Christi an Counselling Christian Counselling, also known as biblical counselling and Christian psychology, combines your faith with the principles of psychology to improve your mental health and relationships.
The truth is, when you are in the midst of troubling life events like the death of a loved one or pet, the loss of a job, declining health, financial problems, and/or relationship issues, a strong and resilient faith may be just what is missing from your life. The ultimate goal of Christian counselling is to help Christians identify behaviours that are inconsistent with God’s teachings, so they can become more accepting of God’s will – even
Christi an Counselling How Did Christian Counselling Begin? The root of Christian counselling lies within biblical accounts. Jay E. Adams, the founder of the Biblical Counselling Movement, discussed this faith-based approach to treating mental health conditions, relationship/adjustment issues, trauma, emotional distress, abuse, addiction, etc., in his novel, Competent to Counsel. This approach was quite controversial because it differed from the more popular therapy approaches of the time. But, by the late 1960s and 1970s, this new form of counselling took off only to later become one of the most popular therapy options for Christians, and those who want to include their faith in the therapy process. In 1968, the Christian Counselling & Educational Foundation was formed to provide present-day and future Christian counsellors with guidelines on how to properly treat those seeking a faith-based therapy approach.
Christi an Counselling Who Can Practice Christian Counselling? Psychologists of any specialty, counsellors, pastors, reverends, religious leaders, clinical social workers, etc. can practice Christian counselling, however, they must have a master’s degree or Ph.D. in counselling, psychology, Christian counselling, or another mental health discipline in order to treat people. They must also be licensed to practice or provide counselling to clients. However, an individual, who would like to provide Christian counselling to others, but only has a bachelor degree may still be able to practice by graduating from a Christian counselling certificate program. This program teaches future Christian counsellors how to properly use the basic principles of the Bible in the counselling sessions, the importance of family therapy, and how to help clients get the maximum benefit out of rehabilitative counselling.
Christi an Counselling What Issues Do Christian Counsellors Address? The goal of Christian counsellors is to use faith-based principles and psychological instruction to help people better manage and/or resolve any issues in their lives. More specifically, these mental health professionals not only assess, diagnose, and treat mental illnesses, they also teach clients coping skills, so they can better adjust to any changes that may occur in their lives.
Christi an Counselling Goals of Christian Counselling: As mentioned above Christian counsellors treat a wide variety of issues, so clients set a wide range of goals, ranging from adjustment issues to mental illnesses. Listed below are some of the most common issues and goals of counselling: Conquering Marital Problems
Christian counselling places a great deal of value on the sacrament of marriage. When a couple enters a marriage, they are making a commitment to love and honor one another for life. In the Christian faith, divorce is not seen as an option, so couples are encouraged to work through any problems together in marital counselling, rather than giving up on their marriages.
Coping with Parenting Challenges
While gratifying, raising children is not easy. As a parent, you will experience many upsand-downs, joys, and frustrations – that’s normal. In fact, there may be times when raising your child is extremely challenging, which is where a Christian counsellor can come into play.
Christi an Counselling Goals of Christian Counselling: He/she can guide you on your parenting journey. However, if your parenting challenges are more in-depth or severe like mental illness, physical ailments, learning disabilities, bullying, eating disorders, and/or developmental challenges, you may be referred to a therapist or psychiatrist. Support For Mental Health Conditions Having a mental illness is hard enough without having to deal with it alone. Counselling helps those with mental illnesses by providing them with support and an outlet to express their feelings. With Christian counselling, you learn how to accept that you are a Child of God – just like everyone else. It is this understanding that provides you with some much-needed comfort and solace when you need it the most.
Christi an Counselling Goals of Christian Counselling: Recovering From Grief & Loss The death of a loved one is heart-breaking, and the grieving period can seem never-ending. But, for many, this is the time they lean most heavily on their faith to help them get through this taxing time. However, sometimes the grief is just too deep to find the Light of God. Healing From Substance Abuse & Addiction Seeking help for addiction requires courage. But, admitting that you have a problem with drugs, alcohol, and/or gambling is often the first step in receiving the help you need to turn your life around. Once you admit that you need help, a Christian counsellor can provide you with the support you need to kick your “habit.�
Christi an Counselling Who Should Seek Christian Counselling? Anyone, who is experiencing psychological or health issues should seek Christian counselling. It is important to understand that Christian counselling does not centre on one particular problem, concern, or mental illness, rather, the goal of this type of counselling is to address a broad range of personal, relationship, parent-child, social, and mental health issues. Reasons why you should seek Christian counselling include: • • • • • • • •
Relationship, parent-child, or marital issues Parenting guidance Mental illness or psychological distress Grief and loss Poor goal-setting skills Low self-esteem and self-confidence Weak faith and/or a poor connection to God Substance abuse or addiction
Christi an Counselling Why Innovative Counselling Solutions? We are one of the few counselling providers in the Greater Calgary area that have experience as trained pastors and licensed psychologists, with decades of combined experience providing comprehensive counselling solutions to those that are struggling.
We Provide: • • •
Confidentiality Spiritual and Emotional Guidance Well Rounded Christian Support
We know how much of a struggle it can be to maintain your faith and your beliefs in today’s high stress world, as well as what it takes to overcome many of life’s challenges. If you are in need of Christian counselling or therapy solutions, contact Innovative Counselling Solutions today and start healing your spirit and your mind today.
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