I Know I Can Be A Better Counselor

How can a Christian counselor effectively counsel clients while holding to their convictions of faith? This question is one that many have to think upon. In reading the textbook for this class, the author takes the secular theories and breaks them apart. As a counselor, Christian or not, it is very important to pull from different theories rather than devote solely to one theory. Each individual coming in to the therapist’s office is wired differently in personality and belief system. As a Christian therapist, it is important to know the individual in the client’s chair. Being open with them about where one stands spiritually is a priority. The goal is to be able to take any theory and “think” Christianly. Every counselor is different, but there are central characteristics that one must focus their practice on while working with clients. The main goal as a Christian therapist is to integrate psychology, professional ethics, Scripture and the very character of Jesus in a way that never compromises the authority of God.

Authors Hawkins and Clinton (2015) starts the text “The New Christian Counselor: A Fresh Biblical and Transformational Approach” by explaining their vision of the future of Christian counseling and remind us as counselors our role in performing our duties spiritually by helping shape us into better counselors. The authors do this throughout by explaining their definition, direction. and focus of the counseling practice in the 21st century.

According to Hawkins and Clinton (2015), Christian counseling is a collective process that includes at least three persons which are the counselor, the client and God’s trinity (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015, p. 39). The main objective of the relationship between these three forces is to obtain transformational

As a retired Washington DC Fire Department Battalion Chief, Jim Johnson brings a unique perspective to counseling. In 1995, Johnson accepted a full-time calling as the Pastor of Care and Concern at Faith Community Church in Gambrills, MD. His ministerial education is based on a biblical approach, which he learned from both real-life experience and training from noted counseling professors such as David Powlison, Ed Welch, and Paul Tripp. Within the interview, Johnson demonstrated his passion for reaching people first with the gospel as the most important tool to see real change in the heart of families.

Dr. Larry Crabb’s book “Effective Biblical Counseling: A Model for Helping Caring Christians Become Capable Counselor” Crabb, (1977), this book models how counseling can be gracefully integrated into implementation of the local church. The Goal of Christian Counseling that Dr. Crabb states within his book Crabb, (1977), is “any approach to counseling that is truly biblical will work most effectively when carried out into the context of a local body of believers” (pg. 13). As Dr. Crabb states within his book that “The goal of biblical counseling is to promote Christian maturity, to help people enter into a richer experience of worship and a more effective life of service” (pg. 31), This allows them grow

The author of this book Mark McMinn explains how psychology, theology, and spirituality can all be integrated into Christian counseling. He discusses the difference between the three overlapping principles. He wrote this book especially for Christian counselors, pastors, as well as students so that they may clearly understand the meaning of the three principles, allowing them to apply it to everyday problems. The main question this book poses to answer is, How does a Christian counselor integrate their faith into a counseling session in a way that can be beneficial to their clients. He discusses the

McMinn outlines common challenges in each chapter, and offers thoughts on how to blend psychology, theology, and spirituality in the specific setting of the counseling relationship; a relationship that ideally demonstrates how relationship with God our redeemer can bring transformational change in the counselee. As he does in the second section of his book, McMinn begins by outlining how even the counseling relationship itself will present its own set of challenges.

Webb’s three categories of the tools in his “The Basic Toolbox” were knowledge, skills and attitudes. As I read this chapter, I could reflect on my common sense and life experiences connecting with these three categories. My actions in this section mirrored those techniques used in my first counseling session. The first counseling session I conducted as a pastor was with a couple

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

As I go down this road which is considered my life. I have realized that I have chosen the path of the person that I am today. My life up to this point was not an easy road and still has bumps in my future. In my past I have faced physical and emotional child abuse from my parents, death of my younger brother at a young age, my house burning down making my family homeless, Department of Family Services placing my brother and sisters into foster homes, and me becoming homeless again while trying finish high school. All of this led to me to joining the Army to realize there were different options in life. Learning from the past hardships is what led me to want to help others figure out to show they also can overcome hardships and that their past does not have to dictate their future. Throughout this paper I am going to take you through my journey by leading you through the concept of counseling as a professional identity, key characteristics of a counselor, duties and functions of the different areas I could pursue as a counselor, then the four career paths I would pursue, followed by the top two career paths I would enjoy, and top two professional settings that I would like to work.

Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling is Mark McMinn's book published in 1996 by Tyndale House. In this book, the author continuously discusses that in the counseling office bringing Christianity could be beneficial. The author has experience in cognitive therapy and uses it as theoretical groundwork. He provides examples of the most fitting way for Psychology and Christianity integration. He also provides different challenges that can be of concern when bringing religion into counseling sessions and how those challenges could be approached. These challenges discuss spiritual formation development, personal and professional lives being hazy, certain problems in training, different views of the world, insufficient evidence

In this paper, I will discussing Crabb’s Effective Biblical Counseling (1977) and the Hawkins Model for Guiding the Counseling Process (n.d.). I will begin by describing each of these theories, than I will discuss their similarities and differences, and lastly, I will critique each of them.

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

Mark R. McMinn’s (2011) Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling establish a way to bring Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality to Christian Counselors. He introduces a replica of how to integrate the three disciplines in the counseling office. The purpose of the book is to instruct counselors how to integrate categories of Psychology, Theology and Spirituality into Christian Counseling. McMinn (2011) contends that many challenges both professional and personal face Christian Counselors on the frontier of intradisciplinary integration. (Intradisciplinary integration is the new emerging frontier for Christian Counselors).

Jesus Christ is the Great Counselor; therefore, He is the ultimate example worth following if one wishes to be a counselor. The characteristics, personality, and values of a Christian counselor are embodied in Christ, the world has much to learn from Him. Society has come a long way in developing techniques and theories for the counseling field and in comparison to Jesus many seem to be derived from Him. Ultimately, the way to live one’s life is found in the ways of Christ and what it means to be a counselor can be found in the way Christ lives His life.