What Is Christian Counseling And How Can It Help?
For many people who hold religious beliefs, meeting with mental health professionals who share their faith can be empowering. Christian counselors understand the role of faith and the Bible in their clients’ lives and aim to provide support through a faith-based lens. This can be encouraging to those who are experiencing relationship problems, mental health challenges, or questions about how to navigate life transitions while striving for spiritual growth. Below, we’ll discuss Christian counseling, its potential benefits, and strategies for finding a Christian counselor.
What is Christian counseling for mental health?
Christian counseling typically uses a spiritual and/or Biblical perspective to help people with the challenges they are facing. Christian counselors may offer insight about people’s challenges from a spiritual perspective too rather than a purely clinical one, though they are licensed mental health counselors and are also trained in and may use nonreligious, research-based techniques as well. Typically, Christian counseling focuses on the whole person, including their physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual well-being.
How can you integrate Biblical counseling into therapy?
Biblical counseling is often practiced by individuals who have studied in a seminary or Bible college. They may or may not also be licensed to provide mental health therapy. Christian counselors, on the other hand, typically have a master’s degree in counseling or Christian counseling. That said, some Christian counselors may also incorporate Biblical principles into their work with Christian clients. For example, they might use Scripture readings to guide and encourage people through personal challenges.
What can a Christian counselor provide?
Christian counselors can generally provide guidance on personal challenges, mental health conditions, and spiritual questions. For example, some people may have questions about how to navigate certain life situations ethically and in coherence with the values of the Christian faith, which this type of counselor may help with. However, they may also use standard, evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy to help people with mental health challenges like anxiety or depression.
Christian counselors and marriage and family therapy
Christian counselors often provide guidance on relationship challenges, and some may have a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. One common form of care among some Christian counselors is pre-marriage counseling, which some Christian couples sign up for during their engagement period.
Some Christian counselors also provide marriage therapy. In this practice, they guide Christian couples through marital problems related to conflict or challenges with parenting, for example. They may use conflict resolution strategies combined with spiritual interventions to guide couples toward effective solutions.
Seeking Christian counseling
Some people may be able to find Christian counselors who practice in their community by searching through local churches. Also, some local Christian counselors might advertise their services online. Individuals who find a Christian counselor might consider requesting an initial consultation to determine if the counselor comes from a similar faith tradition, as there are numerous denominations within Christianity.
Finding Christian counselors who provide online therapy
Some people might live in a community with few therapists, let alone specialized providers like Christian therapists. In these cases, it may be easier to find a Christian counselor through an online therapy platform. For example, BetterHelp has a network of more than 30,000 therapists, and individuals can request to be matched with a therapist from their faith tradition.
Online therapy allows people to receive care remotely via audio, video, or live chat. They can also reach out to their counselor at any time via in-app messaging, and the provider will respond as soon as they can. This feature may be helpful for times when individuals have questions about their faith or mental health between therapy sessions, as they can communicate their concerns in the moment instead of having to wait until the next session.
In recent years, many researchers have studied online therapy, and their findings in general suggest that this format can be effective for treating a number of mental health conditions. One meta-analysis, for example, indicates that online cognitive behavioral therapy may be effective for depression, phobias, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety disorder, among other disorders—though keep in mind that you don’t have to have symptoms of a diagnosable mental health condition to meet with or benefit from meeting with a therapist.
Takeaway
Christian counseling can provide the opportunity for individuals to receive guidance from someone who understands their faith tradition. Christian counselors often guide people through emotional and mental health challenges while supporting them in their spiritual growth. If you’re interested in finding a Christian counselor but don’t know where to look, you might consider asking at your local church or using an online therapy platform like BetterHelp.
Frequently asked questions
Below are some common questions related to the topic, “What is Christian counseling?”
What is Christian counseling helpful for?
Christian counseling can help people navigate many of life’s challenges, such as relationship difficulties, life transitions, and mental health challenges. Christian counselors often use evidence-based therapy practices in addition to providing spiritual guidance based on Biblical teachings.
Is there a degree for Christian counseling?
Some colleges and universities offer a degree like a Master of Arts in Christian Counseling. These programs may offer courses in counseling theories, Christian spirituality, human development, assessment, diagnosis, addictions treatment, multicultural diversity, and marriage/family therapy.
Can a counselor get a license or credential for Biblical counseling?
Counselors can get a master’s degree in Christian counseling. The credential of licensed professional counselor or marriage and family therapist is typically regulated at the state level. Most states require a master’s degree and a certain number of clinical hours for full licensure.
On the other hand, people who practice Biblical counseling tend to have studied in a Bible college or seminary. Some professionals who are already certified counselors may also pursue a certification in Biblical counseling from a Christian organization.
Is there a difference between Christian counseling and Biblical counseling?
People who practice Christian counseling typically have at least a master’s degree in counseling or marriage and family therapy from an accredited institution. They often integrate evidence-based clinical practices with spiritual guidance in line with Christian religious beliefs.
Those who practice Biblical or pastoral counseling often have a degree from a Bible college or a seminary, meaning they may not always be licensed by the state to practice mental health therapy. The Biblical counseling movement gained traction in the 1960s. Today, pastors or spiritual leaders may provide Biblical counseling as part of their role leading a congregation.
Do Christian counselors treat mental health conditions?
Christian counselors who hold a master’s degree in counseling and have state licensure as well can often treat mental health conditions. Biblical counselors, on the other hand, don’t typically treat such conditions. A Christian therapist must have clinical training and licensure to treat mental health conditions. They may use approaches based on Christian psychology, which tends to integrate clinical psychology with a Christian worldview.
Does a Christian counselor use evidence-based therapy techniques?
Christian counselors who hold a master’s degree are typically trained in evidence-based therapy techniques, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. They might also use clinical approaches like cognitive processing therapy for a mental illness such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or exposure therapy for phobias, social anxiety disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Christian counselors often integrate evidence-based therapy techniques with an emphasis on spiritual growth.
What is the Christian way of counselling?
Christian counselling typically involves integrating religion and Christian teachings with psychological principles to treat mental health challenges. This variation of the therapy process can be helpful for those who want their spirituality and belief in the Holy Spirit to be a part of their healing journey.
What happens during a Christian counseling session?
Christian therapy sessions are similar to sessions with non-Christian clients and therapists. They simply add Christian values and practices like prayer and Bible study into the process.
What is the difference between Christian counseling and therapy?
Christian counseling and Christian therapy are largely the same. However, counseling tends to be shorter-term than therapy.
Who needs Christian counseling?
Anyone who desires a Christian counselor or wants to incorporate their faith into their healing journey may benefit from Christian counseling. Many Christian counselors and Christian psychologists believe their religious affiliation helps them provide quality care to those who share their faith.
What is another name for Christian counseling?
Christian counseling could also be called religious counseling. However, it is most commonly referred to as Christian counseling.
What does the Bible say about Christian counseling?
Proverbs 24:6 says, “For by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in the abundance of counselors there is victory.” The Bible also encourages people to seek advice from others in their religious communities.
What are the five views of Christian counseling?
The five Christian counseling approaches include levels-of-explanation, integration, Christian psychology, transformational, and Biblical counseling. In modern psychology, the integration and levels-of-explanation approaches tend to be more common because they combine God’s word with research-based professional psychology principles.
What are the steps in Christian counseling?
Each Christian counselor tends to have their own steps for sessions. These may also vary depending on the client’s needs.
Why is Christian counselling important?
Christian counseling is important because it allows people to integrate their religious beliefs with mental health treatment. They can receive mental health resources that work alongside their spirituality.
What are the principles of Christian counseling?
The principles of Christian counseling are generally to integrate faith-based strategies with research-backed ones. Christian counseling weaves religion and psychology together to promote mental and physical well-being.
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