My counselling orientation is one that seeks to integrate my experience of psychological/counselling perspectives with an evangelical biblical mindset based upon a personal faith in Jesus Christ.

I believe the wisest counselling approach is to integrate various therapies, particularly those that have evidence-based scientific research to support them. All this is to be done with a guiding framework that is based upon the authority of Scripture.

My professional psychology/counselling approach can be described as eclectic. I am influenced by theories from the cognitive behavioural, family/systems and psycho-dynamic therapies. From the Christian counselling approaches I have also benefited from Nouthetic or “Biblical Counselling” and the writings of Larry Crabb. However these are by no means the only therapies that have influenced me. As a therapist I recognise the need to be a constant learner of counselling, Christianity and people. There is a need for an over-arching framework that can handle realities that are undergoing dynamic change and can’t always be comprehended by the human mind.

My Christian belief can be described as Reformed Evangelical, but has been influenced by various other Christian perspectives. While not prohitting when deemed therapeutically appropriate, the focus of my counselling is not directly proselytising. Rather the focus is helping people with their personal issues through professional counselling. My priority is to be open to both Christians and non-Christians in a non-discriminatory manner. However my counselling has a distinct Christian flavour. For example, use of the Bible and overt Christian content may be used if therapeutically appropriate within a professional context.

I believe there are many assumptions, widely accepted in counselling/psychology therapies, that are fundamentally counter to a biblical understanding. And this is not just evidence from an evangelical viewpoint. They also fall short from a pragmatic perspective

I believe Jesus Christ is the Sovereign Lord over all of life, not just the so-called spiritual and religious dimensions of life. A wholistic systemic understanding of life leads to the need to consistently live out ones faith in every dimension of life. Counselling involves the deepest aspect of our human being, and such depth is intertwined with spiritual issues. Emotional and psychological issues are not independent ones that can be resolved in a vacuum away from religious issues. Whether one admits it or not, counselling and psychology have a strong spiritual dimension. Hence it is crucial to have a solid spiritual framework, which is provided by operating consistently from a biblical worldview.

While I do have perferred therapeutic approaches I recognise that much of the healing that takes place cannot be pinned down to interventions based on particular therapies. The overall therapeutic relationship and context, combined with the wisdom of both counsellor and counsellor, becomes a catalyst for counsellees finding their own solutions. Each person coming to counselling is a unique living changing complex being, involved with other similarly complex beings and systems. There is a mysterious element as to why counselling is so beneficial.

Additionally counselling is an interaction with a God who cannot be put in a box. The Holy Spirit, who is described as the “Comforter”, is living and constantly interacting today with people for good. For God is concerned with our long-term eternal future, not just with our emotional well-being in this temporary earthly existence.

The doctrine of the Sovereignty of God gives comfort and emotional strength to believers, but God is also one who convicts us towards positive change in every aspect of our lives.

Romans 8: 28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him..." (New International Version , ©2011)

 

By Peter Stanton