In this modern life, stress is becoming more and more of a constant in peoples' lives. Millions of people of all ages have sought the advice of trained professionals when problems seem insurmountable. However, choosing the person who will provide this help is a step that must be taken with care. For Christians, faith-based counseling offers the probability that counselor and client will share common ground.
Counseling is difficult for many people to initiate. It is normal for troubled individuals to feel that they can handle their own problems. It is also usual for people who have serious difficulties with addictions - to drugs, alcohol, gambling, pornography, over-spending, or other self-destructive activities - to blame those around them rather than to accept responsibility.
Once the need for sessions with a trained professional is acknowledged, people need to find the person that can best help them. Now is when the world view of the advisor should be investigated. A shared belief system is important, which is one reason that people often seek advice from their pastor or someone within their church.
For example, a secular counselor will stress understanding past problems. The client might be asked to talk about experiences of the past, try to understand them, and attempt to come to terms with them. A Christian counselor might be less interested in what happened and more focused on the client's response to such experiences then and now. Experiencing and expressing forgiveness will be more important than coping mechanisms.
For a Christian, it is important to forgive hurts and injuries from the past - forgive both others and self - and move beyond circumstances to the future. The realities of healing, peace, and hope for the future is extended by God to His children. Understanding God is a more important life skill than understanding the past and all its pain.
People can relive rotten experiences from the past over and over, both those that resulted from the actions of others and those that they themselves caused. This mental self-flagellation can effectively stifle initiative and ambition, and often leads to depression. Many people, both private and professional, feel that only a relationship with God can break this cycle.
Both counseled and counselor should have common ground on which to build a foundation of healthy emotional response and practical life skills. A person of faith will have a hard time trying to follow advice that is not based on biblical principles. Those who look to Christ for help will not find satisfaction in methods that do not follow His precepts of love, forgiveness, and trust.
Of course, being a Christian as well as a trained counselor is not a sure-fire certificate of competence. It is still important for those seeking faith-based counseling to choose carefully. Getting recommendations from pastors and people who have been helped, as well as seeking direction through personal prayer, can help those in need find the advice and support they require to move forward in a new direction.
Counseling is difficult for many people to initiate. It is normal for troubled individuals to feel that they can handle their own problems. It is also usual for people who have serious difficulties with addictions - to drugs, alcohol, gambling, pornography, over-spending, or other self-destructive activities - to blame those around them rather than to accept responsibility.
Once the need for sessions with a trained professional is acknowledged, people need to find the person that can best help them. Now is when the world view of the advisor should be investigated. A shared belief system is important, which is one reason that people often seek advice from their pastor or someone within their church.
For example, a secular counselor will stress understanding past problems. The client might be asked to talk about experiences of the past, try to understand them, and attempt to come to terms with them. A Christian counselor might be less interested in what happened and more focused on the client's response to such experiences then and now. Experiencing and expressing forgiveness will be more important than coping mechanisms.
For a Christian, it is important to forgive hurts and injuries from the past - forgive both others and self - and move beyond circumstances to the future. The realities of healing, peace, and hope for the future is extended by God to His children. Understanding God is a more important life skill than understanding the past and all its pain.
People can relive rotten experiences from the past over and over, both those that resulted from the actions of others and those that they themselves caused. This mental self-flagellation can effectively stifle initiative and ambition, and often leads to depression. Many people, both private and professional, feel that only a relationship with God can break this cycle.
Both counseled and counselor should have common ground on which to build a foundation of healthy emotional response and practical life skills. A person of faith will have a hard time trying to follow advice that is not based on biblical principles. Those who look to Christ for help will not find satisfaction in methods that do not follow His precepts of love, forgiveness, and trust.
Of course, being a Christian as well as a trained counselor is not a sure-fire certificate of competence. It is still important for those seeking faith-based counseling to choose carefully. Getting recommendations from pastors and people who have been helped, as well as seeking direction through personal prayer, can help those in need find the advice and support they require to move forward in a new direction.
About the Author:
In order to become familiarized with faith-based counseling you should first review the information here at www.theotherapyseminars.com. For clear and practical advice, don't hesitate to check out this homepage on http://www.theotherapyseminars.com.
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