Theories Of Christian And Secular Counseling

723 Words2 Pages

Many may assume that counseling is for those who have a hard time dealing with the challenges of everyday life, or they feel counseling is for those who have issues, and usually it 's those who say they don 't need guidance are the very ones who need it. One of the many definitions of counseling comes from Merriam-Webster Dictionary which states, "professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes" (http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/ counseling). Each and every person carries a piece of brokenness in their lives and we are all a work in progress that God continues to shape and mold in His liking if we continue to invite Him …show more content…

Goals of Christian Counseling When looking at counseling methods, theories, and techniques in Christian and secular counseling there are similarities and differences. According to Dr. Crabb, "biblical counseling therefore will adopt as its major strategy the promotion of spiritual and psychological maturity" (Crabb, 1977, p. 25). One of the main goals of Christian counseling is spiritual and psychological maturity and maturity includes two elements: "(1) immediate obedience in specific situations and (2) long-range character growth" (Ibid). In order to grow one must be a willing participant in grasping the foundations of emotional awareness while voluntarily building a stronger frame in maturity and stability. At times, as humans we often feel the need or desire to "win someone 's approval and hence become acceptable," yet we often neglect that the only acceptance that we so desperately need is Christ (Crabb, 1977, p. 26). A secular method that is almost

Open Document