Compare and Contrast Paper
Compare and Contrast Paper on Christian Counseling Methods
By: John M Shisler
For: CCOU 201 – D10 Summer 2014
Introduction
Christian counselors are doing God’s work and must use the Spiritual Gifts with which they were blessed to be able to reach their clients. While it may be difficult to always reach a client right away, when a Christian counselor can be effective and help someone understand what God desires for them, it can be a very fulfilling and satisfying experience. But the Christian counselor must know what method they plan to use with each client and figure out quickly if they need to switch methods to become more effective in reaching the client.
As is the case with secular counseling, Christian Counseling has many different methods that can be used. While some of these methods are preferred by more counselors than others, they all have some similarities and some differences, including in their goals, concepts, strategies, and how to develop a counseling program within a church community. This paper will attempt to explain those similarities and differences, with the methods being compared to Lawrence Crabb, Jr.’s method that he wrote about in his 1977 book entitled Effective Christian Counseling.
Part I: Goal of Christian Counseling From the very beginning of his book, Crabb tells Christian counselors that they must ask the question “What is the client ultimately asking for?” (Crabb, 1977, p. 20). Christian counselors must try to determine what a client is trying to get out of counseling. If the client is attempting just to receive happiness out of counseling, they may not have the correct mindset as they start counseling. One of the goals that clients should have is to become closer to Christ. As Crabb states, “An obsessive preoccupation with “my happiness,” however, often obscures our understanding of the biblical route to deep, abiding joy” (p. 20). Counselors must direct their clients to follow the Word of God and to follow in the path
By: John M Shisler
For: CCOU 201 – D10 Summer 2014
Introduction
Christian counselors are doing God’s work and must use the Spiritual Gifts with which they were blessed to be able to reach their clients. While it may be difficult to always reach a client right away, when a Christian counselor can be effective and help someone understand what God desires for them, it can be a very fulfilling and satisfying experience. But the Christian counselor must know what method they plan to use with each client and figure out quickly if they need to switch methods to become more effective in reaching the client.
As is the case with secular counseling, Christian Counseling has many different methods that can be used. While some of these methods are preferred by more counselors than others, they all have some similarities and some differences, including in their goals, concepts, strategies, and how to develop a counseling program within a church community. This paper will attempt to explain those similarities and differences, with the methods being compared to Lawrence Crabb, Jr.’s method that he wrote about in his 1977 book entitled Effective Christian Counseling.
Part I: Goal of Christian Counseling From the very beginning of his book, Crabb tells Christian counselors that they must ask the question “What is the client ultimately asking for?” (Crabb, 1977, p. 20). Christian counselors must try to determine what a client is trying to get out of counseling. If the client is attempting just to receive happiness out of counseling, they may not have the correct mindset as they start counseling. One of the goals that clients should have is to become closer to Christ. As Crabb states, “An obsessive preoccupation with “my happiness,” however, often obscures our understanding of the biblical route to deep, abiding joy” (p. 20). Counselors must direct their clients to follow the Word of God and to follow in the path
References: Andrews, L. W. (2010). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. In Encyclopedia of Depression (Vol. 1, pp. 112-113). Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Press. Retrieved July 23, 2014, from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE%7CCX1762700076&v=2.1&u=vic_liberty&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&authCount=1 Crabb, L. J. (1977). Effective biblical counseling. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House Johnson, W. B., Ridley, C. R., & Nielsen, S. L. (2000). Religiously sensitive rational emotive behavior therapy: Elegant solutions and ethical risks. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 31(1), 14-20. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.31.1.14 Kensit, D. A. (2000). Rogerian theory: a critique of the effectiveness of pure client-centred therapy. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 13(4), 345-351. Retrieved July 23, 2014, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ehost/detail?sid=fe231037-9613-4249-9aa4-9b2df762bf3f%40sessionmgr4002&vid=1&hid=4112&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=rzh&AN=2009434729