how could Christian counsellling help you?

How could Christian counselling help you? 

From time to time, we all have issues that could need professional help and support. Going to counselling is not for everyone. You need to have a strong desire to change the behaviour or deal with the issue if it is to be successful for you. Going to counselling because it is trendy or because someone else wants you to go is not the best motivation for the start of the journey.

As Catholics and Christians, we would most likely desire a Christian perspective if our faith journey means anything at all. I am not canning secular counselling here, since it can also be very effective with the right choice of counsellor. However, a well-chosen Christian counsellor can make all the difference because of its Christian perspective. So how do we define Christian Counselling and can it help you?

Christian counselling is made up of three important aspects namely,

1.            It is counselling according to the Word of God involving invoking the Holy Spirit, divine revelation and the supernatural power of God.

2.            It is counselling centred on a holistic approach so that the body, mind and spirit- the whole person is nurtured and ‘treated’.

3.            It is counselling which uses an eclectic approach from the 4 main streams of psychotherapy, viz insight oriented, cognitive behaviour oriented, experiential oriented and medication oriented.

Christian counselling differs from secular counselling in that:

1.            It uses the Bible as a framework for counselling and understanding human behaviour.

2.            Christ and the Holy Spirit provide the healing power for the client, but God can use the counsellor as a channel of healing for the client.

3.            It uses, advisedly, the knowledge of psychology, but the focus is Christ centred and Scripture centred.

Using the Bible as a framework for counselling means that the counsellor must be fully versed in Scripture, and must naturally be in right relationship with Christ and the Holy Spirit, from whom the healing occurs for the client.  Being a channel of God’s grace for another person is a serious responsibility.  The counsellor must himself/herself be prepared to do the necessary spiritual and personal work required.  Only then is he/she a fitting, open channel willing to be used by God, but knowing full well his/her own dependency on Him.

Keeping his/her eyes focused on Christ, and knowing that the healing for the client can only occur by God’s power, ensures that the counsellor can use the knowledge of psychology advisedly and appropriately with the client.

If you are considering counselling, whether secular or Christian, it is important to do your research well. Like every profession there are people who are gifted and some less so. Recommendation from others may or may not be a useful guide since their issues and personality are different. 

Remember Jesus is the counsellor, so ask Him in prayer to place the appropriate person in your path and listen to His advice as God loves us and wants the best for us.