An Investigation and Evaluation of Secular Counseling and Biblical Counseling: Moving from Problem Centered to Solution Centered Counseling

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Abstract

Clergy members have historically sought ways to improve their counseling methods. The practice of contemporary pastoral counseling has been profoundly impacted by 20th century secular psychological principles. Pastoral counselors have adopted and adapted many of these principles in an attempt to improve their counseling efforts. Parish-based pastoral counselors have long been aware of the unique stressors and concerns that are associated with serving parishioners in a duality of professional roles. This dissertation describes a research project that was initiated to introduce the clergy to the principles of a model of family therapy known as solution-focused. The solution-focused family therapy model was developed at the Brief Family Therapy Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The utility of the solution - focused approach in family therapy is described. Of particular interest is the manner in which pastoral counselors may employ this unique variant of brief systemic therapy in smaller parish-based settings. A pastoral counseling adaptation of solution-focused therapy emphasizes present and future solutions, while minimizing the attention directed toward problematic behavioral sequences that can create negativity, or stress for both pastor and client-member. A main goal of a parish-based pastoral usage of solution - focused therapy is to provide brief and effective assistance to members, while avoiding negativity, thereby maximizing the potential preservation of satisfactory ongoing clergy-member relations. This qualitative research project features the research method of Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR), and a narrative analysis of exemplars from a solution-focused pastoral counseling case that was co-created by the author and one of the members of a church he served. Proposed benefits of a parish-based pastoral usage of solution-focused therapy are expected to emerge from the analysis of exemplar categories generated by the recursive interaction of data and the research paradigm.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION1

Millions in Crisis Turn First to the Clergy1

Insufficient Counseling Training Is Common for Clergy Representatives2

Client “Over-disclosure” Is a Concern3

Research background - Why the Clergy Provides Counseling4

Research Question8

Problem Statement10

Significance of the study11

Aim and objective12

Term definition14

Limitation of the study15

CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW17

Problem-focused counseling20

Counseling and Religion/Spirituality22

Secular psychotherapy22

Integrated Pastoral Counseling33

Authentic Biblical Counseling (Christian Counseling)42

Current Issues48

A Comparison of Christian and Secular Counseling with a Bible Word Study Basis50

Similarities between Biblical and Professional Views of Counseling57

Differences between Biblical and Professional Views of Counseling59

How can a Christian counseling center plus church work together to dole out God in meeting the requirements of people?69

The Demand ...