Christian Counseling is not a therapeutic model or counseling approach. What makes counseling Christian is when a professional counselor uses their Christian worldview, shaped by biblical beliefs and values, to filter their therapeutic modality or approach to counseling with clients.
Bringing a Christian worldview into sessions is at your leading. It is very important that you feel safe to talk about your faith in our time together and it is considered a privilege to share that space with you. This can consist of prayer in session, discussion and incorporation of scripture, prayer journaling, forgiveness protocols, exploring your view of God, and understanding your identity in Christ.
Since Christian Counseling is not a therapeutic approach or modality, I utilize an approach called Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). This empirically researched and tested approach is founded on attachment science which states that we as humans are made to be in relationship with others. In fact, we cannot live life alone; isolation is traumatizing. Relationship with others is key to our physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental survival. When these relationships feel threatened or broken, we become distressed. The way back to wellness is understanding, connection, forgiveness, and restoration with our relationships (including self!).
EFT aligns beautifully with Christian worldview. In Genesis 2:18, God says that it is not good for man to be alone. We are created for connection with God and with others. In Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, God reminds us that two are better than one, and when one falls, the other lifts up. The very nature of the Triune God is relationship, perfect unity of three persons in one. As Christians, we are called to live life in harmony and humility with others, have the heart of a servant, speak the truth in love, and offer forgiveness, grace, and reconciliation. All of these principles are found in EFT.
It is my joy to use EFT as my therapeutic approach, filtered by who I am as a bible-believing Christian.
