Christian Worldview Informed Counseling Questions

Q 1 What is Christian counseling? How does your Christian faith inform what you do in the counseling room practically? (Abi)

*Biblical counseling is where the bible is the only authority in the counseling. Christian psychology is using the bible to create a specifically Christian psychology. Integration acknowledges the bible as the main authority but also recognizes that it doesn't cover every topic or struggle that we may encounter. It utilizes truth found in secular psychology in tandem with Scripture.* Biblical Counseling, Christian Psychology, and the Integration approach. Biblical counseling presents the Bible as the guidebook for all psychological needs Christian psychology presents the Bible as authoritative not only in the spiritual life of a Christian but in psychological ideas as well (Johnson, 2010). However, Christian Psychology argues that scientific work can explain "how" questions the Bible does not answer and can add resources to the Christian tradition for furthering Biblical virtues. Integration includes research and developments in secular science that align with Christian values. My Christian faith primarily informs the way I conceptualize my clients, the relationship I build with them, how I encourage them toward change, and how I hope for them. I believe all people as image bearers...I believe suffering, though frequently unexplainable, holds value, as even God subjected Himself to suffering....every client has access to the Savior and Healer. Lastly, I have hope for every person's story because ultimately God will redeem and restore the world to Himself. Biblical counseling, the bible has everything you need. Christian Psychology, creating a Christian specific field, integrating science and theology but not like integration... Integration is coming from the place of the belief that all truth is God's truth, and psychology will align with Scripture and we can engage with both. I don't know if you've heard about Eric Johnson, but he talks about 3 approaches....I'm drawn to the integration approach. We all have dignity and depravity, and this levels the playing field with clients because we're all made in the image of God. I don't have to be afraid of their suffering, even though it can be inexplicable, but Jesus himself subjected himself to suffering, so it's worth engaging. Important to address expectations early on so that they know where you're coming from, like, you're not using bible verses in every session. I don't believe that biblical counseling will help in this issue. Spiritual abuse is a real reason that biblical counseling can be harmful. The bible is the authority, AND other psychology can be really helpful. Find out what they mean by biblical counselor. Talking to a pastor: Integrative counseling is building the house on the same foundation of God's Word, like biblical counseling, but the psychology can be be the painting of the walls and decorating, there's more creativity. Start simply when answering this question and then see if they have follow-up question. Don't let your own defensiveness jump up. We DO need to step in when theology is harmful. Like, if you're depressed, read about joy...

Q 14 A person asserts: "It seems like Christian counselors are more concerned with state requirements for licensure and secularly defined ethical roles than truly biblical ethics of care." How would you respond? (Kate)

*Biblical values and ethics do not necessarily need to be compromised in order to maintaining state ethics. The ACA Code of ethics acknowledges the importance of maintaining personal values, but requires bracketing of values in order to help a client discover or stay true to his or her own values. Romans 13 talks about how we must be subject to governing authorities, and abiding by professional codes is one way we can do this. Bracketing my own values allows me to understand the perspective of my clients and provide assistance without having to ignore my own them. Additionally, we can use theories and techniques that align with biblical beliefs as long as they're in line with the ACA code.* One of the concerns behind the question seems to be the belief that biblical ethics will be compromised for Christian counselors pursuing licensure. any licensed counselor can maintain their values and ethics even when they clash with their clients' values and ethics. ACA Personal Values: Counselors are aware of—and avoid imposing—their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Counselors respect the diversity of clients, trainees, and research participants and seek training in areas in which they are at risk of imposing their values onto clients, especially when the counselor's values are inconsistent with the client's goals or are discriminatory in nature A truly Christian counselor is living and working out of a biblical ethic of care in how they live and in how they interact with all people, including their clients. Licensed counselors have the freedom to use theories and techniques which most align with their beliefs and values as long as they adhere to the ACA Code of Ethics (2014). ..."Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God" (Rom 13:1). Additionally, pursuing licensure can assist the Christian counselor in reaching more people. Nationally, licensed counselors are considered more credible due to the educational and professional requirements. Also, licensed counselors are able to work in more settings and thus able to reach more people. Therefore, a licensed Christian counselor need not compromise their biblical ethics and can have many benefits for living out those biblical ethics because of their licensure. fear could be leading someone astray from biblical commands. using a secular instead of a biblical model. being swayed by whatever secular model is trendy. What is professional counseling. Explain what bracketing is. Setting aside values in order to see and tend to clients well. There's a lot of good literature. Our job isn't to impose what we believe. It's not for us to tell them what's right or wrong. Show how state and biblical ethics could align. Heighten things that are value laden. Heightening emotion has a particular therapeutic purpose to help someone become more congruent with the emotions and their situation. Counseling someone who was considering an abortion.

Q 16 How would you define emotional health and spiritual health? Justify biblically/theologically how these are the same or different? (Loretta)

*Emotional health can be defined as emotional awareness and ability to process and experience emotions in an integrated capacity (heart, mind, and body) so they are not controlled by them, but pay attention to them. Spiritual health is the degree to which a person is in an active relationship with God characterized by a deeply felt awareness of, and identity rooted in His love for them as seen in the fruit of the spirit. They are similar in that they require honesty and introspection and lead to deeper relationships. They are different in that emotional health may not address spiritual matters. Emotional health helps us connect spiritually.* Emotional health can be defined as the degree to which a person is aware of their emotions and is able to process and experience them in an integrated capacity within their heart, mind, and body so that their emotions do not control their heart, mind, and body, and so that they can effectively and clearly communicate them to others. Spiritual health for the Christian can be defined as the degree to which a person is in an active relationship with God characterized by a deeply felt awareness of, and identity rooted in His love for them. They also have an identity rooted in the saving love of Jesus as displayed on the cross, and thus are characterized by a confident humility, openness to the fact that they sin and have struggles and surrender to His loving care and correction. They are assured that even in the midst of doubts, suffering, and struggles with sin, Jesus will constantly meet them with compassion, love, and mercy and thus they have a freedom to trust Him, be authentic with Him and give Him all of themselves. ...will likely experience the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) and a desire to freely pursue the means of grace and relationship with Him, such as worship, being with other believers in a church community, prayer, and reading His Word. Biblically and theologically, these are similar in that both emotional and spiritual wellbeing lead to deeper relationships with oneself, with God, and with others. Greater emotional health will also likely lead to deeper spiritual health in the sense that the more a person learns about their emotions, the better they can know and understand God, particularly His emotions, and the deeper they can connect with Him and grow their spiritual bond. Thompson (2010) describes this by saying, "God is interested in our emotions, and (among other things) experiences us through them" (p.90). He goes on to say, "What if emotion, or something similar that is even deeper, wilder, and more real is an essential element of who God is? What if emotion, as we understand it, is a reflection of what God experiences in His heart? Emotional health-Being aware of our emotions and processing. Helps us connect spiritually. Robust in love. see Elizabeth's PPT...Emotional health part of common grace. We can't connect to God fully if we're not connected to him emotionally. Spiritual-Having an active relationship with God and being aware of his love for us. Means of grace. 4 Step 3 Shift Model-emotional, being an agent, spiritual health, being a dependent agent. It's spiritually healthy to ask questions without fear of judgment or being misunderstood. What's it mean to be made in God's image. What does secure attachments look like with God. Think of the fruit of the spirit. How are you going to enact those without some degree of emotional health. You have to allow the work of Christ to permeate your emotional health. The way we treat people is the way we treat God.

Q 2 What is your understanding of the sufficiency of scripture, particularly as it relates to counseling? (Anita)

*The bible provides everything needed for salvation and the Christian life. It's informing what I believe about the person (made in the image of God), the reality of sin (broken by the effects of sin), warfare, redemption (needing Jesus). However, it's not a manual for answering all of our questions. We can explore other topics not found in Scripture, but we need to make sure they align with biblical truth and acknowledge that our beliefs are impacted by our brokenness.* "the Bible speaks to all things that are necessary for salvation and for living the Christian life in accordance with God's will," which indicates that the teaching of the Bible is "perfect and complete for salvation and living the Christian life" which indicates that the teaching of the Bible is "perfect and complete for salvation and living the Christian life." However, "there is [also] a limited scope to the sufficiency of Scripture,"...we as Christians "should [also] not affirm anything in the world that contradicts God's Word"...people in this day and age need to hear the truths of the Bible and the hope of the gospel I also believe that we have liberties to explore the areas of our lives that Scripture does not address directly, and that we can do so in a way that upholds God and His Word as long as our conclusions and interpretations don't contradict what Scripture has to say. we must tread cautiously when using Scripture with non-believing clients because they have not been spiritually awakened to the truths of Scripture, they do not have the mind of Christ, the Holy Spirit has not illuminated their hearts and minds, and there's also a good chance that someone has misinterpreted Scripture and used it to condemn and curse them instead of using it to bless them. our interpretation of Scripture has its limitations and can also be flawed, and I believe it is easy and natural for us to view Scripture through the lens of our stories and personal experiences The sufficiency of Scripture is for Christians because their eyes have been spiritually opened. However, we all read the bible through our own lens, so it's important to be aware of that and compare with other knowledgeable scholars as we apply it in the counseling room. There's a good chance that someone has been harmed by Scripture. So how can we use the bible to bless them. This would probably come up in a reformed context. We can grow in knowledge, but we can't grow in wisdom without Scripture, even if we don't talk about the bible in a session. If they're open to Scripture, you can use it! I still value and study other things as well. God allows us to struggle with the other pieces of life that aren't clear in scripture or the ones we don't understand. We have everything we need in the bible to have a saving relationship, so this is not necessarily related to counseling. It's informing what I believe about the person, the reality of sin, warfare, redemption. WSC If I don't believe in the sufficiency of Scripture, there are going to be problems. Sin makes us sick from the inside out spiritually and physically.

Q 20 . What is the significance of grieving/lament/mourning (synonyms) in a Christian view of healing?

Release (burial or ritual, a mark of a loss) remember (memorial, telling the story), rebuild (the inherent change that will come after. Important to acknowledge what was lost and how it impacted you so that you are not controlled by it. Grief is a proper response to loss. It is a way of connecting with our bodeis in a way that gets them unstuck. This is a paradox of our faith: joy is forged in sorrow. And death leads to life. And grief is the road between them. Walt Wangerin, Mourning into Dancing "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.". Matthew 5:4 (NIV) Evil is any spoiling of shalom whether physically (e.g., by disease), morally, spiritually, relationally, or otherwise. Cornelius Grief is a proper response to a world that is "not the way it's supposed to be." Grief is a God-given means by which one adjust to the new reality of life. It requires emotional, spiritual, relational and physical transitions Grief that leads to life "Grief is the grace of God within us, the natural process of recovery for those who have suffered death." Walt Wangerin "Mourning gets nowhere unless it gets us to God. The world sees no possibility of beauty in the hurts and calamities that fall upon us; without God, evil is unmitigated by any hope of transforming grace" H.B. Walker Four blessings we discover in grief: Comfort A transformational encounter with Truth Increased ability to love others Resurrection - the story of the Gospel is "Death working backwards" Comfort Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be provided with strength. Comfort = cum (with) + fortis (strong) The blessing of mourning is that in the midst of it we are offered the strength to continue on the journey, to continue with life until the day of our physical death. Transformational Encounter C.S. Lewis "The real danger is of coming to believe such dreadful things about Him. The conclusion I dread is not 'So there's no God after all,' but 'So this is what God's really like. Deceive yourself no longer' Grief: Hollows out a place in us for God Shatters our idols and illusions Invites us to turn back to the One who is the source of life. Increased ability to love Those who have wrestled in the valley grief are those who are most available to move into the lives of others with love. In grief, we give voice to how much relationships mean and how deeply they impact our lives Resurrection "Resurrection comes from outside ourselves. It comes even from outside our knowing. It comes as the stunning surprise, the thing we could never imagine, illogical, implausible, the absurd solution -- arising from no system we know or control. Its source must be God alone. Grace. It is a gift." Walt Wangerin, Mourning into Dancing Resurrection "Grief leads to resurrection, resurrection leads to gratitude, gratitude leads to relationship, relationship with Christ. This is our comfort, our strength." Walt Wangerin, Mourning into Dancing Three movements of grief Release Remember Rebuild - Grieving is connecting with our bodies in a way that helps out bodies to get unstuck. -Release is analagous to the burial. We remember together the person. If there's been deep harm, remembering the things that came before. -Your house got knocked down, but there's going to be change in how it's rebuilt. It can be just picking up one brick and putting it in the corner. Clients cannot be rushed. -Remembering and release can overlap. Giving time to speaking the name. People stop saying the name of the person that happened. The grieving can feel forgotten. -You can create a ritual for releasing. You can write a letter to your best friend of all the things you wish you could say. I way to put words to and acknowledge that that person isn't coming back. Putting a note in the water and watching it float away. -There's dignity in groaning with Jesus at the curse. -We weren't created for goodbye, we were created for eternity. -Lamenting is a painful process, but it's even more painful not to. -The psalms of lament are more than catharsis. Lament can be a form of worship. -Grief ought to be with others because God has made us as social creatures and to bear one another's burdens.

Q 5 Doesn't much of psychology simply justify people's sin instead of calling sin "sin"? When is mental illness sin and when is it not? (Barb)

*As an integrationist utilizing psychology, I think it is very important to identify the damaging effects of sin with Christian and non-Christian clients alike. I do not justify sin, but I also do not apply a one-dimensional approach of calling a client's sin, sin, and calling them to repentance. Instead, I focus on helping the client discover the origin of the sin and how to overcome it by making sense of the past. Very often, sin comes from a good need or desire that has been distorted. Further, much of our sin is related to ways we have been sinned against so that's important to explore as well. Getting to the root of our sin allows for integration. In addition, it's important to note that some mental illnesses are caused by genetic predisposition or traumatic experiences and are not the result of a client's sin.* See extra notes below -Sin is never justified, even if needs are unmet. We can't minimize sin, it still affects our standing before God. -It's not our role to convict our clients of sin, but there's a reason they got where they got. -We need to know when they're already in shame so we don't drive them deeper into that. We can invite them to more. -If I'm anxious, there's not a lack of faith. -With calling out sin there needs to be a relationship and a knowing. -There is sin AND they deserve to be cared for. They need to decide for themselves if they want to walk into repentance. -Sin is the way we've learned to cope with the mental illness, which is the effect of sin. -We don't want them to just stay there in the woundedness, we want to invite them to more. Such sinful patterns, however, though unjustifiable in terms of holy righteousness, are often understandable as wayward attempts to secure needs and desires which could be fulfilled by God, either organically fueled by our nature or as the result of encounters with sin in a fallen world...much of our sin is related to ways we have been sinned against... it is possible to hold the affirmation of a person's agency and guilt in sin simultaneously with an understanding of how they were powerfully tempted in that direction. Calling sin "sin" in the field of psychology can be ultimately glorifying to God in the hearts of the counselor and all others who acknowledge Him in the healing process as He receives due worship for the redemption of sin. Additionally, some mental illnesses are so neurologically pervasive (be they caused by genetic predisposition or traumatic experiences) that it seems people have little to no choice in their drive to break God's law as a result of their symptoms. "[Sin] beckons us to sustained dis-integration and to react to perceived injustice without mindfulness. This form of separation leads us to behave in ways that reinforce the fear and shame that are at the root of our self-destructive tendencies as a human race. Toxic rupture is so seamlessly connected with the dis-integration of our minds that it almost becomes synonymous with sin" Sin coming from needs and desires not being met and trying to access them in a misguided way. Generational sin and trauma. Garden of Eden, still sinned. Sin is never justified, even if needs are unmet. We can't minimize sin, it still affects our standing before God. Sin is in every thought and action of your day. Our role is different as counselors., there is a deceitful heart and nature. We can move on from the fact that it's sin and when and what kind of sin and why. It's not our role to convict our clients of sin, but there's a reason they got where they got. We need to know when they're already in shame so we don't drive them deeper into that. We can invite them to more. We need to see the dignity, not just practice self-hatred. God created us very good in his image. What's a distortion of a good need/desire, a neurological problem, sin, etc. If I'm anxious, there's not a lack of faith. IT can be to the client's benefit to speak into the ways that a Ct is harming others because of his sin. We need to put flesh and bones onto what sin is doing. With calling out sin there needs to be a relationship and a knowing. There is sin AND they deserve to be cared for. They need to decide for themselves if they want to walk into repentance. Garden, God pursued Adam and Eve after they've sinned. Sin is the way we've learned to cope with the mental illness, which is the effect of sin. We don't want them to just stay there in the woundedness, we want to invite them to more. We are broken beyond repair without God. We can't repair it alone. Eric Johsnon talks about sin, suffering sorrow. Nature, nurture, choice. Warfare is important, too. Connecting, exposing inviting (Crabb and Allender). Demanding anger can come from fear of abandonment (how could you leave me, I need you...Now I'm gonna make you pay. We need to expose the mentality that he's taking vengeance in his own hands).

Q 13 How would you respond to a client that says, "I'm depressed and praying against a demon of depression," and then quotes Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Julia)

*First, I might explore what church/faith background the client is coming from and how they have come to those conclusions. I wouldn't want to dismiss or confirm the demonic involvement. I would however, educate the client on the fact that depression doesn't always indicate demonic involvement, though it could be. It's easier to blame some external locus of control than to deal with issues of the heart, so I may explore if this is a factor. If the person is a Christian, I may help them distinguish between demonic possession which cannot occur in Christ and spiritual warfare.* Look at how much David struggled with depression. Look at Psalm 13:1-2, "How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?" ask the client what all is going on biologically, socially, psychologically, and spiritually. Don't reduce everything to spiritual warfare, but it's an equal element. Can Christians be possessed by demons? Nah. But spiritual warfare is real. Ask what their view of spiritual warfare is and demon possession. We need to be able to answer how we view or engage with the issues. Minimizing demon possession is not good. If they care about demon possession, it matters. You might not be able to be theologically convincing...you don't want to waste your time there. Does the demon of depression feel different than depression. It's easier to call something a demon than a mental health issue. We don't want them to think that they're crazy. We want our response to be of love and go with them where they are. They're struggling under the weight of a lie if they think of God as a punisher/prosperity gospel. Lamentations 3:1-20, a picture of depression (the lord has afflicted me) When you're dealing with the unseen realm, it's not tangible, so there's a temptation to make it everything or nothing. Praying to the possession could be an avoidance of personal agency. It can be easier to blame on an external focus of control. sinful nature can be diminished. You have to be wise and crafty because how do you disagree with when someone says "well god says..." belief systems always have a purpose. Go back to the 4 Ws.

Q 3 Explain the concepts of common grace and general revelation? What is the significance of these to the counseling process? (Anna)

*General revelation is the non-saving knowledge that we gain about God from creation. Common grace is the idea that all good things come from God. We are stewards of common grace whether or not a client is a Christian. Common grace allows us have hope of healing for our cts and to share this hope with them. Stwarding common grace can be a form of evangelism.* The Bible speaks to the glory of God that is clearly seen throughout creation, as well as the knowledge of His existence that He has written on our human hearts. The Westminster confession of faith says that creation is sufficient to reveal God's nature, existence, and glory. Common grace is the idea that all good things come from God...when our physical needs are met with food, when we enjoy a sunrise, or when our bodies are healthy enough to exercise While ultimate healing after this life and a saving relationship with Christ are not available to unbelievers, the opportunity for healing and goodness is available to all. Unbelievers can still know something of His grace, even if they would not describe God as the provider of the glory and grace they have experienced. Creation reveals truths about both God and people, allowing us as counselors the freedom to speak to creation and the goodness in this world, without having to name it as God. Common grace and general revelation allows us as counselors to hold the hope of healing and goodness for our clients, in spite of their status as a believer. Bavinck states the purpose of general revelation, "is to lead us through the creatures to the Creator and to cause us to rest in the Father's heart". (Bavinck, 2019, p. 20) That is who we are as counselors, a creation of God that leads people to rest in the heart of God as the perfect Father. The gift of grace to all. It's stewardship because we know there's common grace and we can show our clients the foundation of our hope because it's so central to who we are. We can be mindful of this. We have to find the dignity in every client... Scripture is sufficient, but not exhaustive. Special revelation is in Scripture.

Q 7 Do people need to forgive themselves? Do people need to love themselves? (Cody)

*Genesis talks about humans as the crown of creation. John 3:16 talks about God loving the world, so it makes sense that we should love ourselves as the image bearers that God has bestowed with dignity and grace. Just as God loves us unconditionally, he offers us forgiveness. For this reason, self-forgiveness is also important. Self -forgiveness honors God's sacrifice on the cross and acknowledges that price Jesus paid to purchase our pardon.* while God oftentimes works to save people at some of the darkest moments of their lives, that to then continue to live with debilitating shame will almost always negatively impact relationships with others and God. ...forgiving and loving oneself can have healing effects to the relationships with self, others, and God that have been fractured at the fall....loveyourneighborasyourself.... This experience of self-hatred or self-disgust, which almost always has a negative relational effect is commonly called shame. Shame not only makes it difficult to love and forgive oneself, which affects relationships with others in life, but it also will oftentimes cause people to enter more deeply into damaging behaviors that cause further shame..."shame convinces us that we are unwanted, and we pursue behavior that confirms it" t it is important to be able to move towards "self-compassion, the well-established antidote to shame" ...even though many of us have been found by God in our shame, learning to despise the shame and move towards love and forgiveness of self feels a lot like what will allow us to continue to walk in intimate relationships with God and others If we're living in shame it's going to inhibit our ability to be in relationship with others AND love others. If you're staring at your naval and hating what you see, it will be difficult to engage with others. Sometimes people hold onto their shame because that's where God met them. Christian self-love is borrowing God's love and forgiveness. Holy Spirit is in us. We're created in God's image. Lk 7:47 Whoever has been forgiven much loves much. Perhaps this includes self-forgivenss. If God has forgiven me, it would be arrogant of me not be wiling to forgive myself. To hate our neighbor is like murdering in our hearts. It's no different a sin. Emotional, relational, spiritual health desired? Need to forgive self. Shame serves a purpose to bring us to God, but we don't want to sit there. Wherever there's shame, there's idolatry. If I trip and fall, there's shame because I care about how others see me. Love and forgiveness emanate from God. Once we understand his love and forgiveness we can extend it to someone else. So you just had to work and work and work till you had to prove you are worthy of forgiveness and love. How are you ever going to get there?

Q 9 How do you justify counseling outside of the church; that is, outside the authority of a pastor or elder board? Aren't counselors just circumventing the role of authority of the pastor or church leadership? (Fern)

*In the same way that pastors don't want counselors to exercise pastoral authority in the counseling room, counselors wouldn't want the church to assume authority in all issues of mental health. Our roles are different, but both are very important for the health and wellbeing of Christians. Though we are counseling outside the church, we are still a part of the body of Christ and we are under the authority of God and Scripture. Since we have clinical training and a developed skill set, we can come alongside the local church to offer care and healing to its members. Another difference is that counselors can provide confidentiality. * Pastors and elders have a call to shepherd the flock through the preaching of the gospel, administering of the sacraments, and the true exercise of discipline ...pastors and elders are simply not equipped, nor have the capacity to handle the growing mental health needs of thier congregations. Shepherding the body of Christ well looks like leaders protecting and caring for their most vulnerable and knowing when they need to seek outside expertise to do that. When a congregant comes to a pastor with a cancer diagnosis the pastor would refer that congregant to an appropriate doctor who can adequately treat that diagnosis. ..There is, however an opportunity for mental health counselors and pastors to learn accurate information about each other so that collaboration can become more of a regular occurrence. -FIRST. Seek to understand more of what they're asking. Maybe treat it a bit like Ct. Give yes AND answers. Rather than yes, BUT. -The church doesn't have authority over all things. -Issues of the heart can be developed in the church BUT there's neurobiology which pastor's often do not have an in depth training in that or trauma, etc. As Christian counselors we're still under the authority of God and the Bible... They can't minister individually to every congregant like we do in counseling. Not everything is sin. -Pastors can sense the cynicism about the church. Do not respond to fear with fear, but speak in a way that you build trust and maybe you can challenge some things. -What do I offer as the cr that cannot be offered from an elder board? Confidentiality outside of the authority of the church.

Q 10 How can a Christian counselor justify charging so much money for discipling someone? (Mila)

*It can seem like we are charging a lot per hour, but there are many factors that go into an hourly rate including, the cost of schooling, the financial split in private practice, insurance, self-employment taxes. Can provide sliding scale for people with lower incomes. It is more than discipleship in that an advanced degree is required with a knowledge of mental health that goes beyond most disciplers. Higher rates also allow for sliding scales for clients that are not able to afford a full rate. Finally, buy in is important.* Discipleship is a relationship between one who has the authority to make a point, and the other who is humble enough to learn from points being made; the disciple is like a pupil who directs his mind toward specific knowledge and conduct. Counselors are given authority by the state to lead others to growth, and Christians are given the authority to disciple—think of Christian counselors as part of the familiar realm of pastoral ministry or care. Levites as they were set apart by God to lead the nation of Israel spiritually; to be considered professional worshipers ...Christian counselors are surely not pastors, but we offer care very akin to pastoral care and ministry regardless of the type of Christian counselor one chooses to be...Ethics keeps a counselor from imposing his views and beliefs on a client, but it also speaks to the level of standard and professionalism that requires compensation regardless of what the counselor offers his clients Simply, anyone who receives a degree and use that said degree for the purpose in which it is intended upon at the professional level should receive compensation—and that compensation reflects the work and value of the profession -poorness isn't next to godliness. -Discipleship isn't the same as counseling. People don't know what to do with mental health struggles or trauma. -We spend a lot of money on our education. -What do we need to do to get you help is what a good friend should be asking. -Discipleship is teaching someone to follow Jesus, but you might not know how to do that if someone has a mental health issue. Discipleship is always a team effort. -The level of care that you receive is what you pay for. -By charging x amount, it allows me to have a sliding scale/scholarship -If a pastor deserves wages for what he does, why would that be any different for us? -Counseling DOES requires buy-in for the work they're doing. If we value the work that we do, hopefully Cts will, too. -Some people do not know the cost of private practice. Rent, insurance, health insurance, advertising, business fees, software, training, student loans. We don't take home $125/hr.

Q 15 The ordinary means of grace are the Word of God, fellowship (including the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper), and prayer. How do you incorporate the means of grace into your counseling? (Lauren)

*Most obviously we can incorporate the means of grace into our counseling with Christian clients by encouraging them to take advantage of the means of grace enjoyed in a body of believers (baptism, sacraments, fellowship). We can also incorporate the means of grace by operating out of the truth of Scripture and sensitively sharing Scripture with clients in a way that they can hear it as stewards of common grace. No matter the client, we have the responsibility of interceding for our clients through prayer. Finally, case conceptualization and treatment planning are informed by the means of grace.* "This idea of 'the means of grace' answers these questions: How do I, as a believer, access the grace of the Lord for my many needs? Where do I go, what do I do, to connect with the real help He gives to sinners and sufferers here in this world?" These questions help counselors consider how to practically incorporate the ordinary means of grace in the counseling context. While intended well, simply applying a Bible verse to a client's situation can do clients a disservice; it can ignore the deeper issues under the surface. "the problem is not necessarily that an individual isn't doing enough. The problem is sometimes outside of his or her control. If we wouldn't tell someone who uses a wheelchair to 'just pray more,' we shouldn't say such things to someone with a diagnosed anxiety disorder. Such precious people need compassion and/or medical intervention, not platitudes." That being said, there can be a place for pointing clients to the truth and hope of the Gospel through Scripture and prayer. Especially when a client comes in with a spiritual issue, theological question, or inquiries about faith, Christian counselors hold the beauty and the weight of "being prepared to have an answer for the hope that is within them." (1 Peter 3:15) We need to be a steward of common grace. As believers we have specific ways of receiving grace and being fed by them. Know your client. There is a big fellowship piece because you're thinking about relationships. You're processing them. You can check in with clients to see about entering into conversations of Scripture. Implicit ways like our education and how we've been trained is involved in case conceptualization. Jesus' voice, ear, and body. It's more personal and relational than tools or things we have to do. As they're growing, this can be helpful. Talking about the importance of baptism and the sacraments. We're supposed to remember our baptism. We are physically baptized once. It's a metaphor of dying to ourselves and rising to new life. You're inviting them to die to themselves and come to their selfishness, sinfulness, self-protectiveness and inviting them to be new creations. You want to give them a taste of what life could be like (communion). Sacraments are an outward sign of an inward reality, that we've already been united with Christ. Communion is an outward sign that Jesus nourishes us, that we are communing with his people, and that the invisible reality is still a reality. Hopefully with case conceptualization and treatment planning, it's being informed by means of grace.

Q 12 How can John Frame's triperspectival framework of knowledge aid you in dealing with cases of marital separation, divorce, and remarriage? (Jessi)

*The normative perspective uses Scripture to determine what is right and wrong and how Christians ought to live. It identifies key passages in Scripture to determine how to proceed. The situational perspective takes into account unique elements of a situation and determines if there is already an established precedent in dealing with a situation. For example, one may investigate how the church has specifically dealt with a particular problem in the past. The existential perspective focuses on motivations of the heart. Using all three of these perspectives can improve the possibility of making the best decisions regarding separation, divorce, and remarriage for the wellbeing of all involved. In addition, it's important to encourage a ct to make sure they also talk to their pastor.* triperspectivalism can aid people in dealing with cases of marital separation, divorce, and remarriage by utilizing three perspectives. Triperspectivalism is made up of three perspectives: the normative perspective, the situational perspective, and the existential perspective. The normative perspective uses Scripture to determine what is right and wrong and how Christians ought to live. When dealing with cases of marital separation, divorce, and remarriage, one would identify key passages in Scripture to determine how to proceed. ...This is because in some places, divorce seems to be completely forbidden while in other places, it is only permissible when there are issues of unfaithfulness or desertion. In still other places divorce seems to be presented as something a man can do to his wife for all sorts of reasons. The normative perspective does not cherry pick, but asks, "What is the spirit of the law?" The situational perspective takes into account unique elements of a situation and determines if there is already an established precedent in dealing with a situation. For example, in this case, one may investigate how the church has specifically dealt with a particular problem in the past. The situational perspective does not neglect Scripture, but seeks to incorporate other tools that may allow for individualization in a particular situation. The existential perspective focuses on motivations of the heart. If a couple is looking to make a decision to separate, for example, why is this the case? What are both parties hoping will be the result? What emotions are driving a decision, and are those emotions based in reality? Is obedience to God being prioritized? If necessary, has there been sincere repentance? all three of these perspectives can improve the possibility of making the best decisions regarding separation, divorce, and remarriage for the wellbeing for all involved. Using each of these perspectives can be critically important when one of these perspectives has been abused in a way that has been harmful to one or both parties in the past. Finally, the use of triperspectivalism in navigating separation, divorce, and remarriage can improve chances of glorifying God even in the most difficult circumstances. -What if the pastor is a narcissist. Could that inform how you think biblically that may trump the don't get divorce their husband. -Ct that rationed out money to wife. Is that biblical grounds for divorce. -Need to understand what Ct sees as Scriptural divorce. -The abandonment piece could be breaking the covenant responsibility...If there aren't biblical grounds, could that be neglect, or abuse? -Is it really a marriage, is she really a wife. -Just because there's grounds for divorce, doesn't mean that you're telling them. - Ultimately it's not our responsibility to make the decision. The responsibility is on them. -Thou shalt not murder. Preservation, protection and promotion of life. So if he's not, does that move into the realm of desertion. -There will be spaces where Christians don't have justification to remarry, but they will anyway. God can redeem any situation. -These questions DO need to be addressed with his pastor.

Q 6 Why do Christian counselors focus so much on feelings or emotions, when scripture seems to focus more on truth, repentance, and obedience? (Cassidy)

*Truth, repentance, and obedience can go hand in hand with being honest about one's feelings. Denying our emotional experience is the opposite of truth. A posture of inwardness can help a believer to understand where they still have indwelling sin and are walking in disobedience and need to repent. We see in books like Lamentations, Psalms, and Job, that God cares that his people are honest about what is going on inside his people internally. God created us with emotions and he has emotions himself. Our emotions reveal the image of God in us.* For one, Scripture does allot quite a bit of attention toward human beings understanding themselves and expressing their emotions before God. Secondly, emotions often have an intertwined relationship with seeking truth, obedience, and repentance. Lastly, Christian counselors most often favor emotions over obedience because, most simply, that is what the job description entails. In fact, a posture of inwardness can help a believer to understand where they still have indwelling sin, reveal where their emotions reveal the image of God, and reduce any barriers to following God wholeheartedly. a robust understanding of total depravity can help one to understand that there is no part of our being that is not somewhat tainted by sin, and emotions are no exception to this...Secondly, "all emotions, including the darker ones, give us a glimpse into the character of God"...We worship an emotional God, and from reading Scripture we can glean a better understanding of a healthy and righteous emotional expression through how God expresses his emotions such as joy, sadness, anger, and jealousy. The commandments of the Torah, and Jesus' affirmation of them, affirms that God is not only concerned with outward obedience; He wants us to love him with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourself 1. The bible focuses often on emotion (Psalms) 2. Emotions and truth and obedience do not need to be separated because 4 stage can move someone toward repentance 3. We're not pastors, not doing church discipline. We have a different goal. Our emotions make us human. We are made in God's image. Pastors are more comfortable talking about truth, repentance and obedience. And yet there's so much emotion in truth, repentance and obedience. How can introspection reduce barriers to following God whole-heartedly? People haven't been allowed to feel certain things and this can really damage their relationship with God. When people have the freedom to doubt, for example. that can be SO helpful. You have to integrate both to meet God. Emotions can reveal the true character of God. God can be WITH us more than a counselor or anyone else. Our thoughts and emotions have been affected by the fall. God's kindness leads us to repentance. He's for us, loves us, and fights for us. Every emotion has the potential to be good and bad at any one moment, depending on how they get expressed. Some emotions can be very good, but they ARE always tainted by the sin. Cry of the Soul discusses this. Neurologically our emotions are our first response of longings and or real or perceived threats. Be transformed by the renewal of the mind. The hebrew conception of that word includes thoughts feelings, purposes, desires AND reasoning. A true biblical understanding. (Eph 4:15 grow up in every way more and more like Christ, more than reason, obedience...emotions!) The mature person does not seek the emotions they want, but seeks to understand the emotions they have. God's emotions are sinless and in his character. Impassibility. We have to do theology better than they do. If they have such rigid convictions, they're often driven by deeper issues. The real issue is what they've done with pain. It's easier to control the theology and data than to engage in something chaotic, painful, and scary.

Q 4 Why do people need to deal with their pasts especially considering a passage like Philippians 3:13-14 that says, "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."? (Ashley)

*We need to take passages like Phil 3 in context. The bible frequently calls us to remember (think of God speaking to the Israelites about how he brought them up out of Egypt or communion). It can be hard for poeple to deal with the past in light of a passage like Phil 3 that makes it seem like you can just forget the past and move on. But when the bible calls us to remember, it reminds us of who we are in Christ. Further, if we need to remember the past in order to break cyclical patterns and generational sin. We need to face the past and honor, acknowledge, and heal wounds or we will be controlled by the past.* The past informs what we do today and shapes how we will act tomorrow. Memory is the way experience shapes neuronal connections so that the present and future patterns of neuronal firing in the brain are altered in particular ways."...Our experiences physically change neural networks in our brains and when similar events happen today, we will think and respond in similar ways as we did before. Our nervous systems physically react to our worldly experiences, and so when our bodies (nervous systems) react to an event, we will behave in certain patterns as we have in the past. "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old" (Psalm 77:11) and "Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord" (Psalm 107:43) What if we did not dwell on the fact that Jesus died on the cross for us? To forget that story alone—one that greatly impacts our daily life—would strip us of gratitude (the antidote to pain and suffering) and strip us of a reason to look forward to a future with God. God often calls us to remember. For men, life can feel linear, for women, circular, and there is value looking to the future, looking forward to being resurrected. You have to know where you've been to know where you're going. Wounds reveal our story. We need to pay attention to wounds that are festering. What's causing pain in even thinking about approaching the topic. We can't even begin to touch it and offer healing to it. Behavior modification won't get us unstuck, but looking at our stories will. Unwanted. Not just to reveal or expose sin, but often these wounded places expose glory. Those things can be redeemed. God can use those things for good, but that doesn't always happen in this lifetime...

Q 11 The counseling concept of confidentiality seems to go against the authority of the church and church discipline. How do you justify keeping information away from the very body of leaders God ordained to deal with it? (Jenny)

*While Christian counselors are under the authority of God and Scripture, they hold a different role than pastors. In addition to the ethical and legal need for confidentiality in the counseling room, it allows for a deeper level of honesty from the client in a way that the client may not be able to have with the pastor. If there is an issue that is important for the church to be involved in, a Christian counselor may be able to encourage the ct to share with church in the client's own time as part of the repentance process. This way, the ct will be able to explore why they made the decisions they did, and hopefully come to a place where they recognize the importance of confession to the church.* "church discipline is the process of correcting sin in the life of the congregation and its members". Initially, the one being corrected is approached with the exhortation to repent of current sinful behavior. If the individual does not listen, two or more church members confront the individual, urging repentance. In its final, formal, and public stage, church discipline could involve removing the unrepentant congregant from membership in the church. The role of counselor does not submit to the authority of the church. It is not the counselor's responsibility to initiate or contribute to the process of church discipline, therefore confidentiality is not an opposing force to this process. In fact, the counselor has the ethical obligation of respecting and upholding confidentiality of the client...And the only time this confidentiality should be breeched is for the imminent, physical safety of those involved. Counseling could be viewed as a part of this repentance process. The person's way of coping (addictions, maladaptive behavior) is no longer working for them, so they are seeking help. The therapeutic relationship between counselor and client can work in conjunction with that process of church discipline without breaking confidentiality. -There's a strong biblical counseling vs counseling, MAC vs. MDiv the goal is the same. Wholeness is the goal for all. -Render to Caesar what is Caesar's. -It's ethics AND legalities. We still have to operate under HIPAA etc. Have to abide by both. We could lose our license etc. -Love is the motivation behind confidentiality so they can share fully and move towards healing and repentance. -I encourage the Ct to disclose when they need to. But I'm going to give them some time to get there. Can you trust me? I'm not going to turn around and call you the next day. -If repentance is coming from a place -What are the things you are most afraid of that you would want me to share.

Q 8 Conceptually and practically speaking, how is counseling a non-Christian different from counseling a Christian? What does evangelism look like in the context of counseling a non-Christian? (Faith)

*While they will be manifested differently, our beliefs will be evident regardless of whether we're working with Christian client or not. For example, we can use language that isn't necessarily Scripture, but speaks the same truths. As counselors, we will counsel from a place we believe is truth because the holy spirit is within us. With a Christian client, I may address wickedness; weakness; woundedness; and warfare in a client, but I would likely only addressing weakness and woundedness with the non-Christian client.* conceptually and practically similar. In general, a client seeks counseling with some outcome in mind, and the counselor joins the client in a limited, professional relationship to aid the client in meeting her outcome with an emotional, cognitive, behavioral, cultural, and spiritual integrity that aligns with and respects the client's values...wickedness; weakness; woundedness; and warfare ... Wickedness refers to one's sinful defiance from God. Weakness refers to one's fallen state of pain, conflict, and mortality, wherein she constantly encounters strife and illness (physical or mental). Woundedness refers to the wounds one endures from other persons, whether abusive or neglectful. Lastly, warfare refers to spiritual warfare... she might overtly address all four categories with the Christian client, while likely only addressing weakness and woundedness with the non-Christian client - potentially including wickedness as "evil versus good," etc. ... Regardless of the counselor's beliefs and values, the counselor's aim is not to convert the client to the counselor's belief system. Ethically, the counselor is prohibited from imposing her own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors onto her client ... This ethical obligation clashes with Christian evangelism, which is the explicit sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the purpose of conversion... Instead, the licensed counselor aims to address the wellness of persons beyond the realm of the sufficiency of Scripture (salvation and the Christian life) - meaning the counseling profession must be informed by general revelation (e.g., science, research, theoretical frameworks) as well. In the same way that someone can significantly suffer and die from a physical illness despite her salvation, someone can likewise significantly suffer and die from mental illness despite her salvation. ...each person would eternally benefit from saving faith in Jesus Christ, her personal beliefs ought not clash with her ethical obligation. Yet, the counselor can still bear witness to Christ and his character through the counseling relationship, bringing "the life and love of Jesus Christ into flesh and blood realities" We are allowed to share with gospel with our clients, but that's not the point of counseling....So someone who is working themselves to the bone, we can ask them how that's working out for them...They don't have another choice if they've tried everything. Any other religion is going to tell them to continue working... How we conceptualize clients and hope for them. We're stewards of common grace. Sometimes we can speak to them almost as if they were a believer, because they're an image bearer. They'll know us by our love. When someone has been kind to you in a way that no one has ever been kind before. The Holy Spirit IS there. We want the person to be exposed to who I am as a Christian. This doesn't necessarily have to mean laying out the pathway to the gospel (Good Samaritan, attending to physical needs). We want the nature of the way we engage people to reflect who we are as a believer in Christ. We want to heighten their longings and expose their counterfeit desires and meet some felt needs that are going to benefit them at some level. "God is the one who satisfies the passion for justice, the longing for spirituality, the hunger for relationship, the yearning for beauty. And God, the true God, is the God we see in Jesus of Nazareth, Israel's Messiah, the world's true Lord." NT Wright If I ask the Holy Spirit he will guide, and the rest is up to him.

Q 27 Name three strengths and three concerns about "Biblical Counseling" in the CCEF (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation) and/or ACBC (Association of Certified Biblical Counselors) models of counseling? (Ashley)

-biblical questions, opportunity for evangelism, can imporve relaitonship with god, someone who would be nervous to see a clinical counselor may see a biblical counselor limiting or narrow view, can't diagnose mental illness, not necessarily using evidence based tools, can dismiss mental health issues. can be damaging if someone has been spiritually abused in the past. non christians won;t see biblical counselor -biblical counseling can be helpful for processing, someone might not feel comfortable. -biblical counseling does not equal harm. -mechanic isn't going to go to the bible to fix a car. -stengths and weakness of each. -the more you tudy the bible, the more we realize it speaks to a lot more than we think it does. there are good and bad mental health counselors, there are good and bad biblical counselors. we need both. we value both which is why we're integrationists. -non christians aren't going to go to a biblical counselor, but they may see an LMHC and be exposed to the word of god. -there are different camps of biblical counseling. if you come as a nonchristian, the first you may hear is the gospel. -charlotte campus. trained by j adams older guy, does bible studies, id sin, repent, obey. other guy is far more nuanced and open -biblical and pastoral counseling (seeing your pastor, they may have taken 2 classes, more limited in scope and time frame...OR a certification in pastoral counseling in which they have more training in counseling.

Q 22 What are your larger counseling goals in working with a person navigating with same-sex attraction? (Sam)

-is exploring ssa imprtant to them? -how did they come to conclusions about ssa (exploring sexual template). is it a romantic desire or a desire for belonging (explore attachment). were these decisions made out of woundings or self-exploration? Creating a safe space by normalizing sexual attraction and understanding where they've been wounded and what needs are not being met. respect their dignity and promote their welfare. create a safe and welcoming environment where someone can feel seen and understood and experience this in an authentic way. curiosity towards this individual's understanding of their sexuality, how it came to be and whether or not exploring this issue is part of their overall goals it is not up to the counselor to preemptively provide these goals for their clients, but instead to give space for the client to address these issues and provide clarity for what they are seeking for themselves. When processing a client's sexual identity, orientation, or sexual interests as a counselor, you want to learn about your client's worldview and how it interacts with their perspective on sexuality. naturalism, humanism, and pluralism. A naturalist understanding is that there is no reality apart from what exists in nature or what is observable in nature. A naturalist sees sexuality as a natural drive that is biological in nature and not inherently special or meaningful. A humanist sees humans as being of the utmost significance and often views sexuality as a means to an end with the ultimate goal of achieving happiness or satisfaction by whatever means necessary. A pluralist sees the world and acknowledges that there are many beliefs and values, as well as moral and ethical claims, that can all coexist without one being deemed truer than the others. Sexuality to a pluralist is specific to the individual's understanding of what feels correct according to their view. be aware of—and avoid imposing—our own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors on our clients. It is not the counselor's role to convict our clients of their sin, but to gently invite them to learn more about themselves and how their experiences may have influenced them and their story. -Don't assume they're "struggling" with sexuality -Naturalism, humanism, pluralism -There are often major attachment issues, create a safer relationship -So many have been hurt in the church. Talk about this. -We need to understand our own sexuality -Curiosity. how did they come to these conclusions? Is it about belonging? Do we know how to sit well in singleness -Would you help with loving spouse and family well even if they're in a same sex marriage -Jackie Hill Perry. -No one is straight sexually, everyone has sexual sin. It's not what defined them, there's more to them. Because same sex attraction is the sin of the day, we need to really love people well. -The ways we make marriage the utmost. The singles and non singles need community. -There's an exalted place for celibacy in the Catholic church. not in the protestant church. Most churches are organized around families.

Q 23 In the context of a counseling session an adult female client reports being lured into a sexual relationship with your pastor or elder in your church. What would you do? What safeguards could church-based counselors take to prevent "all appearances of evil," and conduct yourself in manner that is "above reproach." (Stewart)

Focus on crisis stabilization, is she safe? Acknowledging the courage to bring up the issue. Validation? Help them develop a voice and make decisions about how to move forward. Bringing in a third party. Preparing ct for what could happen. First, care, attention, and empathy must immediately be given to the client reporting the sexual relationship. How is she? What does she need? Is she safe? Has she been harmed physically? Does she feel that she will be harmed physically? In a sense, a counselor must first "triage" the situation and "check for immediate bleeding." acknowledgement of the bravery and the vast range of emotions the client must be feeling help them make decisions about what legal steps need to be taken and what self-care steps are wise. by law, adult abuse victims must make their own decision to report the abuse to civil authorities (also see Romans 13). we must do the opposite of the abuser. We must provide them a place where their voice, actions, and choices are not silenced but celebrated. As bad as one would want to, a counselor must remember that the "consent of the individual is vital to their healing." the term "above reproach" comes from Scripture where Paul to Timothy writes of what an overseer must 3 be in terms of his character as he strives to lead the church. Most notably to this question, the next part of that verse states that this pastor must be "faithful to his wife" in which the abusing pastor, if found guilty, is immediately disqualified pastorally. Paul provides a way in which this goes about in 1 Timothy 5. But the question asks about safeguarding particularly the counselor, their practice, and their reputation as a follower of Jesus. Above all, a church must first elect biblical pastors A continual seeking the Lord for help and asking the Spirit to continue to regenerate the heart will overtime show the fruit of the Spirit. Second, one must have a plan. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Being "above reproach" requires that a church not be perfect, but walk in wisdom by doing their due diligence to an issue that is already rampant within our society. There are multiple organizations that the church can partner with to train their staff and volunteers in the hopes of preventing an abuse situation and what to do if it does happen. "The church is called by God to tend his lambs. We are not called to protect our institutions nor do we protect the name of the God of truth by covering up sin and/or a crime. -Triage the woman to make sure she's safe. -How do we deal with our own sexual counter-transference -Helping ct develop own voice, bringing in elders. signing confidentiality statement. preparing them for what could happen. If it's elders, bring in a woman that is strustworthy. Good churches want the truth. -training church staff up to know how to handle. -if a client wants to speak about it, a third party should be able to come in to advocate -Mat 18, 1 Tim 5 never go away. You can't bring a charge without 2-3 witnesses. So that a painful situation doesn't become even more painful. The processes have to be married. -you can't call the abuse hotline because that's breaking confidentiality. If you wanted to talk to someone outside of the counseling process, you need an ROI or consult and get supervision without identifying details. -Be CAREFUL about your reactivity. If you react out of anger, you may take some missteps in terms of the way you respond. Spend time understanding her and the situation. What do you know about the church leadership. There could be a whole narcissistic system within the church. Know the context. -Ideally you want the elders to be the safest people. Unfortunately that's not always the case so we've developed caution around that of bringing a third party in.

Q 24 A client is struggling with abuse from her past. She feels guilty because she feels angry with God but thinks this is sinful. How do you respond to her concern? (Abi)

God can handle your anger. He gave us the psalms in whuch David often expressed anger and we know that God provided the psalms as a template for expressing emotion. It's important to be honest about how we are feeling. Not acknowledging when we are angry is sinful. John Piper once said, "If you sin by being angry with God, don't add to it the sin of trying to conceal it from him. That would double the offense" (Piper, 2000). Anger at God is sinful if in the anger a person is accusing God of being what He is not - unfaithful, unkind, unjust. And yet, God wants people to bring their anger at Him to Him, and humbly acknowledging a person's anger at God is the beginning of growing in intimacy with God. "Very often, one's anger at God is actually evidence of how important God is to you" (Young, 2018). Sometimes people are angry at God because they feel He has failed them as a God by not protecting them or abandoning them. They feel God has failed in who they believe God to be. By exploring what exactly they are angry at God for, a person can understand what they believe to be true of God's character and how they feel God has failed them. The Bible seems to encourage people to do this by giving numerous examples of people expressing their unfiltered anger toward God, as Job does inBy giving us Job the Psalms, and Lamentations, God gives us language to feel and express our anger toward Him (Young). A person can either express their anger to God or hold it within themselves in bitterness toward God. Being honest with God is the only way to truly commune with God. Anger with God may be sin, and, thankfully, Jesus is a friend to sinners who calls people to come to Him, the conqueror of sin and death so that we might have life.

Q 19 A person who has been faithfully following Christ for 20 years yet still struggles with "X" sin asks you, "Do people ever really change?" What is your response? What hinders or stops people from changing? (Morgan)

How is this particular sin serving, protecting, or comforting you? Paul's thorn in his side but we still want to fight. Just because we continue to struggle doesn't mean there's not change. We grade change based on our expectations of ourselves and how we feel about others. A homeless man sharing alcohol after becoming a Christian. God is the creator, redeemer, and restorer of all things. He desires for us to be made whole again. He is the active agent by the work of the Holy Spirit that institutes change in our lives through justification, sanctification, and glorification. It is ultimately through His engagement with us that change happens. Ephesians 2:17-18 says, "He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." God came down to be in relationship and it is within the context of relationship with God that we grow in godliness to become more like Christ. As God moves towards us and is patient, loving, kind, and gracious we experience freedom in Christ so that we begin to grow and change. As Christian counselors and ministers of the gospel we have the opportunity to join with Christ in his mission as we participate in the change that God enacts. We do this by honoring Him and responding with obedience because of our gratitude to the grace and mercy he offers us. As counselors we do this practically with our clients by modeling Christ-likeness through compassionately suffering with others and providing a patient presence to consistently give perspective of who God is and what he has done in them. In the counseling room we offer our therapeutic presence and by sitting with, as God sits with us in our sin and within the mess, we are able to challenge people to move towards wholeness. -How is a particular sin serving or helping us. -God uses our sin to bring us to him. -Continuing to struggle with something doesn't mean growth and change isn't happening. -We can learn how to respond to the flesh in different ways and that's growth. -We grow more aware of our sinfulness as we are sanctified. -People are afraid to say that if you deal with -If there's a belief that we don't struggle with besetting sins, we won't be able to live vulnerably. -We grade change based on our expectations of ourselves and how we feel about others. A homeless man sharing alcohol after becoming a Christian. Have an eye for the baby steps. You may hear the chorus again, but you are still moving through the song. -I hate the consequences and the shame of the sin, but it's protecting me or helping me somehow. Because if I have to repent of the sin, I have to look at the pain underneath.

Q 28 From a Christian perspective evaluate the role of 12-step programs in healing from addictions. For Christian clients would you recommend AA/NA or Celebrate Recovery? (Barb)

I would highly recommend 12-step programs to Christians due to the effectiveness, their consistency with the Christian worldview, and its ability to reinforce the role of the spiritual in the process of healing from addiction. have stood the test of time for 75 years. Discourages white knuckling due to reliance on higher power. Structured. not a threat to an orthodox Christian worldview or a healthy walk with Jesus. AA was invented by a Christian organization called the Oxford Group and its current format is consistent with these Christian roots while being flexibly adaptive to believers of different religions robust attestation of human thriving under godly truth to the very accuracy of the truths being tested. Many of the steps explicitly mention the role of a Higher Power in restoring us to sanity, caring for our lives, removing our shortcomings, and working out a plan for our lives. "carry our own load" as well as "carry each others' burdens" in love when we can (p. 68). may even magnify the spiritual activity involved in one's healing from addiction that may go unnoticed otherwise. Common alternative solutions to addictions such as white-knuckling through cold-turkey methods, relying on accountability partners, or weaning and medication may be helpful, but can be easily confused with or even subsumed by relying on the power of the flesh to kill the sin of or free us from the bondage of addiction. -can bring you back to the spiritual and the healing rather than just muscling through. there's a lot of order and structure. the heart of eft is bringing chaos into order. so much of an addict's life is chaos -celebrate recovery does not allow you to do cross talk. Tell Cts to try 3 different groups because some are great, some are wacko. Same with celebrate recovery (hurts, hangups, and habits), even though they're using the same curriculum. AA and NA would be more (see CSAT from ...there's not a lot of love for OA in the eating disorder world because we all have to eat. we don't want to reinforce rigidity. some people will find it helpful, and for those with an eating disorder, there won't be a recovery food. 12 step is better for process addictions, what does it mean for a sex addict to be abstinent. AA can feel safer because there are more boundaries. Feel out where the good meetings are. -It's kind of up to them. Scott thinks 12 steps are very helpful and necessary BUT they need more than the 12 step and can usually benefit from individual or couples counseling as well.

Q 26 What is your understanding of shame and guilt? What is the relationship of shame to idolatry? (Anna)

Shame has been defined as the belief that you are bad, whereas, guilt is defined as the belief that you did something bad (Brown, 2021). "Shame has the power to steal our breath and smother us with condemnation, rejection, and disgust" (Holcomb, 2017). "Guilt is based on the concrete fact of the human condition: God made us and requires us to be perfect, but because of original sin, we have all broken his commands. We stand guilty because of something we have done" (Holcomb, 2017). not out goal to take away shame but recognize the sorrow of what has been done and make peace with it. Bauman (2018) believes that there is both toxic shame and healthy shame. "Toxic shame brings humiliation and healthy shame brings humility" (Bauman, 2018). my goal is to engage the shame that is there. This allows the client to experience the depths of their sorrow as they open up their hearts and experience the goodness of being seen and known. -viewing shame as only bad can lead to shamelessness. the shame that brings humiliation also brings humility. making peace with the shame and allowing the sorrow of what has been done to be felt. toxic shame vs humility. -using IFS with shame. -the covering of shame and how loving that can be, someone who sees your shortcomings and places honor in the face of that, even in the midst of something shameful and healthy. prodigal's son. -inviting people into your shame. people use shame as teaching methods. it's about control and based in fear. -what are you going to do with your shame. someone can shame us, but at some point we choose to carry it ourselves. grieving what he has done actually vs just feeling the shame. sometimes we don't need to immediately cover the shame, we need to feel the sorrow. The shame invited you to the sorrow. -shame and idolatry. -someone shames us and we feel bad about who we are . but it can be good because if austin trips over something, and he feels ashamed because how we view him. giving us a right to determine who he is as a human being.

Q 21 What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the counseling process? (Robyn)

The holy spirit was on the scene with the ct long before we were. He is with the ct in the trauma and the pain and the healing. Paying attention to the holy spirits prompting and asking for clarity in understanding its will. This applies to both christian and non-christian cts because the hs is always with us. we're never alone. the work of the Spirit is considered deeply intertwined in the processes of healing, growth, and transformation in everyday life. The foundation of the Christian life is that the Spirit lives within and makes his dwelling within all believers uniting them with Christ and his work on the cross. While the divine nature of the Spirit leaves much mystery in the understanding of his exact workings within the hearts of people, the Holy Spirit can work through the personal faith and sanctification of the counselor and the experience of revelation and self-awareness of the client throughout the counseling process. When looking at the person of the counselor, it would be hard to divorce the counselor's everyday relationship with the Spirit from how the Spirit works within the counselor in the counseling room...The power of God is made perfect in the weaknesses of man which gives the counselor the freedom to surrender to the work of the Spirit's power, the Spirit's truth, and the Spirit's fruit. ...this can look like the counselor interceding on behalf of their client in prayer, trusting that the Spirit will guide them in truth, wisdom, discernment, and understanding as they work through the case conceptualization of a client, or choosing to respond to a difficult client in a Christlike manner. ...Spirit is also at work within the client. If the client is a Christian, the Holy Spirit's work can look much like the work of surrender and sanctification of every believer. ...However, regardless of faith, the Spirit can also move within a client by bringing powerful experiences of revelation and healing through common grace which could eventually lead to the softening of the heart to the revelation of God -Plead with the holy spirit to help. -Trusting your gut... -The Holy Spirit is with the person even as they endure trauma. -Romans 8:26, groanings too deep for words. -Living out of the Holy Spirit is living out of the truth of who God made us to be which is why it's important -We can't separate the Holy Spirit from God -We're not inviting God into the pain, he's already there.

Q 18 What are the important elements of your theology of change in the context of counseling? (Meli)

We change because of who God is as our creator, redeemer, and restorer. sanctification through God's Word and his people. -How does transformation happen for someone who isn't in Christ--common grace...Challenging them to move towards wholeness, out of isolation and into change. There's overlap between theology of change and theory of change as integrationists. Remembering-people has to remember their stories and process them or they won't change, and it must happen in relationships. heart change vs bx change. -You can look at the client's relationship with self, others, and God. -Change can happen especially as clients are doing work outside of the counseling room. -We offer both grace and truth over time in relationship. -There's an opportunity for things to be different, even outside of life in Christ. -The fear that if someone really could see me, they would leave. There is space in counseling for change, so they don't have to stay there, they can move. -There's overlap between theology of change and theory of change as integrationists. How does God use the counseling -Holy Spirit -We are created to change, but God isn't. God is calling us to change so we must change. -Choosing life in the face of death is dignity -Remembering-people has to remember their stories and process them or they won't change, and it must happen in relationships -They want to know that primarily, you hold God as the changer. You could speak to a specific theory. (see Scott's email)

Q 17 What is the significance of understanding humanity's dignity and depravity in counseling? (Megan)

We need to tell the whole story. Dignity, or having the state of being of value, full of goodness, and worthy of respect and protection, is inherent to mankind because people are made in the image of God. Depravity, the state of fallenness and wickedness, is inherent to mankind because of the introduction of original sin and the subsequent Fall of man. Counselors must understand both dignity and depravity in order to deal with and understand people honestly and holistically. Counselors are given a unique peek into a client's life and if they are to engage the whole person, they must see how dignity and depravity dance interictally in the stories and person of the client. To only focus on a client's goodness and dignity, with purposeful neglect of his or her depravity, is insincere and unkind because harm and opportunities for growth and healing are often found in how one's depravity plays itself out. Depravity, simply being the fallenness of mankind, shows up in every corner of a client's life. This includes their expression of emotion, relationships with others, understanding of self, reasoning ability, expectations, coping skills, addictions, abuse, etc. Out of a desire for the client to flourish, counselors must recognize the ways that the client's depravity is causing them and others difficulty and harm. Secondly, opportunities for healing and growth are often found in the stories of the depravity of those who have done harm to the client. Counselors need to be able to see and name, when appropriate, the harm and impact that others have had on the client. To only focus on a client's depravity is to miss an opportunity to relish in their inescapable goodness and to see how God created the client to image Him in a unique way. God created mankind in His image (English Standard Version Bible, 2001, Genesis 1:27) and likeness. -if you're just looking at someone's dignity and ignoring their depravity, you're not honoring them. -it's unkind not to focus on depravity. -healing and growth can happen through addressing depravity -when you see hope, longing, or desire, this is prob -Dignity-is this coming from a place of love. -Do we know how to have celebration session? -There's an inherent dignity in people coming into counseling. -There's a lot more than the saved and the unsaved -Trying to get desires met but apart from god -Acknowledge the good that's there and this can help them transition into the hard. -When you acknowledge both, the client gets to be fully known.

Q 25 What is the role of forgiveness in counseling? What does forgiveness look like? What is the relationship between forgiveness and reconciliation? (Anita)

forgiveness is canceling the debt...letting go of the pain that has been done to them along with the bitterness and the grudge they hold over another person. it looks different for different peopl.e it's not about forgetting reconcilliation is "developing positive feelings as well as feelings of goodwill toward an offender" it may or may not happen. repairing the relationship in order to forgive we must understand the depth of the harm. negative impact of holding ontobitterness. According to the Bible, forgiveness is canceling the debt of sin that either we have committed toward God or that a person has committed toward another. In relation to people, it can look like letting go of the pain that has been done to them along with the bitterness and the grudge they hold over another person. Jesus commands us as Christians to forgive as the Lord has forgiven us "letting go of negative feelings and the desire for revenge," and the theologians agreed that it also involves "developing positive feelings as well as feelings of goodwill toward an offender" Forgiveness exists on a continuum with subjective forgiveness on one end and relational forgiveness on the other, where subjective forgiveness involves inner healing, and relational forgiveness involves restoring the offender and reconciling the relationship The role of forgiveness in counseling is to help a client recognize the harm that has been done to them and thereby get to a place of integration and health so that they aren't suppressing their emotions in regards to the harm that's been done to them. The suppression of emotions can lead to somaticization through headaches, stomach pains, and other stress related symptoms. In the counseling room, the process of forgiveness looks like "bringing things into the light" by allowing the client an opportunity to name the specific ways in which they have been harmed by their offender (Young, 2018). Through this process, the counselor helps the client recognize how the harm continues to affect them. As the saying goes, "hurt people hurt people," and they can understand how the harm done has affected their other relationships and the way they see themselves. This needs to be done in a safe way so as not to relive their trauma all over again, especially in cases of abuse. If a client is in a state of dysregulation as they talk about the harm done to them, the counselor can help them become regulated and engage their right brain through mindfulness exercises and emotional attunement. Although forgiveness and reconciliation are often conflated together, they are actually separate processes that can occur one apart from the other (Frise and McMinn, 2010). Forgiveness is on the onus of the offended. Reconciliation, on the other and, is contingent upon the actions of the offender. If the offender is wicked, evil, or unrepentant, reconciliation may not be realistic nor possible. The potential for reconciliation depends on "the attitude of the offender, the depth of the betrayal, and the pattern of offense" (Cornell, 2012). The counseling process allows an opportunity to name how they've been hurt by their offender even if it's just in admitting this to themselves. There is power in naming and admitting the offenses out loud. A person can control forgiveness on their end but they cannot control whether reconciliation will ever happen. However, they can choose to take steps toward forgiveness and choose to not deaden their heart and their desire for reconciliation and for broken relationships to be restored, whether on earth or on the other side of heaven. In the meantime, we can trust in our God who loves justice and we can long for the day when our relationships with him and with each other will be made new -People somatisize their trauma, and this can happen with bitterness. -Forgiveness looks different for different people in different situations. -Reconciliation is contingient on the other person. God cares deeply about reconciliation. Reconciliation and forgiveness is an opportunity to fight the forces of evil. We want the person to be reconciled to God. -letting go of negative feelings and desire of revenge developing positive regard for them. -we may feel sadness or empathy toward the person -a desire for justice toward the offender, but it can also be for their good. punishment can be a positive thing that can bring repentance and healing. -you have to be name how you've been hurt, how it has impacted you, how it has impacted your body. there's an inward process and a relational process. -HAving good will toward someone is allowing them to re reconciled to God. -Forgiveness is layered. They have to name what they're losing, what is costs them to forgive. -Forgiveness is an option, why does it sounds impossible. -What are the negative impacts of holding onto anger/bitterness. -Can a nonbeliever forgive if they don't have the spirit in them, but they could. they don't have the context for godly justice. -forgiving is not forgetting. As believers we're called to remember. There is pain, but God is working through that. -he will remember your sins no more is not about God forgetting, but about him canceling the debt. -nonbeliever, how much of the love written on the heart of a nonbeliever. -the degree to which we name and feel the offense is the degree we can forgive. many people don't want to do that. (see scott's email). then reflect on the heart response to the pain (revenve etc), and help them wrestle with that and move toward repentance if necessary. Their own need for forgiveness is understanding how they have been forgiven.

Q 29 A pastor asks you if you, as a counselor, are an integrationist. How would you respond? (Cassidy)

working with integrity, seeking to interpret everything through a biblical lens. gives a framework for how people get into trouble and how they get better. attachment and the bible. "integration of Christianity and psychology (or any area of "secular thought") is our living out — in this particular area — of the lordship of Christ over all of existence by our giving his special revelation — God's true word — it's appropriate place of authority in determining our fundamental beliefs about and practices toward all of reality and toward our academic subject matter in particular." To elaborate, as an integrationist, I pursue integrity as a counselor as I counsel as a Christian while still incorporating resources from modern psychology in my work with clients. Integration is not to meld the two (faith and psychology) together equally. I aim for my Christian faith to be the foundation of all I believe, think, and do as a person and a counselor. I seek to interpret all else — psychology, theoretical approaches, research — through a biblical lens. I have a Helper who I invite into the room with me before each session that I believe enacts the true change in my client's hearts. Psychology can offer strategic help to a Christian counselor in terms of how to diagnose mental health concerns, lay out a treatment plan, and different methods and modalities of counseling. For one, an interpersonal and attachment-informed model of therapy can be well integrated with the Christian faith. Attachment needs speak to the dignity in the ways humans were made, in the image of a relational God. Attachment points us to interpersonal repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation through its focus, not on relational or parenting perfection, but its concept of repair.