Page 18 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 9
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trace the depression to irrational or ineffective   giving. Bible verses may offer comfort as well.
             ways of thinking about things that lead to the    Still, these are only using the faith as techniques
             symptoms of depression, and by changing these     to treat the diagnosis, all the while not questio-
             will allegedly free the person from the depressi-  ning  the  medical  model  assumptions  behind
             on. Therefore, the goal is changing the thoughts   this.
             purported to cause the symptoms.                  I do not want to imply that there is no place for
             Then  there  is  the  more  humanistic  approach   diagnosis at all. However, I do want to suggest
             where the counselor will actively listen and re-  that  not  all  emotional  suffering  or  behavioral
             flect  what  the  person  is  expressing.  The  basic   problems are functions of some type of illness.
             model assumes experiencing conditions of wor-     The model assumes that most any suffering is
             th from others is the cause, so the unconditional   due to an illness that needs to be treated. That
             positive regard will achieve the goal of making   is not the case, even in the realm of the physi-
             the person feel valued and accepted, thus alle-   cal. The pain of a long run or soreness after a
             viating the depression.                           challenging tennis match do not imply there is
                                                               illness. The pain may actually be a step toward
             Some models will see emotional problems un-       greater health. So, what if symptoms are simply
             derneath, or lack of motivation, or family pro-   problems or challenges, and not indicative of a
             blems, or attachment issues, or the story one is   mental illness? This would alter our goals dra-
             telling oneself, or a lack of skills. All share in   matically.
             common that the symptoms reflect an “illness”     These  traditional  approaches  to  counseling
             that  has  a  cause  (like  the  streptococci  above)   build  on  philosophical  assumptions  that  may
             and fixing that cause becomes the goal of thera-  not  be  completely  compatible  with  what  the
             py. All of this comes with the interpretation of   Bible teaches. For example, humanist approa-
             the “symptoms” as a disease (or disorder).        ches  to  counseling  see  people  as  intrinsical-
                                                               ly good and thus the goal is to bring out the
             For others, the only issue is that the counselee is   goodness within. This contrasts with the Chri-
             suffering in some way and that suffering needs    stian doctrine of original sin that sees humans
             to be eliminated at most any cost. Sad feelings   after the Fall of Adam and Eve as inclined to
             are bad because they feel bad. Anxiety is bad be-  do wrong. The goals of these approaches, then,
             cause it feels bad. Therefore, the counselor may   may actually lead in directions contradictory to
             work with the person to help them eradicate or    biblical goals. John Calvin (1960/1559), a major
             avoid bad feelings at any cost. Often this is fine.   theologian of the Reformation, saw self-denial
             If I have a splinter in my finger, I see no need to   as the hallmark of the Christian life, a goal that
             leave it there just to show virtue in suffering. I   is contrary contemporary notions of self-esteem
             will pull it out. But there is also pain that pro-  as the key to individual well-being.
             motes character and growth (like Paul’s thorn     The  medical  model  is  also  built  on  a  limited
             in the flesh in 2 Corinthians 12:7), and that God   model  of  seeing  counseling  as  simply  getting
             may use for his purposes. Both the medical mo-    rid of an illness while ignoring the goal of grow-
             del and the getting rid of pain approaches limit   th. For Christians, this includes a key feature of
             counseling to dealing with deficits, and lack an   the Christian life – sanctification. The ancient
             orientation to the true goals of a Christian life.  idea of what we call counseling would now be
                                                               separated into spiritual formation or disciple-
             Does This Approach Fit A Christian View of        ship, with more of a forward aim of growth in
             Persons?                                          Christ. This view sees our sin and foibles not
                                                               as mental illnesses but as obstacles to growth
             Many  Christian  psychologists  and  counselors   in our union with Christ. This contrast unveils
             have sought to integrate faith with practice by   a  major  flaw  in  psychology  that  has  been  so
             trying to apply Christian ideas or practices to   busy defining abnormal that “normal” has been
             fit into this medical model. Praying may allevi-  overlooked (though in recent years the field of
             ate some sadness, particular prayers of thanks-   positive psychology has begun to look at this). I


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