I began in the field of addiction, working on an inpatient floor, eventually graduating to facilitate outpatient group care. I did this for about ten years before being “forced” to be a stay-at-home mom. I said forced because I had three children ages 3 ½ and under, and who can afford daycare for three? I certainly couldn’t. I was a bit salty about losing time in my career, but little did I know God was working on my heart.
I had always considered myself a christian. I attended church. God made it clear that attending church doesn’t mean I had the privilege of being one of his own. Without going much into my full testimony, God grabbed my attention in a women’s bible study, and I discovered what it really meant to be a child of God.
Fast-forward, my kids were all in school—it was time to return to the professional field of work! This was a wake-up call, to say the least. Before returning to full-time employment, I had made a habit of reading God’s word and paying attention to how He wanted me to apply it to my everyday life. I even decided that I was going to include the newfound wisdom in my work with whoever would listen.
As I settled back into the field of addictions once again, I began to realize that secular psychology’s foundations and philosophies often conflict with Christian beliefs. This shocked me. It shouldn’t have, but my eyes were open to a new way of seeing things – through God’s eyes, he was prompting me to reconsider my approach to counseling. I balked at first.
To maintain counseling licensure, one must follow ethical standards, such as the agreement not to make a formal decision or judgment about a disputed matter regarding differing interpretations or religion. Therapists are called to be mindful of our professional role and recognize that we are not considered qualified to adjudicate (judge) religious or spiritual tenets.
A worldview is a person’s beliefs, values, and attitudes about the world. It’s a way of thinking about the world that influences how they perceive, think, and act. Biblical counseling’s worldview is grounded in biblical Scripture as the primary source of wisdom. It’s considered the only framework needed to understand one’s identity, purpose, and the root reasons for the hardships of life. The complexities of life are not ignored with Biblical counseling. In reality, it embraces it by recognizing the spiritual dimensions of suffering. While secular (non-religious) therapy can sometimes lead to spiritual growth, many individuals facing pain fail to address not only the need for a relationship with the God who created them but also why hardships even exist. Biblical counseling goes beyond secular counseling methods as it offers a deeper sense of hope that leads to a reliance on Christ.
Here is a summary from Michael R. Emlet’s editorial, “The Biblical in Biblical Counseling,” explaining Biblical Counseling.
Biblical counseling is rooted in Scripture, providing a framework for understanding people, their challenges, and the solutions to those challenges. The modern biblical counseling movement emphasizes the need for a clear understanding of what constitutes counseling that aligns with biblical principles. It’s crucial to avoid drifting into secular psychological practices or overly simplistic interpretations of Scripture. This primer aims to clarify how Scripture is foundational to biblical counseling, helping counselors remain faithful to biblical teachings while effectively ministering to others.
Scripture plays several key roles in biblical counseling. It reveals God’s nature and our identity, serving as an interpretive lens for life. It communicates the central message of redemption through Christ and informs the counselor’s character and approach. Counseling should be grounded in biblical language and concepts, guiding conversations and shaping goals for change. Additionally, the local church serves as the epicenter for this counseling, fostering community growth through grace-filled interactions. While the explicit use of Scripture is vital, integrating biblical principles into counseling conversations is equally important, ensuring that the process is spiritually elevated and transformative, which leads to profound spiritual growth.
