{"id":21871,"date":"2013-06-06T18:30:06","date_gmt":"2013-06-06T17:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/?p=21871"},"modified":"2025-11-20T07:39:40","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T07:39:40","slug":"should-a-christian-go-to-counseling-with-a-secular-therapist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2013\/06\/should-a-christian-go-to-counseling-with-a-secular-therapist\/","title":{"rendered":"Should a Christian have counseling with a secular therapist?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"This is a question that I know troubles many Christians. \u00a0Some believe that secular counseling has no place, and that Bible-based pastoral care is all that is needed to bring about change in people, whatever their problems. \u00a0Others believe that a Christian counsellor should be used, and that such a counselor should integrate both Biblical concerpts and theories from their secular training. Still others feel that if a person is seeing a therapist or counsellor, the pastoral team can wash their hands of that person and just leave them to the \u201cexperts.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first thing to say here is that I believe we should be careful to distinguish between biblical counseling and psychological counseling. \u00a0The two may well overlap, but they come from fundamentally different perspectives. \u00a0The Bible is focussed on our deepest problem: our broken relationship with our maker. \u00a0It tells us that we are both more loved and more wretched than we could ever have believed, that our sin problem extends much deeper, and covers much more than we ever imagined. It tells us that our problems stem from self-worship, and the worship of other gods rather than the One True God. \u00a0The Bible tells us our lostness goes beyond this world and has eternal consequences. \u00a0It tells us that we are actually dead in our sins and helpless. It is a message that can destroy hope, before then rebuilding it in the form of trust in another to save us. \u00a0Our love for Jesus and our gratitude for his death and resurrection transforms us. \u00a0But the Bible is clear that such a transformation is not instant.<\/p>\n

Secular counseling works at \u00a0an altogether different level. \u00a0Accepting our brokeness, it tries to help us find strategies to get by in this difficult world. \u00a0Negative thought patterns are challenged. \u00a0Behaviors that make things worse for us are identified and addressed. Patterns in how we relate to others are discussed. \u00a0And sometimes, simply a safe place is created where we can be listened to as we speak about how difficult life has been for us.<\/p>\n

It is easy to see, especially when you understand the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model that I am advocating that both Biblical help and psychological help can be very relevant to people. \u00a0Actually, sometimes psychological help will get us in a better position to be able to process and understand what the Bible says about our problems.<\/p>\n

Look, let me make myself even plainer. \u00a0Whilst sin is ultimately at the root of all our problems, both physical and mental, it is not directly the cause of everything that goes wrong with us. So, most of the time Christians have no problem going to a doctor to help fix a broken leg. \u00a0Why then do we not like going to a psychologist or psychiatrist if we \u00a0have a broken mind and\/or broken emotions? \u00a0Such secular help is often invaluable. If someone is totally stuck in a hole of depression that they cannot climb out of, how can we really expect them to immediately receive joy in Christ? Oddly enough an antidepressant or some secular counseling may make a person more able to receive the gospel.<\/p>\n

Much Christian counseling today assumes too much of people. \u00a0It assumes that we have been well parented, when many have not. It assumes we basically know how to relate to others, when for many the rules are simply not intuitive. It assumes that we are able to resist thoughts that come into our minds, saying \u201creplace them with good thoughts\u201d without helping us understand how to do that, or accepting that some people simply can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

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Help When Life Hurts<\/p>\n

This article is part of a growing collection, drawing from Adrian Warnock\u2019s medical and psychological expertise, lived experience, and Christian faith.<\/p>\n

Click the type of pain you or a loved one are experiencing right now<\/p>\n

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I do believe that we need more dual-trained counsellors. \u00a0But, in the absence of that, what we need is pastors who are not afraid to refer on to an appropriate form of counseling (ideally time-limited) without abdicating their spiritual responsibility towards their flock. \u00a0A secular counsellor will probably not be able to help someone learn how to forgive. They will probably not help a Christian struggling with guilt accept the grace of God\u2019s forgiveness. They are unlikely to gently point out subtle idolatry or pride. They are probably not going to encourage gratitude and trust in a sovereign God as antidotes to bitterness an depression. \u00a0But there is much that they can do that quite frankly most pastors are ill-equipped for.<\/p>\n

But before you rush to the nearest counsellor, have a think about what you are looking for. \u00a0Do you want someone who will just listen to you each week, for the most part offering no interpretation or advice? Perhaps consider a psychoanalyst, but prepare yourself for a long treatment period that may cost you a lot of money. \u00a0Are you looking \u00a0for more practical advice and strategies? Then Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) may be the answer. \u00a0Are you struggling with patterns in your relationships, systemic or family therapy may help give you a framework of understanding. Do you believe that dramatic change is possible with just a few sessions: solution focussed therapy could be just the thing.<\/p>\n