4-MAT Review: Psychology, Theology and Spirituality in Christian Counseling

I am so thankful for the amazing gift of grace that God as gifted us. Grace, as defined by McMinn is, “merciful kindness offered by God to those who do not and cannot ever deserve God’s kindness, and it is our only hope.” Grace is such an interesting concept. The idea that we have already been forgiven for our sins before we even commit a sin is not widely accepted by most people nowadays. When people sin, they feel a sense

At the beginning of the semester, the framework for professional clinical counseling was presented during the class session. The objective was to study what the world calls “counseling” and how it is designed to provide the correct treatment to these people. The professional clinical model calls for a trained professional to handle the catharsis of the client in a controlled environment on the basis of a fiduciary relationship. Deliberate and guided questions are asked from the therapist to encourage catharsis. Once the professional compiles sufficient evidence via resources and intuitivism, a treatment plan would be prescribed. The client has a choice of accepting the treatment or

Ron Hawkins and Tim Clinton (2015), The New Christian Counselor: A Fresh Biblical & Transformational Approach book, is a resourceful guide for Christian counselors. Hawkins and Clinton (2015) state, “that the discipline of Christian Counseling is growing into a solid and substantiated multifaceted scriptural discipline of wide-reaching distinction” (p. 5). Furthermore, the definition of what Christian counseling is has changed over time.

Christian counseling is all about integrating psychology, theology and spirituality into counselor and clients lives. Psychology, Theology and Spirituality in Christian Counseling gives insight into how these three perspectives can be used to help individuals identify certain aspects of their lives that might be enhanced when the counselor includes spirituality into their counseling sessions. We also see how important it is for the counselor to be in touch with their own spirituality so that

Bob Kelleman, in his book Gospel-Centered Counseling, suggests that a study of human mind is not a product of modern psychology. However, men’s attempt to know and understand human suffering and problems began even far back from Greek philosophy. Thus, Paul rightly says in Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ (KJV).” However, it is certainly true that rise of psychology in modern era restricted the use of counseling to a secular world, while breaking a tie between counseling and religion in its usage. Secular society claimed counseling has no place in religion, its usage and methodology can be utilized and systemized only by pure science. This is how Christian ministry began to lose a counseling in its domain.

1..An American Apotheosis, written by Joseph L. Price, discusses the religious element of sports. His thesis, “For tens of millions of devoted fans throughout the country, sports constitute a popular form of religion by shaping their world and sustaining their ways of engaging it.” (Price, p. 196) Takes on the difficult challenge of defining sport as religion. This is done through Price’s exploration of how sports shape and engage the world for the millions of devoted fans in America, how sports enable participants to explore levels of selfhood, how sports establish a means for bonding with the devotee community, how sports model ways to deal with fate while playing by the rules and how sports provide the prospect of experiencing abundant life.

Psychology, Theology and Spirituality in Christian Counseling by Mark R. McMinn is a conscious effort to apply all the major elements of Christian faith to the work of counselors. McMinn has created a workable blueprint for Christian counselors by writing at length about Christian faith in and out of the counseling office, psychological health, prayer, scripture, sin, confession, forgiveness, and redemption. In doing so, McMinn has successfully blended modern counseling techniques with Christian life in such a way that a Christian counselor can easily apply it to his/her own life and ultimately to effective counseling for his/her clients.

In Chapter 10 of Rudolph K. Sanders’ book, Christian Counseling Ethics: A Handbook for Psychologists, Therapists and Pastors, Mark Yarhouse, Jill Kays and Stanton Jones discuss the “sexual minority” as it pertains to the field of professional counseling. This group is defined as “individuals with same sex attractions or behavior, regardless of self-identification” (Sanders, et. al., 2013, p. 252). By looking at counseling the homosexual community through its etiology, standards by which a counselor should proceed with treatment, and the options a client has on deciding treatment options, we can be better prepared as Christian counselors to be better prepared in serving the needs of others.

Jim appears to be a troubled client because of his past. Since Jim carried issues from his childhood into adulthood, there was no healing from his past. Jim seemed to have children by many women and wasn’t able to take care of them. He only comes to the counseling center to achieve the benefits offered by the center. Now Jim is in and out of the center appearing to be no compliant. My first approach to Jim as his Christian counseling is to let him know that as his counseling I truly care for him. Then I will inform Jim that God loves him unconditionally. I will offer him prayer during the beginning session, during session and out of session. Jim doesn’t have to know if I pray for him out of session, because he deserves the best care. The counseling from McMinn (2011) is the approach I will use. I believe incorporating spiritual health approach is necessary for a client such as Jim. Although according to McMinn, prayer is an important part of counseling (McMinn, 2011). A broken person such as Jim is needs the inner peace from God. “To enter the kingdom, we must acknowledge that the inner peace we yearn for can never come by our own efforts but only by admitting we are powerless to conquer our self-centeredness and by turning over the rule of our life

In the book, “Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling”, author Mark McMinn gives the reader information on how these three entities can work together in Christian counseling. McMinn offers several ways in which this can be done including the use of prayer, Scripture, confession, forgiveness, the effects of sin, and redemption in counseling sessions. Through narration of counseling vignettes displaying different results, from different approaches demonstrates for the reader integration. There are very many counselors in different walks in their faith and McMinn helps to explore this area for future and practicing clinicians.

I would like to take this opportunity to nominate my colleague Dr. Steve Bennett for the RHCHP Teacher of the Year award. It has been my distinct pleasure to have worked with Steve over the past ten years in the Division of Counseling and Family Therapy and I value him as a trusted colleague and friend. During my tenure at Regis I have always found Dr. Bennett to be a strong advocate for our profession as well witness his dedication to the Jesuit mission. Steve's commitment to Jesuit educational values is evidenced by his leadership in the development of a course "Spirituality in Counseling". Steve has also been instrumental in the development of initiatives that have enhanced our division and profession while always being mindful of our

It is evident in the world today that there is a need for guidance and counseling. There are many statistics of issues the world faces that prove the need treatment. For example, 35% of persons who marry end up divorced. 40% of children live in a home where a father is not present. By age 18, 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused by someone they love and/or trust. Approximately every 20 minutes a person commits suicide within the United States (Clinton, 2005). This list goes on and is even found within the church. Professional counseling and lay Christian counseling have found a way to help individuals overcome these issues though certain techniques and methods. These techniques and methods are often adopted from secular psychologists such as Carl Rogers who founded Client-Centered Therapy. While both counseling groups have a goal to help individuals overcome their issues, should Christian counselors, specifically, accept secular professional counseling techniques?

There is a correlation between integrating religion and counseling. “Addressing spirituality and religion in counseling may have therapeutic value in the extent that incorporation helps counselors to support clients connecting to others, moving outside of themselves, and contributing to the common good” (Blando, 2006, p.1). There are many studies indicating the benefits of integrating the person’s beliefs and counseling techniques. By integrating the religion into counseling session, it can show the child that there is nothing that they can face without the help of their faith.

My theological of pastoral care and pastoral counseling I will view all the human being as it was written in the beginning with Genesis 1:27: "And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them." As I know the creation of human being, therefore, my pastoral care and pastoral counseling will also views all human being as spiritual and bodily creatures created by God. As a result, my priority in pastoral care and pastoral counseling is that I was called into relationship with God and with one another. the same way my counseling session with client my main goal with he / her as a clients is to meet them where they are at now in their trials, tribulations, and suffering; we also celebrate their moments of personal growth, self-awareness, discovery, and change. As a pastoral counselor, the stakes are changed in the sense that there is an additional responsibility to look after the client’s journey in towards spiritual growth and a more mature faith. We seek to aid in the process of humanization, psychological wholeness, and well-being where we desire to give our client’s a taste of what is means to be “a fully functioning, free, consciously aware, responsible, and loving” individual. God did not create human beings to suffer any evil; that was the fault of man. Therefore, the ultimate questions I will ask of my clients are these: “What part is God playing in the story of your life?” and “What is God asking of you in this

Biblical counseling is a ministry of the local church whereby transforming individual’s beliefs into following the family of Christ. It is sanctioned to empower us as believers in Christ Jesus, allowing all to know that we can do all things through Him. If one believes in Christ, He can help lead us, guide us, counsel us, provide remedies for us, and show us how to handle any situation through the word of God. In the process He will allow us to let His wisdom shine and to teach us how to help others in this world of sin. We as biblical counselors can learn to help people in every circumstance.