Page 19 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 9
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am not sure our forebears would have separated    a dentist may hope that you have shiny, white,
             the two (problems and growth) the way the me-     healthy teeth, sometimes his or her goal is only
             dical model forces us to do.                      to fill a cavity.) Yet even in this, the context is
             Most  models  of  counseling  from  the  secular   that God would not have us be afraid and that
             field, buying into the diagnostic model, see the   the challenge of overcoming this anxiety is an
             goals of therapy as removing the pathological     opportunity to grow in faith and communion
             process that yields the diagnosis. Thus, you can   with God. The only need for a diagnosis in this
             be “normal” but not necessarily lead a meaning-   case is if I want to be paid by an insurance com-
             ful and fulfilled life. The goal is simply no longer   pany.
             to meet diagnostic criteria of and of the DSM or
             ICD categories. As a result, much professional    What Would Christian Goals for Counseling
             counseling  distinguishes  itself  from  spiritual   Look Like?
             direction – particularly as licensure and third
             party reimbursement facilitate the former but     We have looked at the current models of secu-
             not the latter. Even the reimbursement system     lar counseling that are often adapted by Chri-
             is thus built on the medical model in contradi-   stian counselors and see how these may often
             stinction to traditional Christian soul care. The   just  be  secular  goals  (with  “secular”  meaning
             latter is built on the view of the person as a rede-  “of the time” and thus without an eye to eter-
             emed sinner who by the power of the Holy Spi-     nity) pursued by utilizing Christian techniques.
             rit is seeking to grow in union and communion     If we are willing to step back from the medical
             with Christ (Johnson, 2007).                      model to get a broader perspective, we may de-
                                                               velop counseling goals that fit more neatly with
             One other aspect of a Christian view of persons   the building of God’s kingdom. Let me stress,
             is that are made to be in relationship. Rooted in   though, that there is still some place for some
             the comment of Genesis 2:18 that it is not good   aspects of a medical model and I am not de-
             for man to be alone and in the importance of      nying the interface of the physical and the psy-
             the Trinitarian nature of God, Christians hold    chological, but my view is that this is a subset of
             that life is to be one of relationship – to God, to   a larger Christian worldview.
             spouse, and to the body of Christ, the church.
             This contrasts dramatically with the individua-   We have already hinted at the primary goal of
             listic approaches of the diagnostic models built   the  Christian  life:  living  in  union  and  com-
             on  humanism.  Christian  counseling,  for  in-   munion with him (Johnson, 2007), or to use a
             stance, would support persevering to work out     more directly biblical phrase, abiding in Christ
             marital  problems  whereas  often  other  models   (John 15:4). To do so will require a life focused
             will advocate for divorce as in the best interests   on self-denial as we become slaves to righteous-
             of the individual escaping the discomfort of the   ness (Romans 6:17-18), serving the kingdom of
             relationship. Christian counseling will also va-  God rather than ourselves. (Yet this is a joyful
             lue the church community as a resource to the     service for which we were created prior to sin.)
             struggling person. I know of one church who       It will include utilizing spiritual gifts and dra-
             made it a policy that when a pastor was counse-   wing from the other gifts present in the com-
             ling a family, that another family in the congre-  munity of Christ, the church.
             gation was assigned to support and encourage      Sin is a threat to this vision, as it promotes love
             the one that faced challenges.                    of others, forgivingness, grace, and sacrifice, not
                                                               values often shared in secular models. Christian
             Allow  me  to  end  this  section  with  a  caveat.   counseling will see sin as a hindrance to union
             Some  reasons  for  counseling  are  simple  and   with Christ and therefore never see affirming it
             rather straightforward. If someone comes to me    as a goal in counseling.
             that is afraid to speak in public but otherwise
             is doing well, then my mission may only be to     Such  a  model  of  Christian  psychology  and
             help the person speak in public. (After all, while   counseling will also avoid the trap of seeing all

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