Pondering the basic principles of Christian counseling at Christian Counselling Centers?

This article answers all the questions you may have.

Amidst deep life troubling events ranging from personal life issues, health and financial problems to relationship issues; a persistent faith through Christian counseling may be just what you need but if done right using the following principles!

The basic principles of Christian counseling are presented from a biblical and practical point of view.

It is an approach is intended to be a guide for those who want to successfully counsel others at Christian Counselling Centers,

Christian counseling is based on the Bible and provides hope in times of despair and happiness in times of misery.

It may also prove useful to those who want some counseling or simply desire to learn how the Bible applies to their lives.

The principles are not intended to be a set of rules, nor are they written for an individual's situation, but rather for all people in general; however, if these principles do not apply specifically to your situation, then it is up to you to seek the proper counsel from someone with the appropriate credentials.

Counseling Services at Christian Counseling Centers (Basic Principles)

Most Christian counselors at various Christian counseling centers who also often double as pastors sometimes wonder what are the best principles to adhere to while counseling people?

They don't want to talk too much and at the same time, they want to relate with the person to be able to come off as being able to solve their problems through the guidance of Jesus Christ. So what exactly are the basic principles of Christian counseling?

Christian counseling means the process of identifying problem points of people in need of help and the psychological use of God's word in applying solutions to the situations of such people. 

It is aimed at having a stronger commitment toward one's relationship with God and helping an individual to help overcome his problems.

Certain principles must be incorporated by experts at Christian counseling centers to faithfully present the sincerity and solace in God's word to individuals to offer help to their problems and hope to their lives.

They include:

1. Counsels Must Be Biblical: 

Understandably, many Christian counseling centers don't want to come off as too churchy and less humanly inspirational and want to be more practical. 

However, the Bible is the sole guide on how people, especially Christians should align their thoughts and behaviors. 

The Holy book is the only truth.

Thus, during Christian counseling, it is very important to make the word of God the base of all counsels and a strong point of reference. 

The counsels that are being given must be biblical and come from the Holy Bible as it is God's own words and it is sufficient, necessary for all teachings and rebuilding.

It is intentional and repairs the life of the counselee completely. 

Christian counseling is aimed toward healing our hurts, and therefore it is important to make whoever is being counseled acknowledge that their life is flawed and only the wisdom of God and His words can provide the diagnosis and treatment, that is, solutions to their life problems. 

2. Total Acceptance: 

The principle of total acceptance should not be underestimated in the process of Christian counseling in various Christian counseling centers. 

Many people seek Christian counseling because they want to be happy in their lives, they want to function better and improve their situations.

Therefore, it is important to wholly accept the patients with their conditions and whichever state they may be in either psychologically, physically, or economically. 

3. Aim For Positive Self Talks 

Christian counseling centers should make it a sacred principle of initiating positive thoughts in their counselees through honest and positive self-talk. 

Your self-talk can either harm your happiness and joy or uplift you and promote your life. 

Most people who are being counseled are usually fond of the habit of being hard on themselves and that way, they lower their self-esteem.

Therefore, during Christian counseling, it is very much desired to make the people learn how valuable they are in the eyes of God and encourage positive and active self-talks.

4. Keep Sessions In Open Places: 

Christian counseling is usually used in proffering solutions to different issues which at times include serious and deep relationships and marriage issues and even chronic addictions.

It is more advisable to keep Christian counseling sessions done in open places and not necessarily in the public where such sessions may be interrupted or brought to an abrupt end by bogus distractions.

An open place, may mean an area with enough openings of windows and doors and not shut away from the seeing public or better still a completely open space with few people at a reasonable distance who can't constitute distractions to the Christian counseling sessions.

This is important because it is unethical for a male Christian counselor to have a counseling session with a lady in a completely secluded place shut out from the public or alone room and probably start opening up to you about herself and her marital life problems and gradually you take the place of her sole confidant and you start bonding with each other in emotional ways.

This can lead to sexual sins and has most of the time led to marriages being broken and the downfall of many Christian counseling centers. Therefore, it is important to maintain purity at all costs and respect the sanctity of spirituality and marriages, and other related relationships.

 5. Be Confidential!

During Christian counseling sessions, a Christian counselor in the process of talking to people will begin to get intimate details about their lives and it is almost very possible to come across some very sensitive information.

Because of this, it is important to maintain the sacred client counselor's privilege; however, it is important to note that it is unethical to promise total or absolute confidentiality to a client.

Promising a total of absolute confidentiality puts a Christian counseling expert in a tight position of either reneging on your promise or breaking the law.

This is because there are some situations where some information was given by a client no matter how sensitive, you may professionally deem fit to let the family of the counselee know. 

Such instances include where a counselee discloses a pending action of carrying out self-harm such as suicide. 

It is important to bring their family into the knowledge of such action to maintain a "round-the-clock" check on such a person.

Similarly, when a client divulges an intention to harm someone else or informs you of the existence of heinous criminal acts such as molesting of kids and related abuses, it is important to let the law enforcement agencies be aware of this so that necessary actions would be taken against such menace.

Therefore, at the beginning of each Christian counseling session, it is important to reiterate that as a counselor, you are dedicated to keeping the contents of your counseling sessions confidential from people who do not need to know about them. 

That way you leave the door open that if there is any need to share the information you can do so honestly and lovingly in the best interest of the client and that way you won't be promising complete or absolute confidentiality. 

Conclusion 

 The highlighted principles above are the basic principles of Christian counseling and when observed give room for skillful and impactful life-changing counseling sessions in different Christian counseling centers.

Resources 

Five Principles of Effective Biblical Counseling - Lifeway Research

https://pccca.org/should-you-become-a-life-coach/

https://www.therapytribe.com/therapy/christian-counseling/

https://www.clarkssummitu.edu/2019/05/28/8-things-you-can-do-with-a-degree-in-christian-counseling/