A stark contrast

All counseling is about change. Every psychotherapeutic theory seeks some type of change in the counselee’s life. But there is a major problem that is fundamental to the field of psychotherapy. It may surprise you to learn there are over 300 distinctive theories of psychotherapy in the world today. Depending on the type of therapy you receive, the end product or goal in counseling will always be different from system to system.

Now, if you knew that there were over 300 distinctive approaches to anesthesia, would you go into surgery? Most people would not, because the fact there are so many approaches—and therefore, so many possible outcomes, some of which could be very uncertain—could mean they might die or be maimed for life.

Yet when it comes to counseling, we will often surrender our most vulnerable and hurting people to some unknown A psychotherapist without a clear knowledge of his goals. In stark contrast, every Christian understands that exposure to God’s Word in counseling should have one uniform result–Christlikeness! This is always the goal of genuine biblical counseling.

John D. Street, Preface to Men Counseling Men, A Biblical Guide to the Major Issues Men Face, p. 13-14.