spiritual life coaching

[Lvanett]

Hi there again,

As I begin to realize that I DO need to get counseling (I'm in constant anxiety and fear even with meds and am starting to question my salvation again), I am trying so desperately to find a legitimate Christian counselor who has an opening to see me.

All I've found so far are counselors who do "spiritual life coaching". I don't think that technique is of the LORD....or even truly Christian....does anyone know anything about this technique??? The last thing I want to do is engage in something that calls itself "Christian" but uses techniques like meditation or something along those lines.

thanx

[Willow]

Hi Lvanett,

I don't know if this will help you or not, but I separate my psychological needs from my spiritual needs in much the same way I separate my medical needs from my spiritual needs. For instance... I don't even know whether my primary care physician is a christian. I gave myself permission to go to a secular counselor several years ago and the decision was a good one for me. I have had counselors who are christians and also had counselors who were not christians. The main thing I looked for was their reputation within their career and not their spiritual leanings. I think it gets to be dangerous when any professional merges their faith too closely with their career. I begin to question their credentials in their profession when they have to use the word "christian" to make people trust them. Does that make sense? You may not even agree... but I'm just going by my personal experience.

[Reg]

Hi Lvanett,

Here's a couple of websites that may help you find a good counselor.

The National Association of Nouthetic Counselors
https://www.nanc.org/page.asp?contentid=1

International Association of Biblical Counselors (IABC)
http://www.iabc.net/index.html

See section on Counseling
http://www.soulcare.org/gfe_links.htm

[Lvanett]

Hi again and thanx

I'll have to pray about this, because one of the counselors does "biblical" counseling which I'm not sure would help me. You can read about the biblical counseling movement here:
http://www.str.org/site/DocServer/counsel.pdf?docID=165

What I'm trying to find, if possible, is a CHRISTIAN counselor who can administer meds, and also do psychotherapy from a Christian perspective.

[Hope 98]

I have to admit that I feel like I've had more success with "secular" counselors who happen to be Christian.

On the other side of the coin, I know two pastors who provide counseling. They both consider it part of their job description and don't charge for it. But it's also more like crisis intervention counseling - not weekly, long-term stuff, and neither can prescribe medications.

(In PA, only medical doctors and psychiatrists can prescribe medications.)

Anyway - it's a jungle out there - especially when we need this kind of help, and more so when we've been through abuse. My feeling is that it is more important that you find an individual counselor with compassion and integrity, than a method that is doctrinally correct.

The basis of my trust and respect for the pastors I mentioned before is that I can see in their character that they KNOW Jesus. I disagree with both of them on some issues and they disagree with each other of some very tightly held points of doctrine. But I've known both of them to allow Jesus to love others through them, and watched them influence others to do the same. I am praying that God will lead you so someone like that!