Counseling is a process that is used to help people deal with the challenges in their lives. Whether it’s through talking, listening, or even writing, counseling aims to provide individuals with relief from any pain they are experiencing and assist them towards achieving better health.
There have been many different types of counselors, such as Biblical and Christian counseling in Clermont, FL. But what’s the difference between these two?
What’s The Difference of Biblical and Christian Counseling?
It can be confusing to know the difference between biblical counseling and Christian counseling. When you’re searching for a counselor, it is good to understand that there are two different approaches to counseling.
What Is Biblical Counseling?
Biblical counseling differs from other kinds of therapy because it deals with how God wants to heal a person’s life instead of only focusing on their problems. It also examines one’s life through biblical principles rather than secular values which can be common in other forms of therapy. For example, if someone has an addiction, they would learn about ways that they can change their lifestyle by applying bible verses to their lives rather than just learning techniques for escaping addiction.
Biblical counseling comes from the Neuthetic Counseling Movement, which was started by Jay E. Adams in the 1960s, who developed a method of biblically-based counseling that is also sometimes called Biblical Psychology or simply biblical counseling.
What Is Christian Counseling?
Christian psychology differs from other kinds of therapy in several ways: It uses the Bible and pray more often, it focuses on the whole person and not just on symptoms, it is usually done by a group of people rather than an individual therapist. A Christian counselor is like a secular counselor in that they use different techniques to help the client with their mental health. A Christian counselor, however, will also draw on scripture and prayer to help the client work through their problems. Christian counselors don’t just help Christians, but people of any faith or no faith at all.
Comparison of Biblical Counseling and Christian Counseling in a Theological Worldview
Biblical and Christian counseling are both very effective in helping people live their lives according to the Bible. And both counselors have some similar goals.
Biblical and Christian Counselors Agree on:
- They both want to help the person be healed and whole.
- They want to help people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
- They both have received specialized training to help them, counsel people.
- They both hold the Christian faith as their foundation.
- They both will incorporate biblical truths into their counseling.
Although there are similarities between the two types of counseling, there are also some big differences between Biblical and Christian counseling as well.
Source Of Authority of Bibilical and Christian Counseling
One key difference between biblical and Christian counseling is their understanding and emphasis on the authority of Scripture.
Biblical counseling is based on the authority of Scripture alone. Biblical counselors use the Bible as their only authority when it comes to helping people. They believe that the Bible has all of the answers for life’s problems and can be used to counsel anyone on anything.
Christian counseling, while also recognizing the authority of Scripture, also incorporates other sources of authority such as psychology and experience. This difference can be seen in how they view problems and solutions.
Methods Used In Bibilical And Christian Counseling
Another key difference between biblical and Christian counseling is the methods used.
Biblical counselors usually use a direct approach, which involves confronting people with their sins and helping them see their need for repentance.
Christian counselors, while also using confrontation at times, often take a more indirect approach that starts with building relationships and trying to understand the person’s story. This difference can be seen in how the two types of counselors view problems and solutions.
Their Faith in God and Change in Lifestyle Using The Bible
Another key difference between biblical and Christian counseling is their faith in God. The biblical counselor’s faith in God is a key factor in his or her work. He or she believes that change must come from God and that people cannot change themselves. The Christian counselor, while also trusting in God, does not rely as heavily on Him to bring about change. Rather, he or she believes that change comes through a combination of God’s work and the client’s willingness to make changes.
Biblical counselors believe that change comes from a change in lifestyle, which is then brought about by faith in God. Christian counselors, on the other hand, believe that change can come either through a change in lifestyle or through faith in God- it’s not as important which of these two things happens first.
Both biblical counselor and Christian counselor believes that change can happen, but they have different views on how God works in people’s lives.
The Way They View and Solve Problems
Biblical counselors usually take a more black-and-white approach, believing that there is one right answer to every problem. Christian counselors are more likely to see shades of gray, recognizing that there can be many different ways to solve a problem.
No counselor can provide helpful solutions without understanding the person’s story. This is one reason why Christian counselors are more likely to focus on relationships than biblical counselors.
Conclusion
So, what is the difference between Christian counseling and biblical counseling? Simply put, Christian counseling is based on Scripture as well as psychological principles while biblical counseling is based on Scripture alone. In other words, Christian counselors believe that the Bible is authoritative, and that psychological principle can also be helpful, while biblical counselors believe that the Bible is the only authority in matters of counseling. So which approach is better? That’s a difficult question to answer, as it depends on the individual and the situation.
It is important to remember that both biblical counseling and Christian therapy are based on the Bible. Both biblical and Christian counselors can be effective in helping people work through their problems, but it is important to understand the differences between the two approaches before seeking help.
