With Christian Counseling Minneapolis MN Therapists Hope To Help Believers

By Mark Graham


The enormous pressure and fast pace of modern life often cause people high levels of anxiety and stress. Some people feel that they simply cannot cope with all the demands made upon them. Eventually, some people will develop psychological disorders. In most cases, therapy can help such people to regain balance in their lives but unfortunately far too many people still think that any form of psychological therapy is a sure sign of weakness. With Christian counseling Minneapolis MN therapists try to help believers to find answers in their faith.

Psychologists and counsellors commonly use the theories of behavioural science and psychology when they treat patients. Science is not the only basis of departure for all therapists, however. There are numerous therapists that offer counselling based upon the principles of old civilizations, alternative belief systems and even disciplines such as meditation and yoga. Christian counselling is based upon the teachings of the Bible and the importance of faith in God.

Christianity believes that God is all powerful and that there is absolutely nothing that He cannot do. God, through His teachings in the Bible, therefore also provide solutions to psychological problems. Those suffering from maladies must seek the solutions to their problem by studying the Bible and by believing in the power of God to heal. Faith based therapists aim to help their patients find these answers.

Therapists using Christianity as the foundation for treating their patients by no means deny the value of scientific psychological theories and methods. They use these therapies as part of their counselling and many faith based therapists are, in fact, qualified psychologists. Their approach differ from traditional therapists only in that they believe that the final solution to all problems can be found in the Bible.

Many faith based therapists specialize in specific fields. Some focus on relationships and marriage counselling, others on trauma therapy and others on behavioural disorders such as substance abuse. In most cases therapy consist of an initial interview, followed by one on one sessions and in many cases, group therapy as well. Patients have to understand that therapy often requires many sessions over a long period of time.

Faith based therapists are quite often faced with patients with unrealistic expectations. Such patients think that the counsellor has a direct line to God and that their problems will be solved instantly. Instead, the role of the counsellor is to lead the patient towards an understanding of his problems and feelings and towards the discovery of the solutions to those problems.

Counselling based on religious faith has many critics. Some of these critics are of the opinion that there is no place for religion in science, not even the science of psychology. Others argue that religion is nothing but a form of brain washing. They believe that these counsellors are misleading their patients when they propose that the answers to their problems can be found in the Bible.

Christians, on the other hand, view faith based counselling as just another channel that is used by God to communicate with His children. They do not believe that there is no place for science in religion or for religion in science. They believe that all science is just another manifestation of the power of their God.




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