Two Theories of Biblical Counseling

966 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Biblical counseling theory

The book “How to Help People Change” written by author Jay E. Adams was very inspiring to me. It appears to be based totally on the Word of God, which I also support as my personal approach to counseling. Psalms 119:24 King James Version “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.” Adams suggests that the process of change can only take place from the inside out (heart) and by using Christian principles. The heart has to be changed in order for a person’s behavior to change. In Psalms 51:6 the Bible states “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.” When a person knows and conceives the righteous thing to do, the chances are greater that he will behave righteously.

The author emphasizes the role of the Counselor as a minister of God, who uses the scriptures to help people change. In Psalms 51:10 the Bible states “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” If people can receive the instructions of God, then change can take place. I believe that real peace and joy comes from obeying biblical principles. When we know that God is pleased with us, then we are also happier with ourselves. In Romans 8:1 the Bible states “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” We no longer have to carry the burden of defeat or a guilty conscious when we follow after the principles of God.

Adams also suggested that Counselors must have a thorough discerning of scripture in order to conducted Christian Counseling. He makes it plain that there are four steps to biblical counseling; teaching, conviction, correction and discipline. In 2 Timothy 4 :2 the ...

... middle of paper ...

... responds to life situations, and the person will have wrong behavior patterns. In other words, wrong thinking will result in feelings of unhappiness or even destruction; “I can’t have what I want, so I am going to kill myself.” By learning new positive thoughts through “Misbelief Therapy”, we can achieve sound thinking which will result in overall happiness. “ I may not be able to have what I want, but it’s not the end of the world”.

Works Cited

Adams, J. E. (1986). How to help people change. Grand Rapids,MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Backus, W.D., & Chapian, M. (2000). Telling yourself the truth (20th ed.). Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers

Holy Bible. King James Version (1998). Chattanooga, TN: AMG International, Inc.

Lawrence, D., (2006). (Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers) Finale: Act One (CD) Brentwood, TN: EMI Gospel

Show More
Related

  • Journal Article Focused on Scripture Interventions

    1235 Words  | 3 Pages

    As a Christian counselor, we have the power of the Word on our sides, but so many of us do not understand how to properly apply scripture into the counseling relationship in an effective manner. In Interventions that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy, Garzon (2005) attempts to accomplish the following; educate individuals on the various techniques one can use to apply scripture, and to encourage and stimulate God ordained creativity in the hopes to create new techniques and methods for applying God’s Word in the counseling relationship.

    Read More

  • Psychology Theology And Spirituality In Christian Counseling Summary

    1375 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some counseling strategies we can draw from scripture such as cognitive therapy (McMinn, 2011). Also, it can lead to a direction for dealing with any guilt or resentment. Second, scripture can support certain principles in counseling such as religious imagery (McMinn, 2011). Other examples would include support for dream analysis, retreats, or small groups (McMinn,

    Read More

  • The Truth about Christopher Columbus

    971 Words  | 2 Pages

    Loewen, James W. Lies My Teacher Told Me. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1995. Print.

    Read More

  • Code of Ethics Comparrison

    1778 Words  | 4 Pages

    Clinton, T. & Ohlschlager, G. (2002). Competent Christian counseling: Foundations and practice of compassionate soul care. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press.

    Read More

  • Pragmatic Assimilation Of Christian Counseling

    1404 Words  | 3 Pages

    McMinn (2011) establishes the topical history of integrating psychology and theology, and promptly transitions to the necessity of inclusion for spirituality into counseling sessions; he cogitates three queries: Will this aid in establishing a healthy sense of self? Will this aid in establishing a healthy sense of need? Will this aid in establishing a healing relationship? (McMinn, 2011, pg. 32). These three components cater to psychological and spiritual health. Christian counseling helps the client move away from need, a faulty sense of self, and relationships to “an assured sense of self, a cognizance of human need and limits, and revealing interpersonal relationships with others and most importantly, God” (p. 59). McMinn (2011) provides intervention tools needed for effective therapy. However, amid the six challenges, counselors can see the risks in implementing the suggested tools with: defining relevant ethical standards, establishing a scientific base, confronting dominant views of health, expanded definitions of training, blurred pers...

    Read More

  • Lying vs. Truth-Telling in Genesis, Othello, and The Lie

    1135 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although it is considered wrong to tell lies, it seems that literature has offered us situations where telling lies isn’t necessarily bad. Of course, lying often has a tragic outcome, but not always for the person or people who told the lie or lies. Oftentimes, these unfortunate outcomes are directed at the person about whom the lie was told. Furthermore, these stories have explained that dishonesty can result in success for both the liar and the target. Maybe we have been teaching the wrong values to our children.

    Read More

  • Stephen L Carter's The Insufficiency Of Honesty

    660 Words  | 2 Pages

    Traditionally, it is agreed that any and every form of telling the truth is always the best thing to do. In the essays of Stephen L Carter and Stephanie Ericsson, this ideal is not exactly true. It is expressed in "The Insufficiency of Honesty" as well as "The Ways We Lie" that honesty is hard to come by and that there is more to it than believed. The authors convey their views by first defining what the concept is, picking it apart, and then use common occurrences for examples of the points they had made.

    Read More

  • A Review of Therapists' Integration of Religion and Spirituality in Counseling

    1027 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... By having them journal their prayers to God daily and encouraging them to read these entries frequently to refresh the memories of those prayers and seek for those that are answered allows for each client to find their way to a spiritual understanding that is not necessarily demonstrated by my impact, but that of God Himself. I am available to answer questions that pertain to the bible, but allow clients to interpret the teaching to their lives and recovery. These approaches allow clients to not rely on my experiences, but on their own encounters and knowledge. Gently guiding them to hear and see how God works in a client’s life is a rewarding and satisfying experience.

    Read More

  • Yalom's Perspective of Existential Therapy

    1083 Words  | 3 Pages

    .... This is where the freedom comes in. If the Therapist were to force something on the client by saying this is what's wrong, and here is how you fix it, they might head in the right direction at first, but not because of their own will. By allowing them to make a conscious effort to help themselves it will mean more and last longer. In reading this book I learned a lot about the way existential therapy works, and how I can go about helping people that come to me for advise. Not only do I understand that people have the freedom to make there own choices, but also now I understand that people have the freedom of responsibility which allows them to change their lives and better themselves.

    Read More

  • Mcminn Integrated Approach To Christian Counseling Summary

    293 Words  | 1 Pages

    In essence, McMinn’s intradisciplinary integrated approach to Christian counseling is more than a “toolbox of set strategies for change” instead it is a “deep, abiding, formative work of God’s Spirit,” within the counselors lives (p 31-32). McMinn (2007) explains his theoretical map is cognitive therapy along with developing a strong therapeutic relationship and trust with our clients is not only essential to the effectiveness of counseling, but also is vital to applying his approach of the integration of psychology, theology, and spirituality into counseling. By McMinn using his theoretical cognitive therapy map he can build upon it to integrate the concerns of the spiritual growth wellbeing of our clients as well as their wellbeing of mental

    Read More

  • Motivational Interviewing

    925 Words  | 2 Pages

    Motivational interviewing is based on a client centered approach to therapy that uses open-ended questions, affirmation, reflective listening and summaries to help the client recognize the pros and cons of change and their reasons for resisting change thereby eliminating their ambivalence about change. Once the client deals with their ambivalence the Miller and Rollick believe that the client will be able to make the necessary changes. In addition, motivational interviewing gets the client to argue for change not the counselor. Furthermore, the client not the counselor is responsible for their progress.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Caring For People God Way

    753 Words  | 2 Pages

    However, it does not matter how strong a person’s faith is or how weak a person faith is, everyone in Christian counseling starts off the same. It is a process how a person develops overtime. This is similar to a child learning how to tie his or her shoes. At first they do not get it but overtime, it becomes of habit and the person get better. According to Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager (2005),” they believe that Christian counselling has to do with and learning applying the principles of the kingdom on living to the chronically sins, fears, failures, and dark areas of our life (p.21). When people are at their lowest point he or she turn to Christ to get the throughout tough times. Furthermore, in chapter two a person learns about the trust and fined our truth. In chapter two it discusses becoming a trust worthy counselor. In Chapter two, I realized that is all about gaining the clients trust. If the client, does not trust the counselor then no typ of relationship can be bonded. The client is in a venerable state and the counselor has to make sure that the can feel free to be

    Read More

  • Theoretical Perspective Of Counseling Paper

    1377 Words  | 3 Pages

    Theoretical Perspective: This semester in procedures of counseling class we discussed a lot of different types of counseling theories. We also did a lot of practicing with each theory with our partners. I found that person-centered therapy best fits my personal attitudes and style of counseling. I think this would be a good style of counseling for me because I can see myself better helping people as a whole than trying to fix an actual problem.

    Read More

  • Christian Counseling: An Overview

    1485 Words  | 3 Pages

    Biblical Counseling is making a strong impact in today's churches and community. Counseling is seen as one of the most productive ways of helping a

    Read More

  • My Personal Theory Of Counseling

    991 Words  | 2 Pages

    Values, Morals, and Beliefs are components that play a role in an individual’s self-identity. The establishment of these components shape human nature, behavior, and the development of an individual’s purpose. The basis of these fundamentals has contributed to my desire to become a counselor. This paper will discuss my views of human nature, factors of behavior changes, goals of therapy, the roles of a therapist, and the counseling approaches that I chose to incorporate in a practice.

    Read More

More about Two Theories of Biblical Counseling

Open Document