Christian, Rogerian, and CBT Counseling Approaches Compared

Goals of Three Counseling Approaches

Dr. Larry Crabb sees human problems through two lenses. The first category involves problems that result from natural or physical causes — things the individual has little or no control over. Examples include learning disabilities, chemical imbalances, and other issues arising from perceptual dysfunctions. Crabb's broader goal is to meet the basic needs of a person, and within Christian counseling he identifies that basic need as "personal worth," which can be satisfied through two important inputs. One is a "longing for significance" — that is, the person longs for purpose, importance, and meaningful work that has a positive impact. The other is to achieve security through being accepted (p. 2).

The client-centered approach developed by Carl Rogers is designed to give the client the "freedom to live according to this reality" — the reality of one's collective experiences. The therapist facilitates the client's understanding of his or her own reality by remaining non-directive yet supportive throughout the process. Rogers held the belief that each person possesses an innate desire to fully develop all potentialities and to be drawn toward those things that enhance his or her full potential.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is designed to help clients identify and change maladaptive behaviors. This is accomplished through several approaches, including having the client "un-learn" old, undesirable responses and replace them with more constructive ones. A central goal is having the client play an active role in the therapeutic process.

Basic Concepts of Christian, Client-Centered, and CBT Models

Among Crabb's many concepts is the problem of "fallen man." Christians are urged to turn to Christ for their answers rather than relying solely on their own reasoning. There is an empty space in all humans, and it is a natural human desire to fill that space; the idea is to fill it with God's love and His message. Another concept is that people are thirsty for love (relationships) and for impact (significant events). For a Christian to become truly self-actualized, therefore, is to be motivated to quench that thirst by adhering to God's plan — to live a full life by rejecting those things that occupy the empty space without providing fulfillment in a biblical sense.

Another of Crabb's points is that specific elements must be "exposed" for healing and change to occur. People experience relational pain when their hopes are crushed and they do not feel fully loved. This pain creates distance between people as a form of self-protection, but Crabb explains that isolating oneself in this way is ultimately unhealthy. People have the ability to choose, yet if they do not depend on God and become obedient to Him, they squander their opportunities. As an illustration of the concept of making choices, Crabb uses the example of masturbation: when people masturbate, they exercise their freedom of choice, but there is no "true joy" in pursuing momentary physical pleasure. The concept one should embrace, Crabb argues, is not personal and momentary pleasure as relief from pain, but rather trusting God for lasting personal fullness rather than the superficial fullness that comes from such acts.

Rogers' concept of recovery posits that when a person is listened to genuinely — when the counselor actively listens at a depth beyond mere hearing and shows empathy for the client's world — the counselor can fully relate to the client's feelings and sensitivities. There is a need for the counselor to validate the emotions of the client. Only through this validation will the client be able to self-actualize.

When the client has a serious psychological problem, Rogers suggests that a "trusting and respectful environment" must be created in order to open a clear path for healing and recovery. In sum, client-centered therapy requires that the counselor first truly hear and relate to the client by listening and genuinely identifying with what the client is communicating. By then establishing an environment of mutual trust, the door to healing is opened, and the client begins learning how to come to terms with serious emotional issues.

CBT combines two therapeutic components into a unified approach: cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. The cognitive component is designed to help clients recognize self-defeating thought patterns, while the behavioral component is designed to help people redirect their conduct away from destructive actions and toward more positive ones. CBT entails structured sessions with the client, and each session is specifically tailored to meet one defined goal — there is a concrete agenda each time the client meets with the therapist, with no wandering through a loose list of topics. This approach is grounded in consistency and clear expectations. The client may be suffering from depression, but instead of prescribing antidepressants, the therapist addresses the client constructively and encourages the client to focus on the fact that "there will be a day in the not-too-distant future when formal therapy will end" — providing motivation to make each session count.

Conclusion

Whether in a Christian setting or a neutral setting, a creative and experienced therapist can utilize more than one therapeutic solution. That having been said, this paper doubts that using Crabb's strategies and ideas exclusively can produce results comparable to those offered by Rogers' approach, the cognitive-behavioral process, or a combination of both. The ethical approach — particularly when the client has serious psychological problems and is emotionally distraught — should not be based exclusively on any religious dogma. It should be conducted by a competent therapist using the most appropriate methods, regardless of whether the client is a devout Christian.