Biblical counseling is not about hitting people over the head with the Bible or forcing religious dogma on a client. Still, Christian counseling is different from traditional counseling or even counseling from a traditional therapist who happens to be a Christian.

All traditional (secular) approaches to counseling makes use of human reason to solve problems and restore relationships. And, while Christian counseling employs many of the time-tested therapeutic techniques of traditional counseling, it offers the superior benefit of bringing God’s Word into the mix. Applying Scripture to a difficult situation leads to meaningful, permanent, and positive change in the human heart. The timeless comfort and instruction of Scripture gives true Christian counseling a therapeutic effect traditional techniques alone can never offer.

Think of it in the context of the traditional view of humankind. It has been said for centuries that humans exist simultaneously in three dimensions: body, mind, and spirit. Traditional counseling works in the body and mind, but many of the problems that bring people to counseling have their roots in deep wounding of the human spirit. In that sense, traditional counseling speaks to the effects of the wounding, while Biblical counseling gets to the heart of the wounding to achieve lasting healing.

Who can be helped by Biblical counseling?

People can be helped who are experiencing any of the following…

•     Difficulty with their relationships, including those with family, friends, co-workers, and God Himself.
•     Difficulty making sense out of life, and seeing evidence their own life isn’t being managed well.
•     Difficulty controlling their behaviors, such that the things they do and say are counter to what they know to be right and healthy.
•     Difficulty keeping their moods and emotions on a positive, even footing.

What about healing prayer?

Healing prayer is a key component in restoring human lives through Christian counseling. Healing prayer has a capacity for healing of body, mind, and spirit that far exceeds that of traditional counseling. With prayer, Jesus is established as the “senior partner” on the counseling team and brings the healing power of forgiveness, restoration of relationships, and that peace which transcends our circumstances.