What Is Christian Counseling? How different counselors integrate Christianity into counseling.
As different as the apostles of Jesus were from each other, so are Christians in their personalities, perspectives, educations, families, and life experiences. “Nevertheless, because Christians believe the Bible to be specially inspired by God (2 Tim 3:16), revealing matters of essential importance, Christians have usually given the Bible’s teachings on human nature a unique authority on how to think about psychological matters.” (Johnson, p 11) Our unity as Christians is based in the person of Jesus Christ, the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. We are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Your counselor will take what they know from God’s Word and apply it to their professional work. The following are some models of Christian counseling used for training counselors in graduate school to think through their own beliefs and practices. Please note the resources below.
Levels of Explanation View
This approach does not believe that science and faith are enemies. As explained by Myers (Johnson, p. 51), ”each academic discipline provides a perspective from which we can study nature and our place in it.” Which perspective is important depends upon what you want to talk about. Love from the theological point of view is a gift from God and the goal of human relationships. Love can also be discussed as a brain state, a physiological phenomenon, or an emotion. These are all complementary in the Levels of Explanation view.
Integration View
Per Stanton L. Jones (Johnson p 112), the Integration counseling model is about living out the lordship of Jesus Christ in the world by giving God’s true Word the appropriate place of authority. It means that we look through the lens of Christianity at both reality and academic subjects. This takes critical thinking. We attempt to live out our faith with integrity.
Christian Psychology View
Two psychologists Roberts and Watson (Johnson, p155) call Christian Psychology the duty of Christian professionals who are biblically informed and use the Bible as the “fountainhead of Christian ideas.” Christian psychology looks like psychologically informed Bible scholars, philosophers, theologians and theologians collaborating with biblically informed psychologists and counselors. Christian psychology uses the language of sermons instead of psychology, ie words such as peacemaker, poor in spirit and humble. The research done is for human well-being as defined in Christian psychological tradition starting with Augustine and Aquinas. Christian psychology will have an explicit dialogue with establishment psychology and be open to valid critique.
Transformation Psychology View
Transformation Psychology per Coe and Hall is “an attempt to rediscover and redesign our traditional way of thinking of psychology and Christianity.” These psychologists believe that doing science and practicing psychology is “ultimately an act of love.” They draw on Christian psychology dating back to the beginnings of Christianity and philosophy. Transformation Psychology is doing psychology “in the Spirit.” It means not letting traditions in Christianity or psychology stop us from pursuing the truth about reality and the realities of faith. This is a spiritual formation approach to psychology and Christianity; this shapes the process, person and product of practicing psychology.
Biblical Counseling View
Biblical counseling is equated with Christian faith and Christian ministry. These counselors see a great divide between psychotherapy and Biblical Counseling. The relationship of Christian counseling with psychotherapy is one of persuading and thoughtfully disagreeing with the other side (Johnson p246). Biblical Counseling holds to Augustine’s philosophy of “believe, so that you may understand.”
More Perspectives on Christian Counseling Views
One example of combining Christian Psychology and Integration views is an entire textbook written by Siang-Yan Tan. It has been used for a master’s level counseling program in at least one seminary. He wrote the text to critique and appraise 10 major counseling techniques and theories.
If you want to know more about how people have chosen to integrate psychology and Christianity, the following book is a collection of individual stories of a dozen Christian psychologists and counselors - Integrating Faith and Psychology: Twelve Psychologists Tell Their Stories. Ed by Moriarty, Glendon L. (2010) InterVarsityPress. Each talks about their struggles, doubts and daily disciplines to become more faithful and grow in their skills.
How do I pick a Christian counselor?
When you are ready to pick a Christian counselor you may want to ask your counselor what their view is. Maybe you don’t need to know all the theory behind what they do. Who they are as a person and their presence in the room works for you. It is enough they support your faith and equip you in ways to make changes in alignment with the Scriptures and shared beliefs. If today is the day you are ready to make a change, call 720-577-5985 or book a free consultation.
Resources:
Psychology & Christianity: FIVE VIEWS Ed. by Johson, Eric L. (2nd Edition) 2010 InterVarsityPress
Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Christian Perspective, Tan, Siang-Yan Baker Academic 2011 Grand Rapids, MI
