Topic 1: Interaction Between Christian Worldview And Counseling Theory Flashcards
Objectives: 1. Explain the value of counseling theory. 2. Explain the components of a Christian worldview. 3. Describe the influence of the Christian worldview and counseling theory on professional practice.
What is Intergration?
The task of relating two areas of study.
How do we understand the relationship between psychology and Christianity, and how do we merge them properly?
The task of the Christian scholar is “to study reality in the light of biblical revelation” (Greidanus, 1982, p. 147). Because the claims of the Gospel are all-inclusive and the Gospel should penetrate to the core of all who claim the name Christian, the task of integration is that of being distinctly Christian in an appropriate and responsible fashion in one’s scholarly pursuits. (p. 20)
What does being distinctively Christian mean in integration?
Evaluating each approach to treatment, Determining which aspects agree with Scripture, and then Formulating an approach based on that evaluation.
What value does secular psychology have?
- The first value of psychology is simply the breadth of knowledge
about the human person. - Improving a person’s life by eliminating suffering from mental or emotional pain.
3.
Why is it important to develop a framework for how to practice counseling?
For Christian counselors, it is necessary to develop a framework that is faithful to Scripture and wisely evaluates the most common approaches to counseling in the secular therapeutic world. To do so, the Christian counselor must understand what the Bible has to say about life’s problems and be able to apply Scripture to problems as they arise.
Worldview
A worldview is the assumed model of reality through which a society understands and interprets the world.
The Christian worldview is expressed through a foundational story, a set of symbols, practices, and beliefs.
Imagination
The ability to enter into the world opened up by the biblical
narrative so one can be formed and transformed by that world.
Faculty or action of forming new ideas, images, or concepts of eternal objects not present to the senses.
Definitions of Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is the informed and intentional application of clinical methods and interpersonal stances derived from established psychological principles for the purpose of assisting people to modify their behaviors, cognitions, emotions, and/or other personal characteristics in directions that the participants deem desirable.
Definition of Counseling
Christian psychologist Gary Collins has defined counseling as “a relationship between two or more persons in which one person (the counselor) seeks to advise, encourage and/or assist another person or persons (the counselee[s]) in dealing more effectively with the problems of life”
Counseling or Psychotherapy is interchangeably defined
(a)a process that involves (b)a trained professional who abides by (c)ethical guidelines and has (d)competencies for working with (e)diverse individuals who are in distress or have life problems that led them to (f)seek help (possibly at the insistence of others), or they may be (g)seeking personal growth, but either way, these parties (h)establish an explicit agreement (informed consent) to (i)work together (more or less collaboratively) toward (j)mutually acceptable goals (k)using theoretically based or evidence-based procedures that, in the broadest sense, have been shown to (l)facilitate human learning or human development or reduce disturbing symptoms.
Christian Theology in Christian Counseling
Models of integration of Christian theology and psychology can be organized into three major paradigms: the nonintegrative paradigm,
The Nonintegrative Paradigm
The Non-Integrative Paradigm does not seek integration of the data but rather builds its understanding of God’s truth on one discipline alone. Rejects Process
The Manipulative Paradigm
The Manipulative Paradigm seeks to integrate the data of both disciplines, but the data of one discipline must be altered before becoming acceptable to the other discipline. Reconstructs Process and the Transforms Process
The Nonmanipulative Paradigm.
The Non-Manipulative Paradigm, accepts the data from both disciplines directly into the integrative process. Correlates Process
