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Faculty Publications - Grad School of Clinical
Psychology Graduate School of Clinical Psychology
2010
Just What Is Christian Counseling Anyway?
Mark R. McMinn
George Fox University, mmcminn@georgefox.edu
Ryan C. Staley
George Fox University
Kurt C. Webb
George Fox University
Winston Seegobin
George Fox University, wseegobin@georgefox.edu
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Recommended Citation
McMinn, Mark R.; Staley, Ryan C.; Webb, Kurt C.; and Seegobin, Winston, "Just What Is Christian Counseling Anyway?" (2010).
Faculty Publications - Grad School of Clinical Psychology.Paper 113.
h9p://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/gscp_fac/113
Just What Is Christian Counseling Anyway?
Mark R. McMinn, Ryan C. Staley, Kurt C. Webb, and Winston Seegobin
George Fox University
Professional psychologists may be asked about Christian counseling services and wonder how to best
respond. Given the diversity of methods and worldviews that might be considered Christian counseling,
it is important for psychologists to understand some of the major approaches used. Biblical counseling,
pastoral counseling, Christian psychology, Christian ministry, and other approaches are described briefly,
and in each case implications for professional psychologists are offered. Collaborative efforts are likely
to be productive when interacting with certified pastoral counselors and Christian psychologists, and
ministry approaches may provide supplemental resources for psychotherapy with Christian clients.
Ethical issues are considered, and a 5-step model for responding to questions about Christian counseling
is offered.
Keywords: Christian counseling, religion, collaboration, pastoral counseling
A potential client asks a professional psychologist about Chris-
tian counseling services. How should the psychologist respond?
The question, which may seem straightforward to the person
asking, will likely be complex from the perspective of a profes-
sional psychologist. Will a posture of respect and religious sensi-
tivity be sufficient for this client, or is the person asking about the
personal religious beliefs of the psychologist? Should the psychol-
ogist even disclose personal religious beliefs at this juncture of an
emerging psychotherapy relationship? Is the client asking for a
particular sort of intervention, or is this a question about world-
view and value assumptions? And just what is Christian counsel-
ing anyway?
Given that religion is highly or somewhat important to 80% of
Americans, and 71% report their religion to be Christianity (Gal-
lup, 2009)—and given that psychotherapy often addresses issues
of meaning-making and ultimate concerns—it is not surprising that
some potential psychotherapy clients ask about Christian services.
Fortunately, in recent years the American Psychological Associa-
tion (APA) has been at the forefront in providing resources for
professional psychologists to become aware of and competent in
religious and spiritual issues. These resources include books (e.g.,
Aten & Leach, 2009; Aten, McMinn, & Worthington, in press;
Miller & Delaney, 2005; Richards & Bergin, 2005; Shafranske,
1996; Sperry & Shafranske, 2005), a series of articles published in
American Psychologist (Miller & Thoresen, 2003; Powell, Sha-
habi, & Thoresen, 2003; Seeman, Dubin, & Seeman, 2003), this
special section of Professional Psychology: Research and Prac-
tice, psychotherapy videos demonstrating spiritual and religious
approaches (APA, 2009), a division (36) devoted to the psychol-
ogy of religion, and a new scholarly journal, Psychology of Reli-
gion and Spirituality. Less fortunately, it is not always clear what
is meant by Christian counseling, which makes it difficult for a
professional psychologist to know how to respond when Christian
counseling services are requested.
Christian Counseling Is Diverse
Just as diverse cultural groups may fall under a common de-
scriptor, such as “Asian American,” so also a variety of counseling
approaches, faith assumptions, and definitions of healing fall under
the rubric of Christian counseling. Christianity itself is diverse,
with three major branches (Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant) and
various offshoots of each. Christian counselors reflect this gamut
of religious diversity, plus additional diversity based on the extent
and type of training they have received in the mental health
professions. Not surprisingly, various disagreements and splits
have arisen within the movement, resulting in different approaches
to counseling and psychotherapy and various titles for the work
being offered. Biblical counseling is quite different from Christian
psychology, which, in turn, is distinct from pastoral counseling.
Moreover, clients seek Christian counseling for a variety of rea-
sons. Clients, counselors, approaches to counseling, and presenting
This article was published Online First September 6, 2010.
MARK R. MCMINN received a PhD in clinical psychology from Vanderbilt
University. He is currently a professor in the Graduate Department of
Clinical Psychology at George Fox University. His primary research in-
terests pertain to spiritual and religious issues in psychotherapy.
RYAN C. STALEY received an MS in counseling psychology from the
University of Kansas and an MA in clinical psychology from George Fox
University. He is currently a doctoral student in the Department of Clinical
Psychology at George Fox University. His primary research interests
include clergy mental health, psychologist and clergy collaboration, and
treatment issues in child and adolescent populations.
KURT C. WEBB received a BS in psychology from William Jessup Univer-
sity. He is currently a PsyD student at George Fox University. His current
research interests are religious issues in psychotherapy and factors that
affect spirituality among trauma populations.
WINSTON SEEGOBIN received a PsyD in clinical psychology from Central
Michigan University. He is currently an associate professor in the Graduate
Department of Clinical Psychology at George Fox University. His research
interests include religion’s influence on marriage, children’s spirituality in
cross-cultural contexts, and positive psychology and multicultural psycho-
therapy.
CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS ARTICLE should be addressed to Mark
R. McMinn, Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology, George Fox
University, 414 North Meridian Street, Newberg, OR 97132. E-mail:
mmcminn@georgefox.edu
problems are all diverse, which produces a mind-boggling number
of permutations for what may be intended by the term Christian
counseling.
Consider the following examples, each of which might be en-
countered by a Christian counselor or psychotherapist:
1. An Asian American woman from a Buddhist family has
recently converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints (Mormon) church. She seeks psychotherapy
from a professional psychologist to resolve the guilt she
feels over not pleasing her family. She does not realize
that her psychotherapist belongs to a conservative Prot-
estant denomination that considers Mormonism a cult.
2. An African American Protestant woman feels over-
whelmed by the high standards she set for herself and by
the expectations placed on her by friends and family. She
refers to herself as a “pillar” in her church, which is a
telling metaphor for how she experiences her faith. She
seeks help from a Roman Catholic pastoral counselor
who has previous ministry experience as well as creden-
tials in spiritual direction and a graduate degree in mar-
riage and family therapy.
3. A middle-aged biracial Orthodox woman works with
perpetrators and victims of domestic violence, and is
beginning to experience symptoms of vicarious trauma-
tization. She wonders why so many abusers identify as
Christian, and she finds herself questioning organized
religion. She seeks help from a mainline Protestant pastor
who has years of ministry experience but no formal
training in counseling.
4. A young European American Protestant man works as a
youth pastor in a conservative denomination. He seeks
help from a biblical counselor to help manage feelings of
same-sex attraction and determine lifestyle choices in
relation to his work as a pastor and his values as a
Christian.
Each of these examples raises assessment, intervention, and
ethical challenges, thereby illustrating the complexity and diversity
of Christian counseling. The purpose of this article is neither to
resolve all the questions illustrated in these cases nor to present a
singular definition for Christian counseling. Instead, the goal is to
explore some of the variety within Christian counseling to prepare
and inform professional psychologists who find themselves in
conversations with clients and potential clients about Christian
counseling services. We present various approaches to Christian
counseling, in each case considering implications for professional
psychologists.
Biblical Counseling
Description
Biblical counseling is a movement among conservative Chris-
tians—mostly Protestants—to reclaim the role of counseling
within the ministries of the church. Biblical counselors consider
the Bible to be superior and more authoritative than psychological
science, theory, or technique. As such, it is highly unusual to find
professional psychologists who also identify as biblical counselors.
In the most extreme forms of biblical counseling, an epistemology
derived from the Bible is deemed completely sufficient and com-
prehensive to provide effective counseling (e.g., Adams, 1970;
MacArthur & Mack, 1994), which makes psychology a dangerous
competitor in the care of souls. Even those who are somewhat
more open to conversation with psychology emphasize that the
Bible contains the theoretical parameters to create a systematic
counseling theory that is more comprehensive and relevant than
psychological models (Powlison, 2000).
Individuals who identify with biblical counseling often seek
training and support from resources such as the Christian Coun-
seling and Educational Foundation, the National Association of
Nouthetic Counselors, and Light University. Light University
(2007) offers biblical counseling training via DVD and online
programs, and is growing in prominence in the field. Completion
of Light University’s foundational biblical training courses can
lead to certificates, diplomas, and eligibility for becoming a board-
certified biblical counselor. Light University has more than
120,000 students enrolled in their online biblical counseling
courses, and the sponsoring organization—the American Associ-
ation of Christian Counselors—has approximately 50,000 mem-
bers.
Implications for Professional Psychologists
If a client requests Christian counseling, it is wise to ask for
clarification as to what the client is hoping for. If it is biblical
counseling, most psychologists will not be prepared or interested
in providing these services. Ethical challenges swirl around the
professional psychologist in such a situation, as psychologists
affirm both the autonomy of their clients and the importance of
competence in professional work. Perhaps the best response is to
explain how psychological services are distinct from biblical coun-
seling, offer a description of the psychological services that are
available, and then allow the client to decide whether to continue
in treatment or not. Some psychologists will be comfortable refer-
ring a client to a biblical counselor and others will not, depending
on the training of the biblical counselor and the psychologist’s
understanding of the counselor’s competence. Unfortunately, the
effectiveness of biblical counseling has not been researched, so
ethical issues of efficacy, competency, and welfare of the con-
sumer must be confronted when psychologists decide whether or
not to refer to a biblical counselor. But whether or not a referral is
offered, it is appropriate to present the client with information
about psychotherapy and then respect the client’s right to choose
the desired approach.
Collaborative efforts are not likely to be helpful when a client
desires to work with both a psychologist and a biblical counselor.
Biblical counselors, or pastors who adhere to biblical counseling
models, are unlikely to have interest in collaborating with profes-
sional psychologists, and some will view psychology as an adver-
sary to their work. In these cases, asking the client for permission
to contact the biblical counselor may heighten the dissonance the
client is already feeling about seeking help outside the church. It
might be better to carefully explore the differences in each ap-
proach and help the client decide which approach to pursue. For
clients who choose psychotherapy with a professional psycholo-
gist, it is important to recognize that they may begin with suspicion
about psychology, and may be dealing with guilt for choosing
psychological services instead of turning to their faith community
for help.
Although effective collaboration between professional psychol-
ogists and biblical counselors is unlikely, in our anecdotal expe-
rience we have found that many biblical counselors have effective
helping skills. Biblical counselors tend not to be fond of psychol-
ogists, and some are quite vocal about their disagreements, but we
suggest the best response for professional psychologists is to stay
out of “mud-slinging” conversations. Instead, psychologists can
continue providing the services they are trained to offer while
respecting the rights of religious communities to offer alternative
services and the autonomy of clients in choosing which services to
pursue (McMinn, 2008).
Pastoral Counseling
Description
Religious leaders—priests, rabbis, pastors, gurus, and imams—
have been offering guidance and counsel for as long as organized
religions have existed. Even today, amidst the prominence of
various mental health professions, many people prefer to seek help
from a religious professional rather than mental health profession-
als (Oppenheimer, Flannelly, & Weaver, 2004; Weaver, 1995).
The term pastoral counseling has at least two distinct meanings.
First, it sometimes refers to any pastor who offers counseling
services. Often pastors have only one or two courses in counseling
methods in seminary, and yet they are called on to provide many
hours of counseling help each week in their parishes and commu-
nities. Second, it can refer to the profession of pastoral counseling,
where members have dual credentials in both Christian ministry
and counseling or psychotherapy. The following description per-
tains to the latter definition of pastoral counseling.
In the 20th century, pastoral counseling became a formalized
profession, marked by establishing the American Foundation of
Religion and Psychiatry in the 1930s, the growth of clinical pas-
toral education for seminary students and graduates, and the found-
ing of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC) in
1963 (AAPC, n.d.). Rather than separating themselves from psy-
chological knowledge, as biblical counselors do, pastoral counsel-
ors attempt to employ both spiritual and psychological means to
facilitate healing and foster wholeness in people. Pastoral coun-
selors typically have dual credentials, involving a graduate degree
in ministry or theology from a seminary and another graduate
degree in a mental health field (e.g., marriage and family therapy),
as well as postgraduate hours of supervised experience.
The roles assumed and services provided by pastoral counselors
are similar to those of other mental health practitioners, although
they are often based in a religious setting (Clinebell, 1984). Pas-
toral counselors frequently work in both religious and community
settings providing therapy and offering educational programs.
Whereas biblical counselors are typically associated with a con-
servative Protestant arm of Christianity, pastoral counselors rep-
resent the entire gamut of theological and religious diversity found
in contemporary Christianity and other religious faiths as well.
Implications for Professional Psychologists
When a psychologist determines that a client is considering
services provided by a pastoral counselor, it is wise to first explore
what the client means. First, some may mean counseling by a local
pastor with an undisclosed amount of training in counseling. Faith
communities have been offering supportive services for centuries,
and it is certainly within their right to do so. Still, it may be helpful
for the psychologist to discuss potential concerns with the client,
including the lack of credentialing for pastors who offer counsel-
ing, the potential for religious issues to overshadow mental health
issues, potential boundary concerns, and so on. Second, some may
be considering seeing a credentialed pastoral counselor—someone
certified by the AAPC. In these situations, the psychologist can
have confidence in the mental health training and religious training
of the counselor. Indeed, it is likely that the pastoral counselor will
have more training than the psychologist regarding religious and
spiritual issues, and the shared language of faith might help the
client feel comfortable and safe with the counselor (Hathaway,
Scott, & Garver, 2004). Conversely, depending on the pastoral
counselor’s mental health credentials, professional psychologists
may offer advantages such as greater reliance on psychological
science, third-party reimbursement, and rigorous treatment plan-
ning that typically occurs in psychological interventions. After
exploring treatment options, some potential clients will prefer
working with a certified pastoral counselor, in which case a refer-
ral is appropriate.
Collaborative experiences between certified pastoral counselors
and psychologists are likely to be positive because both are trained
in mental health diagnosis and treatment, and therefore share an
appreciation of and respect for the insights psychological theory
and research have to offer. Also, pastoral counselors, by virtue of
their training, have valuable knowledge and understanding of the
ways in which religious issues can be addressed and incorporated
into the treatment process. Because of this unique training, pastoral
counselors are helpful resources, not only for clients seeking a
faith-based treatment, but for psychologists interested in learning
more about religious issues in counseling and psychotherapy.
Christian Psychology
Description
Just as the term pastoral counselor can have two distinct mean-
ings, so also Christian psychologist bears two meanings. First,
some use the term to refer to Christians who are both trained as
psychologists and willing to identify their faith as important in
their clinical work. These psychologists are also called integra-
tionists, meaning they attempt to integrate religious and spiritual
understanding with contemporary psychology. Many of these psy-
chologists belong to the Christian Association for Psychological
Studies (CAPS). Although integrationists may be academic or
professional psychologists, we refer to professional psychology
integrationists in the comments that follow. Second, some restrict
the term to a relatively new group of philosophers, theologians,
and mental health professionals who belong to the Society of
Christian Psychology (SCP). Members of SCP attempt to found
their work on the ancient truths and wisdom embedded in and
derived from the Bible, as well as other classic Christian texts
written throughout the centuries (Johnson, 2007). These two uses
of the term Christian psychology are discussed in turn.
Integrationists. Integrationists see value in both professional
psychology and Christianity, and consequently seek to connect
their psychotherapy skills with their faith and values in their work
with patients. They are psychologists who strive to look through
two lenses simultaneously—the psychological and the religious
(McMinn & Campbell, 2007). Consequently, they often perceive
their role as fully exploring both psychology and spirituality in
their pursuit of evidenced-based treatments. Integration ap-
proaches are evident in some chapters of edited books published
by the APA (e.g., Miller, 1999; Richards & Bergin, 2000; Shafran-
ske, 1996).
Along with publishing in mainstream psychology journals and
books, integrationists also contribute significantly to the Journal of
Psychology and Christianity and the Journal of Psychology and
Theology. Some are graduates of or faculty in APA-accredited
doctoral programs in clinical psychology that integrate Christianity
and psychology. Such programs are available at Azusa Pacific
University, Fuller Theological Seminary, George Fox University,
Regent University, Rosemead School of Psychology, Seattle Pa-
cific University, and Wheaton College. Most of these programs are
in the evangelical Protestant tradition of Christianity. The Institute
for Psychological Sciences offers doctoral training in clinical
psychology that integrates Roman Catholic theology. Other doc-
toral programs, such as Loyola University in Maryland and
Brigham Young University, do not appear to be explicitly integra-
tive but are housed in departments and institutions where historic
faith commitments influence the training mission.
SCP. The second use of the term Christian psychology,as
defined by identification with or membership in SCP, is less
identified with contemporary psychology. Instead, SCP members
seek to uncover the psychology implicit in historic Christian
writings, including the Bible. Whereas biblical counseling makes
no effort to consider psychology, SCP members are interested in
psychology, albeit mainly the psychology of the Bible and other
historical Christian sources. Pastoral counseling differs from the
SCP in that the former draws on contemporary counseling and
psychological theory, then applies it in religious settings, whereas
the SCP looks first to ancient sources for its theoretical base. The
distinction between SCP and integration centers on the primacy
given to sacred writings (Day, 2006). SCP members tend to be
philosophers, theologians, and psychologists who place primary
authority on Christian sources of knowledge and wisdom. In
contrast, integrationists tend to be psychologists who place rela-
tively more confidence in contemporary psychological science.
Still, SCP members do not assert a blind ignorance toward science.
They acknowledge that Christianity may need to be reconsidered
in light of scientific findings at times, but the primary priority for
SCP is to be true to biblical revelation and Christian writers in
centuries past. So, for example, an SCP conference might include
a workshop on how Jonathan Edwards—a great American theolo-
gian of the 18th century—described emotions in his classic work,
Religious Affections (Edwards, 1746/1996). An integrationist
might be interested in Edward’s’ understanding of emotions, but
would place greater emphasis on contemporary psychological the-
ory and scientific findings pertaining to emotions.
Implications for Professional Psychologists
Professional psychologists will likely find it relatively easy to
establish referral and other collaborative relationships with Chris-
tian psychologists, especially those who are integrationists. In fact,
because many Christian psychologists are active members of the
APA or the National Council of Schools and Programs of Profes-
sional Psychology, with some even holding key leadership posi-
tions, many professional psychologists may already have frequent
and perhaps close contact with integrationists.
In situations where clients ask for a Christian psychologist, it is
good to clarify what they mean in relation to what can be provided
by the psychologist. There are at least four possible meanings.
First, they may be looking for a Christian person who is a psy-
chologist because they want someone who will understand their
worldview, much as an African American client might ask whether
any African American therapists are available. Second, they could
be looking for a psychologist who is open to using spiritually
oriented interventions while being respectful of Christian beliefs.
This psychologist may or may not be a Christian, but is respectful
of Christianity. Third, they might be looking for someone who
meets both the first and second criteria (i.e., an integrationist). If
no one on staff meets these criteria, a referral to a CAPS member
(http://www.caps.net) might be most appropriate. Fourth, they
could be looking for an SCP member, although this is unlikely
because SCP is new and relatively small. In this case, the profes-
sional psychologist would need to decide whether a referral to a
member of SCP is appropriate (http://christianpsych.org).
Referring to a Christian psychologist may raise ethics questions
for some professional psychologists who question the effective-
ness of religiously based interventions. Although the research to
date is sparse, it appears that most of the religiously accommoda-
tive psychotherapy approaches that have been studied are as ef-
fective as standard psychotherapy approaches (Hook et al., in
press).
Ministry Approaches
Description
There are various ministry-based approaches to helping. We
consider three here: inner healing (illustrated with Theophostic
Prayer Ministry), lay counseling (illustrated with Stephen Minis-
tries), and explicitly religious recovery groups (illustrated with
Celebrate Recovery).
Inner healing ministries employ prayer to address the wounds of
past and present trauma. One prominent form of inner healing is
Theophostic Prayer Ministry (TPM), developed by Ed Smith, a
Southern Baptist pastoral counselor. Although all religiously based
inner healing employs prayer as a primary means of bringing
healing to past hurts, Smith contends that what distinguishes TPM
from other inner healing approaches is its focus on the person’s
interpretation of the past event rather than their memory of the
experience (Smith, 2004). Smith’s ministry is predicated on the
notion that emotional pain stems from the “lies” people have come
to believe as a result of the meaning they have assigned to
troubling and traumatic experiences in their lives, and that true
healing can come only through a personal encounter with the Holy
Spirit who can reveal the lies and supplant them with divine truth
(Entwistle, 2004a, 2004b). This process is briefly summarized by
Smith (2004) as follows:
People’s minds are renewed as He [Spirit of Christ] illuminates their
lie-based thinking with truth. This encounter results in the recipient
embracing truth and experiencing lasting and abiding peace. This
renewal is then validated as the person is able to walk in “a new way
of life” through being “transformed” (Romans 12:2) in thoughts and
behavior. (p. 12)
Critics of TPM have questioned the validity of the theological
and psychological assertions Smith makes throughout his theory.
Other criticisms include concerns about the production of iatro-
genic memories using TPM techniques, possible inadequacy of
training required to practice this approach, and claims of assured
healing and superiority of methods that are not supported with
sound empirical evidence (Entwistle, 2004a, 2004b; Maier &
Monroe, 2002).
Lay counseling has been defined as “people helping by nonpro-
fessionals or paraprofessional counselors, with either no training or
limited training in counseling skills” (Tan, 1994, p. 264). The lay
counseling ministries adopted by various Christian denominations
are not a monolithic group. Some lay counseling programs aim to
bring healing and spiritual deliverance, and others advance evan-
gelism and discipleship training (Tan, 1994). However, most lay
Christian counseling services focus on individuals, couples, or
family counseling (Jung, 2009; Tan, 1994). Of the many lay
counseling programs in Christian churches, perhaps the most
prominent and recognized lay counseling curriculum is Stephen
Ministries.
Stephen Ministries was founded in 1975 by Kenneth Haugk, a
pastor and clinical psychologist, who realized that lay counselors
(called caregivers in Stephen Ministries) could meet the needs of
more people than he could on his own (http://www.stephenministry
.org). Congregations that incorporate the Stephen Ministry pro-
gram train lay caregivers (called Stephen Ministers) to provide
one-to-one care to the “bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, sep-
arated, divorced, unemployed, relocated, and others facing a crisis
or life challenge” (Stephen Ministries, n.d.). Stephen Ministries
has been implemented in more than 10,000 congregations, repre-
senting more than 150 Christian denominations, and has trained
more than 500,000 Stephen Ministers. Their training often in-
cludes knowing their limits of care in order to refer to mental
health professionals as needed. Whereas some ministry-based pro-
grams, such as TPM, are primarily found in conservative Protes-
tant churches, Stephen Ministries can be found in most Christian
denominations, including Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Ortho-
dox.
Explicitly religious recovery groups are ministry-based support
groups designed with the goal of empowering participants to
overcome a besetting problem. A prominent example is Celebrate
Recovery—a 12-step program that began in the early 1990s out of
Pastor Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church. It is patterned after
Alcoholic Anonymous (AA), with the higher power in the AA
model identified as Jesus Christ and the New Testament Beatitudes
(e.g., blessed are the poor) incorporated into the 12 steps. In
addition, the focus of care has been opened beyond alcoholics to
incorporate people with codependency, eating disorders, sexual
addictions, anger, physical or sexual abuse problems, financial
recovery, and various other concerns. Celebrate Recovery has been
implemented in more than 10,000 churches nationwide, and more
than 500,000 individuals have completed the program (Celebrate
Recovery, 2008).
Implications for Professional Psychologists
Some faith-oriented clients may seek a psychologist’s advice on
what ministries will help them. Educating clients about the limi-
tations and strengths of a particular ministry approach can assist
them with making the right decision, but it will require the psy-
chologist to first understand the ministry approach being consid-
ered.
Large churches in a psychologist’s local area will often have
several ministry-based approaches. These ministries can be helpful
supplements for psychotherapy and provide clients with a source
of social support. For instance, a Christian client desiring a faith-
based environment will likely appreciate a referral to Celebrate
Recovery over AA. AA’s notion of a higher power (representing
any power greater than oneself) may be interpreted as too generic
for many Christian clients. Providing a referral that suits the
client’s religious preferences may help strengthen the alliance with
the psychologist providing the referral.
Stephen Ministry approaches tend to provide support and ac-
ceptance in a client’s life, and they tend not to be focused on
narrow religious dogma or adherence to strictly defined behavioral
standards. Because of the diversity of congregations that have a
Stephen Ministry program, the specific nature of the program will
depend a great deal on the nature of the church that sponsors it.
Some spiritually oriented approaches may be dismissive of
psychotherapy, such as TPM. Ministers who are opposed to pro-
fessional psychotherapy may attempt to convince clients to termi-
nate psychological services by suggesting that their particular
approach is sufficient. However, some inner healing approaches
are quite respectful of psychotherapy, and some have even been
proposed or advocated by Christian psychologists (e.g., Tan,
1996). To determine whether an inner healing prayer ministry
approach is open or closed toward psychologists, making contact
with the leader is helpful.
Other Approaches
Because of the diversity of Christian counseling approaches,
many Christian counselors will not fit into the categories described
above. For example, an individual with a master’s or doctoral
degree in counseling might have a private counseling practice that
is marketed as Christian counseling, yet not be affiliated with
biblical counseling, pastoral counseling, Christian psychology, or
church-based ministry approaches. In our experience, independent
Christian counselors vary widely in terms of theoretical approach,
attitudes toward psychology, and overall effectiveness.
When communicating or collaborating with a Christian coun-
selor who does not identify with the major approaches described
above, it may be helpful to ask about the counselor’s license(s),
theoretical approach, and affinity for psychological science. A
brief conversation about such matters is likely to help the profes-
sional psychologist discern how to best proceed.
Conclusion
Throughout this article, we have attempted to highlight how a
professional psychologist might respond to inquiries about and
requests for Christian counseling. We suggest a five-step process.
First, the psychologist needs to have enough information to speak
knowledgably about the options. A major point of this article is to
provide basic background information while also providing Web
site addresses and other information for those who wish to read
further. Second, when a client or potential client asks about Chris-
tian counseling, the psychologist can then explain the nature of
psychological services in relation to other options. Third, the
psychologist needs to determine whether the Christian counseling
services would compete with a professional psychology interven-
tion. Some services, such as spiritual direction, religious educa-
tion, and focused ministry-based approaches have different goals
and methods than mental health interventions. In these cases, it
may be best for the psychologist to continue providing mental
health services. In other cases, such as biblical counseling or
pastoral counseling, the psychologist might determine that the
services offered would compete with the psychological interven-
tion, making it necessary for the client to choose one approach or
the other. Fourth, if the client prefers Christian counseling to the
intervention that the professional psychologist offers, the psychol-
ogist needs to engage in an ethical discernment process. Is it in the
best interest of the client to refer the person to a Christian coun-
selor? Are competent counselors available to receive referrals?
Finally, the psychologist then offers referral information if it is
deemed ethical to do so. Whether or not referral information is
offered, the psychologist respects the autonomy of the client in
deciding what sort of psychological and spiritual care to pursue. In
general, the preferred referral option for most psychologists will be
a Christian psychologist or a pastoral counselor certified by the
AAPC, which assures that the counselor has graduate-level exper-
tise in mental health care as well as training in religious issues.
Some understanding of Christian counseling approaches is also
useful when psychotherapy clients speak of past experiences with
counselors and when determining whether it might prove useful to
request previous treatment records or to otherwise collaborate with
Christian counselors. Those who have seen biblical counselors in
the past may experience some shame or sense of failure in seeking
professional psychological services, and it is possible that the
client will be reluctant to have the psychologist contact the previ-
ous counselor for records. For clients who have formerly seen
certified pastoral counselors or Christian psychologists, there is a
high likelihood that a standard treatment approach will have been
used and that both the client and the former counselor will be open
to requests for records. For those former or currently involved in
ministry approaches to Christian counseling, it is unlikely that
treatment records will be available. Most ministry approaches do
not involve record keeping.
Throughout this article we have attempted to emphasize the
diversity of the Christian counseling movement. Even a common
label, such as biblical counselor, pastoral counselor, Christian
psychologist, or inner healing prayer ministry, can have multiple
meanings. If it is important to understand the nature of past or
present counseling services, then it may require the professional
psychologists to ask some specific questions about the counseling
received. For example, “What sort of training did your counselor
have?” “How would you describe what happened in your coun-
seling sessions?” “Do you recall if your counselor ever mentioned
a diagnosis or a treatment plan?”
As professional psychologists increase in their understanding of
religious and spiritual diversity, it is important to enhance aware-
ness of the forms of counseling being provided within various
religious traditions. Our hope is that this article is a step in this
direction and one that will promote dialog among professional
psychologists.
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