Hmmm not sure where you are going with this. But I will say I have 3 children in my home who have experienced trauma at a young age. Trauma effects our brains in a physical way which then plays out in emotions and behaviors because it effects our brains. Just like western medicine I am […]
The Problem of Eclecticism
Eclecticism is the thought that Christian counselors can take advantage of modern psychologies to enhance their counsel. It often comes on the heels of the following statement: “All truth is God’s truth, but not all truth is in the Bible.” From there, the argument proceeds to look at the problems in the world around us […]
Guilt — False Guilt — Confession of Sin
Biblically speaking, guilt is the state of a person who has done something against the commandment of God. In fact the Hebrew word for guilt refers to the punishment that should be dealt out because of the transgression. It has more to do with the fact and penalty of sin than it does with the […]
The Need For Homework In Biblical Counseling
Homework, “at its best…is intended simply as a means for beginning and maintaining the regular practice of godliness required by Paul in 1 Timothy 4:7” (Adams, The Christian Counselor’s Manual, p. 298ff). Homework allows God to do the work in the heart of the counselee rather than thinking that the counselor, is the healer of […]
Why Data Gathering is Important
Data gathering is collecting information. It is done several ways, the most obvious is the Personal Data Inventory Sheet. Another is simply asking good questions that reveal the counselee’s heart. Gathering data is important for several reasons: First, the process is helpful in building the relationship between the counselor and counselee. While the counselor does not want […]
Point To Jesus and Get Out of the Way
Mike, great article on Empathy and Involvement. You really described very well how things should be. However, I have a question. While I would say that I have a high degree of empathy, and it does serve me well in helping and giving encouragement and counsel, I’ve found that it has caused me enormous wear […]
Developing Involvement with the Counselee—The Difference Between Empathy and Involvement
If the counseling situation is as a pastor to a parishioner the level of involvement takes on a more robust attitude. The pastor should be very involved in the lives of his parishioners. He should pray for them, he should visit with them, he should marry their children to one another, he should go to […]
The Scriptures Are sufficient for Biblical Counseling
In the same way that an automobile owner’s manual is the best source for information regarding a particular car, the Bible is the best source for understanding the world God made. The biggest problem people have, living with one another and in the world, is that they try to live in it without looking at […]
Goals of Biblical Counseling
The goals of biblical counseling are best tied to the commands in Scripture. The greatest command, according to Jesus, is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Mt. 22:37; see also Deut. 6:5). The second is like it, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:39; see also Lev. […]