Counsel Suffering People? One of the Most

¶ … counsel suffering people?

One of the most important ways to counsel suffering people is by letting them tell their story. Sharing suffering and communicating the details of the burden with others can be immensely therapeutic. If there appears to be the danger of the client wallowing in his or her own suffering, I would offer up certain biblical passages to help shed light on the situation and to prevent the client from simply wallowing in misery. For instance, James chapter one or Peter chapter one are particular favorites which have helped me in the counseling process in the past. I also like to remind clients that they need to remember that god did not bring about their suffering, so it's simply not right to blame God for their suffering (Ware, 2000). Rather, clients should take comfort in the fact that God is with them while they're suffering and that he's feel just as bad about it as they do (Ware, 2000). I like to remind clients that God didn't do this to them and that God is with them as they're suffering, this can help them feel less like victims.

2. Is the point of counseling to remove all suffering? Why or why not?

It's truly important to remember that the point of counseling is not simply to remove all suffering, and that quite often, the counselor doesn't have the power to do that anyway. We know that suffering leads to personal growth and development and that suffering can make people more compassionate and more empathetic to others. It can also deepen their perspective of life and make them more grateful for the things they do have. As counselors, one is not expected to take away their suffering but to comfort the client, lend a compassionate ear, and to provide hope for the client as well as encouragement. People need to know that they have the strength to get through the challenges that have been placed before them and that the suffering is not going to last forever.

1. What are the most important therapeutic uses of Scripture in counseling?

Scripture should be used with consistency in counseling because it provides a strong outline and foundation for helping and healing people. While some might say that it's too old fashioned and that modern psychology is best when it comes to suffering of the heart and mind, the values put forth by scripture are still relevant today. "Biblical terminology such as sin, righteousness, repentance, forgiveness, justification, grace, obedience, and rebellion is less frequently heard than such terms as self-esteem, dysfunctional family, co-dependency, needs, victimization, damaged emotions, personality theory, forgiving oneself, etc." (Storms, 2006). The most important use of scripture today is that it offers up a framework for working through each question that a counselor needs to ask. Scripture provides resources that are vital for resolving psychological problems and it helps establish a relationship with Christ. Furthermore, Scripture allows there to be a community of God's people working together in strong relationships in the necessary context for comprehending and living out the answers to life's problems (Storms, 2006).

2. What are some cautions or possible negative impacts regarding the use of prayer in counseling?

While it might seem strange to some to consider that something as beneficial as prayer could have potentially negative drawbacks, this is in fact the case. For instance, introducing prayer during counseling might provide comfort to the client, but then there's the danger that it will become routine (McMinn, 1996). For instance, a client might want to spend lots of time routinely praying aloud with the counselor, when really their time together would be better spent with in direct verbal communication with one another.

1. How do you decide when to confront sin in counseling?

Counselors are going to encounter sin in counseling; it's simply a fact of life and of human nature. Deciding when to confront sin during the counseling process and with which clients simply depends on the specific situation and individual. For example, responding in silence is a verifiable way to confront sin in counseling; it's just not very aggressive.