How to Set Up a Christian Counseling Practice
Setting up a Christian counseling practice requires careful planning and ensuring that you are operating under all of the applicable laws, regulations, and ethical guidelines for your geographical region and area of counseling expertise, even if you are what is called a "lay counselor," in order to avoid causing harm to clients and to avoid or mitigate potential legal consequences.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Pray about your plans to set up a Christian counseling practice, ask your church members to pray, and consult with your pastor and other trusted mentors about your plans to help ensure that you are correctly interpreting God's will for your life and are willing and able to accept the responsibility and accountability that comes with a counseling ministry.
-
2
Obtain the proper education or training and any licensure required by your state. This will vary from state to state. Most states require Christian counselors to be licensed by the state, ordained by a recognized religious organization, or operating solely within the church. Additionally, consider becoming certified by the International Board of Christian Counselors (IBCC), the National Christian Counselors Association (NCCA), or a similar organization, or at least becoming a member of a Christian counseling professional association like the American Association of Christian Counselors.
-
-
3
Determine if you will operate individually or with colleagues, as this will affect the business options available to you. For example, you may need to rent office space if you are working with a partner, or could use church meeting spaces or meet with clients in your home office if you have a private practice. Additionally, if you work with a partner under the same business name, you must file with local governments for the appropriate business licenses, or may be classified as a sole proprietorship if you practice alone.
Whatever you decide, research the local government requirements for operating a business in your area--even a business from your home--and obtain the proper permits.
-
4
Purchase malpractice and liability insurance for yourself, and any insurance coverage needed for buildings or property that will be used for business purposes. This is also a good time to develop the documents you need to successfully run your Christian counseling practice, such as informed consent, professional disclosure statements, family/couples counseling agreements, or payment agreements.
-
5
Advertise. Post flyers, print up business cards to hand out when appropriate, consult with your pastor and church elders about receiving referrals, and/or take out an ad in the local phonebook or newspaper.
-
6
Maintain your practice. Once you actually begin working with clients, maintain your Christian counseling practice through consistent adherence to biblical guidelines for life, professional codes of ethics and standards of practice, and accountability to other counseling professionals and Christian mentors.
-
1
