WHAT IS BIBLICAL COUNSELING?

What is Biblical Counseling?

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Biblical counseling is counseling that's based upon the teachings of God not man (Sigmund Freud, B.F. Skinner, etc. who were atheists). It is counseling that uses only the Scriptures (The Holy Bible) as a way to understand and bring about answers to real issues in our everyday life.

Biblical counseling is not "integrated" counseling, where counselors who believe in the Bible have "integrated" their secular degrees and training with what's written in Scripture and then begin applying it to people who are broken and deeply hurting. Trying to mix secular psychology with authentic Biblical counseling is like mixing oil with water...it does not and never will mix.

It is written:

"My ways are not your ways, and My thoughts are not your thoughts. As higher than the heavens are from the earth, that much higher are My thoughts and My ways from your ways." Isaiah 55:8

"What is foolishness to God is wisdom to man; what is wisdom to man is foolishness to God." 1st Corinthians 3:20

Secular counseling to human problems mainly focus on the "symptom" of the problem...not the "root" cause of it. Biblical counseling "targets" the true source, the "root" of the problem...the heart/mind. If the heart/mind is not targeted then how can true healing, and change begin?

The Father who is the Creator does NOT think like us...His creation. GOD is "Spirit" and we are "human" therefore His thoughts and ways will definitely be in direct opposition to ours.

The Bible speaks about the heart:

"The heart is wicked and deceitful, who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9

In my counseling I use the "Old" and the "New" Testament; no one ever begins reading a book from the middle...truth, wisdom and healing is not found in the New Testament only, but in both books, and they are connected...you can't have one without the other. Therefore I believe that you're important enough to receive ALL that comes from the ENTIRE book!

So in the end of the matter, there are only two obvious alternatives in which people could be counseled...GOD's way or man's way. If you're sincere about wanting to be healed, wanting to change for the better, wanting to become whole, then Biblical counseling is what you need.

What is a Biblical Counselor?

A biblical counselor is one who helps people overcome problems, challenges and issues in their lives by focusing on principles from the Bible. Biblical counselors help individuals deal with problems such as infidelity, depression, anxiety and abuse, by providing diagnosis and treatment based on the Bible, rather than on psychotherapy techniques. Simply put, a Biblical Counselor is a faithful teacher and doer of the word of God and a believer in The Messiah, who counsels individuals accordingly.

What does Counseling Involve?

Counseling is a joint process between counselor and counselee who work together on mutually agreed upon goals. Participation in counseling is and must be voluntary, as it is only effective when both counselee and counselor are actively striving together for the counselee's progress and happiness. It is important to realize that participation in counseling can involve discussing things that may sometimes upset you. However, that is a necessary part of the process, and will be kept to a minimum as much as possible, with a focus on your strengths and progress being primary.

The Goal of Biblical Counseling

The goal of Biblical counseling is a "HEART-CHANGE." The goal is to assist the counselee in redirecting their focus and heart onto God and off of the cares of the world. Biblical counseling assists one in making their journey back to their first love...GOD.