ELCCC Christian counselors strive to show unconditional love and acceptance to their clients.

What is Christian Counseling?

When a person thinks about counseling, they often imagine a “shrink;” someone sitting in a chair while they lie on a couch and talk to the air. While this is a specific type of counseling, called psychoanalysis, it is not the most common type. Most counselors sit in a comfortable chair across from their clients, much like sitting in a living room; some sit around a small table, much like sitting with a friend at the kitchen table having coffee. Counseling can mean many things, but most professional counseling involves an “alliance” between the counselor and the person or people seeking help for whatever issues are going on in their lives. To form an alliance means to become allies; to join together to work toward common goals.

Christian counseling is different in philosophy from secular counseling, in most cases. Some counselors are Christians who work as professional counselors without mentioning God or the Bible unless the client initiates the topic. Even then, counselors may say little while listening and affirming their client’s opinions and ideas. Some consider themselves Biblical counselors, who provide advice or counsel only from the Bible. Another type of Christian counselor, and the type we strive to be at ELCCC, is an integrated counselor. We use the Bible as the foundation of our counsel, but integrate scientifically sound psychological principles and research in relating and helping our clients, bringing together the two ways of understanding human beings and their relationships.

At times, an integrationist will specifically address biblical teaching, read a passage of Scripture in session, or give a passage as a homework assignment. Prayer may be used after asking how comfortable they are with prayer. We strive always to meet our clients where they are, just as Jesus did when he was walking on the Earth. We are not preachers, and don’t want to “shove anything down anyone’s throat.”

Always, an integrationist will pray for their clients in their own prayer time; seek God’s guidance as to what is the best counsel to give a specific client; point clients to Jesus; and give God the credit for all the good things that happen because of the counseling relationship. ELCCC Christian counselors strive to show unconditional love and acceptance to their clients while forming an alliance with each individual they serve.