The central theme of growth-focused brief therapy within the lens of Christian counseling revolves around a series of questions for the counselor to discover via the counselee. As humans what is our identity in Christ? What is it that we need to change? How will this change become accomplished? To begin with, in order for a counselor to fit the answers of these questions together a process of obtaining access with the intent of assessing needs to be accomplished. To enumerate, a Christian counselor needs to begin the process of immersion within the counselee for the purpose of fully understanding their perspective lens. It is worth noting that, the Christian counseling process mimics Biblical truths which include the our being made of the image of Christ, the Holy Spirit is within us, Jesus Christ dying on the cross for the sins of mankind, and our being extensions of Christ. Ephesians 2:10 (The King James Version) states, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Holy Bible ). We are to be Christ like in our daily walks with Him. “Christ is our perfect role model because he is both true God and true man, the first of his kind with an undivided heart wholly devoted to his heavenly Father” (Moon and Claws 183). In other words, the life of Jesus Christ is the foundational basis for the arena of the Christian counseling approach.
Moving forward, with the genesis of Christian counseling established we need to carefully examine the characteristics of Jesus Christ which are parallel to the growth-focused brief therapy. Generally speaking, by analyzing the Gospels in the New Testament we can see the Jesus Christ was obedient, faithful, merciful, prayerful, patient, humble, charitable, and many other blessed characteristics throughout his short time on earth. In all of his actions He put His Father first, and as counselors we need to do the same! As human beings our ability to help is limited without Christ. We then begin contact with a counselee in need of help, and the Lord gives us guidance. The Holy Spirit is the comforter which allows us as counselors to be patient, and actively listen to the counselee while we gain more access with the purpose of assessing. A cogent argument can be made that mercy-showing through the Jesus Christ-like characteristic of empathy is the foundation for all Christian Counseling techniques. Hook and Ohlschlager mention that, “through empathy, the client feels safer to focus on his story, to tell more of that story, and to go deeper with that story” (Hook and Ohlschalger). Pause and think for a few moments about our own relationships with Christ. The Lord is always with us, and when we pray He listens. He wants us to pour our hearts out to Him, and He empathizes with us! Psalm 139: 1-5 (The King James Version) says, “O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me” (Holy Bible ). Amen!
Ultimately, the A-B-C process is one of the ideal techniques for which empathy is the driving force. “Cognitive therapists have seized the old S-R (stimulus response) model of behaviorism and have reinterpreted it as the A-B-C process: the Antecedent (stimulus) event feeling, or thought occurs, which calls into play Beliefs, thoughts perceptions, and values which influence the nature and direction of Consequential responses of behavior and emotion” (Clinton and Ohlschalger 228). In brief, a counselor could utilize this formula to challenge and change the perspective of the counselee through empathy. “The A-B-C process is consistent with Jesus revelation that sin and wrong doing come from within, not without (Luke 6:45; 11:39-41)” (Clinton and Ohlschalger 228).
Works Cited
Clinton, Tim and George Ohlschalger. “The Empowered Helping Relationship.” Clinton, Tim and Geroge Ohlschlager.
Competent Christian Counseling. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2002. 223-243.
Holy Bible . Thomas Nelson Publishers , 1997.
Hook, Jan and George Ohlschalger. “The Empathic Christian Counsleor .” Clinton, Timothy and Geroge Ohlschlager.
Competant Christian Counseling. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2002. 203-222.
Moon, Gary W. and Freda Claws. “The Essential Helping Relationship .” Clinton, Timothy and George Ohlschlager. Competent Christian Counseling. Colorado Springs,CO: WaterBrook Press, 2002. 181-202.
