- Why is Christian counseling different from traditional methods of counseling? The significance of having a Christian counselor is knowing the counselor will approach everything from a Biblical perspective. Since there are so many different versions of therapy and counseling it's important for people who consider their faith to be a big part of their lives to feel comfortable with the counselor. Christians seeking therapy will probably have a difficult time with the methods of some non-Christian counselors, especially if their advice is contrary to the principals taught in the Bible.
- The function of any counseling is to give the person or people seeking counseling the tools they need to function well on a day-to-day basis. While some counseling sessions may delve into complicated mental issues, others may simply be necessary to teach a married couple how to better communicate with each other. Christian counseling attempts to give people the tools they need to function well on a day-to-day basis just like traditional counseling, but the tools used are Biblical in nature. It's not uncommon for the counselor to refer to the Bible during a session or to give people verses to read and study. The function of this type of counseling is to help people while not going against Christian ideals.
- There are many types of Christian counseling. Some pastors do counseling, but there are also programs for licensed counselors and therapists to practice under the umbrella of Christian ideals. Christian counseling centers exist, offering individual counseling, marital counseling and family counseling. There are also some Christian counselors who concentrate on certain specialties, such as addiction or particular mental problems.
- The benefits of Christian counseling go beyond the usual benefits of seeking any type of counseling. While it is true that traditional counseling can provide coping tools and other great benefits, Christian counseling is particularly beneficial to people who are within this faith because it helps them to feel as if it is acceptable to seek out help. They also may find great comfort in using Biblical principals in order to work through their issues that they need help with. After all, a Christian may have a more difficult time turning to someone who is agnostic or of a different faith for help than they would turning to a professional who will include Christian ideals within the sessions.
- People seeking Christian counseling should keep in mind that not all denominations look at things the same way. One Christian counselor might suggest a couple work through their problems together while another Christian counselor might suggest a separation. Still another Christian counselor may insist that the wife become more subservient to the husband in an effort to make the marriage work better. This is why it is important to seek out a Christian counselor who has similar ideals as the person or people wanting counseling, otherwise the sessions may turn into nothing more than theological debates.
Comments
nautical999 said
on 1/20/2009 another issue that should be addressed by christian councelors is demonic posession. God gave us the power to cast out demons just like Christ did. It's time to bring both acts together as one like they should be. God is looking for those who are brave enough to stand out above the rest and do what Jesus did