and their families in diverse settings. Serving as a pastoral counselor, trainer, and writer, Ed’s work has encompassed outpatient counseling, jails, transitional housing for homeless addicts in all phases of residential treatment. He even provided daily supervision for all therapeutic services and staff in a 96-bed state-licensed substance abuse treatment program.
Today, as an experienced trainer, Ed leads workshops in churches and ministries worldwide, equipping workers to serve hurting men and women in their own communities. He regularly trains and collaborates with ministries including Thrive Today, The International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coallition (ISAAC), and Youth With A Missions Addictive Behavior Counseling School.
Ed has a B.A. in Behavioral and Social Sciences and began his Master’s Program at the University of Florida. Ordained in 1988, he is the president of Equipping Hearts.
Ed has written several books, including The Restarting Workbook and Facilitator’s Guide. Together with Dr. E. James Wilder, Ed co-authored several books and training materials: The Connexus Program, Belonging, and Joy Starts Here: The Transformation Zone.
Maritza Khouri
Co-founder, Vice President
Maritza’s clear calling and joy is to help restore the lives of women and their families after the devastation caused by substance and sexual abuse, trauma, and painful family relationships. She has been serving the addicted since 1989, working part-time with the ministry of Robbie Goss, and beginning full-time counseling in 1996. Maritza applied her extensive experience to aid women in outpatient therapy. After starting and leading successful church support groups for men and women, she left private practice in 2004 to begin serving the international community through the ministry of Equipping Hearts.
Her service to women in recovery took a new form that same year when she became a Life and Recovery Coach, founding Recovery Seminars, LLC. In this role, Maritza serves as a mentor to women who have completed intensive therapy and are moving forward to the next stage of their life and recovery. Through her work with Recovery Seminars, she also provides training and curriculum development services for the addicted community, as well as the ministries and professional organizations that assist them.
Through her work with Equipping Hearts and as the director of Recovery Seminars, Maritza has become an international trainer—equipping, encouraging, and networking men and women around the world to more effectively serve the needs of those who hurt.
Our Network
A family, the Body, a herd, God’s Chosen people —all imagery from Scripture about God’s intention for us to be deeply connected. It is central to what we do. It is also part of why Equipping Hearts is proud to maintain relationships with the organizations we train and partner with around the globe, including:
· Life Model Works
· Thrive Today
· Deeper Walk International
· YWAM (Youth With A Mission)
· ISAAC (International Substance Abuse & Addiction Coalition)
· Dunklin Memorial
· NET Institute Center for Addiction & Recovery Education
· New Life Christian Fellowship
