Well, I finished it. The first draft anyway. I emailed it two pastors for their critiques. Now it is your turn. What do you think of "My Official Statement of Philosophy of Counseling"? I know it is not edited completely, but I am excited to be so close to finished with something!
Counseling Philosophy for Arielle Corcoran
When man faces struggles, whether self-imposed or from external sources, deep at heart one must face God through His Scriptures and His Spirit, and come to peace with Him. Often we replace Him with wants that we over emphasize in our lives. Other times we struggle to trust Him in the midst of an ongoing hardship. Either way one needs to seek the truth about Who God is and what He has promised us, and rest in these. Then can the striving end and one return to obedience and peace of mind.
When people struggle with issues one needs to start at the circumstances and move deeper to the beliefs and wants they have about the issues at hand. This includes a look at their expectations about the circumstances and the people involved. At that heart level one can then go to the Scriptures and the Spirit and seek His guiding principles for changes, endurance, and for the hope needed to go on day to day.
Freeing and powerful change comes at the heart level through God’s Word and Spirit. Behavioral changes without addressing the beliefs and desires of the heart Scripturally cannot endure the messy ugly stuff of life. Daily we have things that we need to submit to God. Sometimes we face something too large to tackle on our own, and our perspective is too wrapped up in emotion and circumstances to see God or His promises and commands to which we must cling. Often we need the counsel of another going with us to the Scriptures and in prayer helping us find life giving perspectives that return us to a strong relationship with the Lord, for His glory and our joy.
The church is the people of God. He has told us and equipped us to mentor /disciple one another. In times of crisis this one anothering is still appropriate and capable of bringing hope and change to others for the tools and the skills come straight from the love, grace and power of the Lord. A counselor is under the authority of the Lord, His Word and His Spirit. Practically speaking this takes place in a local family of Christ-followers under the authority of the elders of that group of believers.
Though it is helpful to use resources along with the Scriptures for the practical application of God’s principles one must handle these carefully. As a counselor of God’s Word I only use materials from authors that also believe the Scriptures are authoritative and inerrant. I would not want to use materials from authors that have their foundation in psychology, which does not have a godly foundation and often is at odds with the Lord and His Word. I believe what we have been given in the Scriptures is sufficient, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Cor 12.8-10 There is power and promise in the Word of God. For you. “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him!” Ps 34.8
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