Christian counseling
If you’ve ever been interested or seeking a Christian counselor, it seems like literally everyone and their mother offers “Christian counseling” nowadays. It’s almost a buzzword, a necessary niche or another SEO specialty to slap on the website. Entire businessess are run as if offering exclusively ‘Christian counseling,’ yet not all employees have given their lives to Christ. How sad that Christianity has become such a diluted selling point!
As with anything including counseling, slapping the word ‘Christian‘ in front of it does not make it better. (Just take Christian music for example! Sorry, I digress…) More specifically, the word Christian in our culture no longer even necessarily means ‘Christ-centered.’ There are far too many interpretations of what Christian counseling actually means. Reading a Bible verse before a therapy session or having a cross on the wall doesn’t make it a Biblically-based session.
How on earth are you supposed to find a Christ-centered therapist in a sea of lukewarm Christians?
Christian counseling is just one type of therapy that I offer whenever applicable. It is always a joint and conscious decision based on client interest, and rest assured, none of my work is ever one-size-fits-all. Check out my last blog post to read more on how spirituality in general tends to bubble up in counseling:
When a curious or existing Christian client comes to me for Biblically-sound therapy, I really look forward to diving in to God’s word together. Over the years, I have discovered many useful resources, apps and books that can be incredibly helpful to incorporate to your journey. My time at PennDel School of Ministry has equipped me even more in history, Biblical philosophy and interpretation, and overall connection to God.
I believe that solid Christ-centered counseling includes:
Hard Truth. That’s Truth with a capital “T.” I’m not here to condemn or judge, but when it comes down to it, you won’t ever find me sugarcoating God’s word. I’m happy to help you uncover God’s promises and Truth in your life and sometimes that will feel very challenging, but in the best possible ways.
Time in prayer. Praying without ceasing is a learned habit. As with anything, it takes practice to strengthen that habit and there are lots of practical ways to learn how to pray with power, intention and focus. I believe that prayer is a necessity and can move mountains and I would love to help you uncover that.
Biblically-sound theology. In terms of the big “S” word (sin), this must be a hard line in true Christian counseling. Yes, we all sin, but if we are holding each other accountable under the lens of Christ-centered counseling, I cannot and will not counsel you toward any aspect of living in Biblical sin. This can feel tricky to navigate at times, but it’s also where I thrive in helping people to interpret what exactly that looks like.
Seeking God throughout. It’s imperative to constantly ask: where is God moving right now in this particular situation? In what ways is God speaking to you and how are you listening? What things might you need to surrender to God and what exactly does that look like? How can you seek God in the day-to-day, big and small decisions? Seeking God is a constant, daily choice and I can help you improve upon that habit.
Accountability. Christian accountability is a little different than any sort of worldly accountability. We’re all accountable to those we care for, our bosses or co-workers, and ourselves. But holding ourselves accountable to God invites a deeper level to your healing journey. With grace and humility, we can admit our shortcomings and practice a greater sense of responsibility within God’s love.
Christian counseling is absolutely not for everyone and that’s fine! But if you are looking for Christian counseling, you can trust that it’s not just something I’m just slapping on my website. I hope to simply set apart what I have to offer as ‘you get what you pay for,’ real, authentic, Christ-centered therapy.
Outside of finding this type of information in a blog post, if you really want to know what type of therapy you’re going to get from a therapist, don’t be afraid to grill them! Ask what their definition of Christian counseling really is. Ask about their walk with God, their theology, their favorite Bible passages. It may seem personal, but it’s better than wasting your time and not getting what you expected.
Need more details on Christian counseling or want to set up a session with me? Just ask!
As a little bonus for those who are interested, I want to share one of my very favorite practical resources: Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. You’ll find a free app, podcasts, many book suggestions and resources specifically designed for men and women. (If you’re looking for something beneficial to binge, this is it.) They also created the One Minute Pause app which is full of 1-10 minute guided prayers and meditations to use each day.
Hope this helps!
