Christianity In Counseling

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.

This paper is the development of my personal theory on Christian Counseling. I use many scriptural references to support my beliefs and stress the importance of gaining wisdom and knowledge from the bible. It incorporates all of the presentations, readings, and critiques I did at Liberty University’s Theology and Spirituality in counseling course. I talk about how I integrate Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality into my Christian counseling and believe that they all have a lot to offer the Christian counselor. The role of integration and multitasking is necessary to be an effective Christian counselor under the guidelines of the American Association of Christian

McMinn tells how psychology, theology, and spirituality are used and how they should be used in Christian counseling. A Christian counselor has to look at not necessarily psychology and theology in a counseling session but how religion and spiritually is brought into the session. McMinn (2011) states, “Religious interventions require us to understand spiritual formation, place priority on personal spiritual training as well as professional development, challenge prevailing models of mental health, work toward a stronger scientific base, and sensitively recognize ethical issues” (p. 26). Counselors need to work on their own spiritual foundation so they can are able to help clients. This consists of prayer, scripture, redemption, sin, forgiveness, and confession (McMinn, 2011).

Psychology, Theology and Spirituality in Christian Counseling by Mark R. McMinn (McMinn, 1996) covers a Christian counselor's life in and out of counseling sessions. McMinn's book is dedicated to recognizing and developing the relationship between counseling and Christian faith rather than a dry Theology. This resource work divides the discussion into 8 chapters, each addressing a vital aspect of Christian psychological counseling and each having a section outlining challenges, methods and anticipated outcomes. The first chapter is co-written with James C. Wilhoit and stresses the importance of the counseling/faith relationship while presenting various challenges confronting the counselor and possible approaches to facing those challenges. The second chapter enumerates the Christian faith's major

This book provides insight on how counselors should guide people and how the scripture is able to influence change when ministered correctly. My personal experience with God confirms that biblical principles are sufficient to bring about emotional and spiritual change. I learned through the working of the Holy Spirit in my life that God alone is able to supply all my needs and provide the security and significance that I sought for so diligently in the world. The author expresses his firm belief that theology has no need for Psychology in promoting change in people and that the Word of God, alone, is able to bring about change in God’s people. I support this approach to counseling.

No matter what reason a person choses to attend counseling, the main objective is to help people become whole and ultimately making them become better individuals. Everyone desires to live life of peaceful and serenity and desires to get rid of whatever, internal conflict they have preventing them from becoming whole. In the book Caring for People God’s Way, the book talks about caring for people but with Christ. How can a Christian counselor help a person who may or may not have strong beliefs in God? The way that a person does this is by reading scriptures, being secular to Christian, and keeping the person in checks and balances. In essence, a person need to Trust the Lord with all our heart and believing in his will. Everything that God

Biblical Counseling is making a strong impact in today's churches and community. Counseling is seen as one of the most productive ways of helping a

Hello Professor, when it comes to your question about I found two article that talk about how that as a student and a professional counselor we should be diverse when it comes to others religious and spiritual beliefs. It is up to the teachers to show the students that when it comes to diversity that we should know how to handle different situations and understand that when we come to having a profession in counseling we should continue to educate ourselves so diversity is not an issues when it comes to our clients. Even though there are differences we should never push away a client because of own believes. I do feel that since this is a calling for most of us that we should learn and find ways to fulfil this calling to the best of our abilities.

The details referenced in your discussion board are strong. The Christian counselor must know him or herself first and has a virtuous empathy. The past experiences of the Christian counselor maybe supportive in guiding a client who has been abused and is depressed. In this scenario, Jamie was divorced with a history of abuse. Hawkins and Clinton (2015) disclosed that the overwhelming thoughts do not define who they are and are not permanent (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015). The task for the Christian counselor is to relate to the client and to guide him or her through healing the mind. God is forever present in any situation. No matter how tough, the power of Christ is there. From the beginning of time, God created the perfect, pure Garden,

The counselor may impose their religious views onto the client. The counselor has to proceed with caution when integrating the client’s beliefs. Counselors should also have the proper training, in order to integrate religion and counseling. “There are also barriers for counselors at the individual-level. Counselors may be fearful about bringing up beliefs, particularly if they hold differing views from the client and believe they cannot relate” (Thayne, 1997, p.1) When counseling a child with depression, the counselor has to be aware of the child’s feelings and reassure that the client will not feel condemn for his/her

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

Christian counselors should be exceptionally careful when counseling clients in a secular counseling setting. Despite worldview contradictions, any counselor should show honor other views. Therefore respecting clients who are coming to counseling, who have different perspectives should be a commitment of counselor. If Christian counselor is confronting a client who is non-Christian living in a "sin" is particularly challenging. Since "sin" is explained as "wrong behavior" in secular human perspective. So, a Christian counselor should be sensible, knowledgeable, competent and also wise in confronting such behavior of the client. Moreover, utilizing prayer and scripture in a counseling session either directly or indirectly could also raise

Hull, Suarez, and Hartman (2016) reports, the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Issues in Counseling (ASERVIC, 2009) are moral standards that aid the counselor in developing ethical awareness when discussing spirituality in a creative context. The study also brought to light spiritual/religious rooted in academic learning and how the competencies are “taught, used, and evaluated” (as cited in Hull et al., 2016, p. 112). In the inquiry as written in the American Counseling Association [ACA, 2014] Code of Ethics “counselor respect the diversity of clients and not isolate the client’s belief system on spirituality/religion” (Hull et al., 2016, p.). Further summarizes the 14 competencies created by ASERVIC across six subject areas to balance the ACA Code of Ethics (2014) in guiding counselors to better talk about religious/spiritual issues in counseling (Hull et al., 2016, p111). Such as “Cultural and Worldview, Counselor Self-Awareness, Human and Spiritual Evolution, Communication, Assessment, and Diagnosis and Treatment” (as cited in Hull et al., 2016,

the standard of care of counseling is to be culturally competent in responding to a client’s life context. Just as, there is a need to be delicate to cultural, racial, ethnic, and gender aspects of a client’s life, there is a corresponding need to be responsive to the religious aspects to the client 's life when making therapeutic interventions. Counselors need to be culturally and religiously competent. Client 's needs and spiritual disciplines in clinical practice can help define the parameter of appropriate therapeutic care.

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?