Today people are under almost constant stress, and personal problems plague many. Millions of people of all ages seek advice and support from trained professionals. For Christians, faith-based counseling is an option that might heighten the chances of a successful outcome. A shared belief in biblical principles means that the counselor should be able to offer hope and positive steps that the client would be able to accept.
Many people find the idea of counseling frightening or repugnant. They either deny the severity of personal problems, feel that they are capable of handling them alone, or are afraid that there is some kind of stigma involved with admitting they need help. Many, especially those with addictions, blame everyone but themselves for their problems.
Once the need for help is recognized and found acceptable, the choice of an advisor needs to be made. Since the world view of a Christian counselor will differ from that of someone with secular training and perspectives, it is important to find help that will follow biblical principles. Both client and practitioner should share foundational beliefs.
When a secular advisor might suggest confrontation with those who have been unkind or unjust in a person's past, a Christian mentor will cite the need for offering forgiveness. Any face-to-face meeting would have to occur within the framework of free forgiveness and reconciliation. The client would need to release feelings of bitterness and resentment before any attempt to move forward could succeed.
The focus of Christian counseling is on the client's willingness to change self-destructive behavior patterns, understand and adjust expectations, and release past unhappiness in order to embrace future joy and stability. A faith-based approach can offer things like peace and hope in spite of circumstances that might be harsh. Secular advice can only focus on self-change and independent resolutions, instead of the help and guidance of a holy and loving God.
People can relive rotten experiences from the past over and over, both those that resulted from the actions of others and those that they themselves caused. This mental self-flagellation can effectively stifle initiative and ambition, and often leads to depression. Many people, both private and professional, feel that only a relationship with God can break this cycle.
The goal of someone going to counseling, unless it is court ordered, is to build healthy relationships and learn how to cope with difficult circumstances in better ways than by resorting to addictions, retreating into depression, or acting out in anti-social ways. Having a relationship with the deity, who has promised to never leave or forsake, can give a shaky life a foundation for future happiness.
Care must be taken to get faith-based counseling that fits a client's belief system, needs, and expectations. It is important to check both the credentials and the track record of any advisor. Of course, after a preliminary session or two, it will be apparent whether the parties will be able to work together in a productive manner.
Many people find the idea of counseling frightening or repugnant. They either deny the severity of personal problems, feel that they are capable of handling them alone, or are afraid that there is some kind of stigma involved with admitting they need help. Many, especially those with addictions, blame everyone but themselves for their problems.
Once the need for help is recognized and found acceptable, the choice of an advisor needs to be made. Since the world view of a Christian counselor will differ from that of someone with secular training and perspectives, it is important to find help that will follow biblical principles. Both client and practitioner should share foundational beliefs.
When a secular advisor might suggest confrontation with those who have been unkind or unjust in a person's past, a Christian mentor will cite the need for offering forgiveness. Any face-to-face meeting would have to occur within the framework of free forgiveness and reconciliation. The client would need to release feelings of bitterness and resentment before any attempt to move forward could succeed.
The focus of Christian counseling is on the client's willingness to change self-destructive behavior patterns, understand and adjust expectations, and release past unhappiness in order to embrace future joy and stability. A faith-based approach can offer things like peace and hope in spite of circumstances that might be harsh. Secular advice can only focus on self-change and independent resolutions, instead of the help and guidance of a holy and loving God.
People can relive rotten experiences from the past over and over, both those that resulted from the actions of others and those that they themselves caused. This mental self-flagellation can effectively stifle initiative and ambition, and often leads to depression. Many people, both private and professional, feel that only a relationship with God can break this cycle.
The goal of someone going to counseling, unless it is court ordered, is to build healthy relationships and learn how to cope with difficult circumstances in better ways than by resorting to addictions, retreating into depression, or acting out in anti-social ways. Having a relationship with the deity, who has promised to never leave or forsake, can give a shaky life a foundation for future happiness.
Care must be taken to get faith-based counseling that fits a client's belief system, needs, and expectations. It is important to check both the credentials and the track record of any advisor. Of course, after a preliminary session or two, it will be apparent whether the parties will be able to work together in a productive manner.
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