Introduction
Counseling is a resource for coping with life’s challenges, which might otherwise seem insurmountable. Verbal (talking), nonverbal (listening), and textual (writing) forms of communication may all be useful in therapy to relieve patients’ distress and bring them closer to their ideal state of health (Mack, 2020). Despite the numerous subfields within the greater counselling discipline, its effectiveness has long been proven. Christian and secular counseling are the two most common approaches to therapy today. Finding the right counsellor requires understanding the differences between Christian and secular approaches.
The purpose of any competent counsellor, whether they identify as Christians or not, is to help the individuals who come to them for help. The onus is on the consumer to ascertain his or her requirements and make a well-informed selection (Odisho, 2019). Spiritual healing is emphasized more in Christian therapy, whereas scientific recovery is emphasized more in secular counseling. Sometimes it takes work to tell the difference between Christian and biblical counselling. Before starting your quest for a therapist, it might be good to know that counselling has two major theoretical orientations.
Definitions
In a Basic sense, Christian therapy is counseling and advising a patient following biblical principles. A closer look reveals, however, that what is taking on here is the discipline of one Christian by another as they endure trials of various kinds (Mack, 2020). In biblical counselling, the Word of God and His character are the primary foci. Truth and love might be blended profoundly when the Bible is utilized as the foundation for counselling. A counsellor may assist a client in realizing the truth about their circumstance while still exhibiting compassion if they base their advice on God’s Word, which is both love and truth (Odisho, 2019). A common purpose is shared by secular and Christian therapists: helping their clients achieve their goals despite their challenges. Faith-based therapy is counseling that takes a Christian worldview. Here, the therapist has chosen to emphasize spirituality as healing for their patients. Everything is considered in light of the Bible. Christian therapists believe that the Bible answers every issue that has ever troubled humanity (Mufid, 2020).
On the other hand, secular therapy occurs when a skilled therapist uses scientific approaches to advise a client. It is future-focused and international in its approach to mental health concerns. Secular counselling relies on empirical facts rather than religious dogma. Unlike religious and spiritual counsellors, a secular counsellor does not prioritize the client’s emotional or mental health. They focus on putting the client at ease via standard but non-specific scientific practices. The counsellor is not making any suggestions at this time. Instead, it concentrates on the customer’s words to help steer them toward a satisfactory conclusion. An individual participating in secular therapy gets access to a caring professional who can listen to their concerns and provide practical advice (Mufid, 2020). The counsellor-client relationship is strictly professional, yet it gives the client a feeling of belonging because of the counsellor’s understanding and caring. Furthermore, it is all about convincing the client to do whichever action brings them the most joy.
Similarities
Before discussing the contrasts, it is helpful to consider how similar Christian and secular counseling are. There are many parallels between the two methods of therapy. You can still get where you are going even if you deviate from the standard route. Both professionals care about their patients and want to help them feel better by removing unnecessary stress or burdens (Kuo & Chang, 2021). Both therapists and lawyers want their clients to feel closer to their families while still succeeding in life. Since they are all trained counsellors, they are interested in using these techniques. Said it is the same fundamental concept realized in a new form. It is totally up to you to choose the approach that works best for you.
Differences
One major difference is the perspective taken by each kind of counselling. Effective counselling from a secular perspective considers the whole world, not just the client’s immediate circumstances (Odisho, 2019). The results of this study demonstrate that the extrinsic environment influences every facet of human behaviour. All procedures and strategies are based on extensive study and the advice of professionals in mental health. The client’s success will therefore rest on the client’s public image and the results of scientifically sound testing. In Christian therapy, the Bible is the only infallible guide. Everything we know about knowledge and doctrine comes from the Bible. Since God is both the beginning and the end, He may have provided us with the key to our success in His Word. As a consequence, the success of the treatment is tied to the client’s level of devotion to God and their sense of advancement in their spiritual life as a result of that devotion (Mufid, 2020).
Second, the source each school of thought views to be the key to human flourishing is a major dividing line between secular and Christian counsel. Secular psychologists argue that one cannot force oneself to be happy. Consequently, a treatment program’s emphasis on the client and his or her objectives is essential. Christian counsellors believe that following Christ is essential to finding true happiness. For biblical counsellors, the client’s spiritual development in Christ is a primary focus of the therapy strategy (Mack, 2020). The counsellor uses the Bible as a map to help the client work through their problems. In contrast to the advice given by secular counsellors, this is a long-term fix to a prevalent issue. Because of our Almighty Father’s boundless love, we have infinite joy.
Using different terms and classifications is a third way Christian and Secular counseling are distinguished from one another. A secular counsellor will base their therapeutic work on human-based notions and language. This means they use conceptual frameworks and procedures developed by humans in the area of mental health. It emphasizes the belief that problems may be addressed by using scientific insight. The principles and language of biblical counselling are derived from the Holy Scriptures. Words like “sin,” “repentance,” “the enemy,” “salvation,” and similar concepts all belong here (Mack, 2020). These terms may be found in the Bible, along with their meanings. Considering that God alone is the “way, the truth, and the life”, it is important for Christians to understand and debate these ideas. It is important to remember that different treatment modalities may concur on the same things even if they employ different language to describe them (Mufid, 2020).
The ultimate aim is another key difference between Secular and Christian counselling. Success in secular therapy is often gauged by the extent to which the client returns to previous levels of functioning or experiences growth in emotional stability. The primary goal of Christian counselling is to help the client recover so that they may have a deeper relationship with God and use their abilities to serve the church better (Kuo & Chang, 2021).
The individual’s free will in making these modifications is also important. The patient is regarded as a free agent who can and should make decisions about improving their life in most secular therapy. Transformative change in a Christian therapist-client relationship requires the Holy Spirit to work in and through both parties. In this context, an individual’s actions may have far-reaching and fundamental effects (Mack, 2020). The Holy Spirit may guide once a person has made the first decision to change, but that decision must come from the person. Christian counsellors may utilize similar approaches but are more likely to give clients spiritually-oriented assignments to strengthen their bonds with God and others.
Thus, biblical principles form the basis of Christian therapy, which sets it apart from secular approaches to psychotherapy. The Bible and similar psychological studies provide the basis for its understanding of man, his problems, their roots, and the ways of overcoming them (Kuo & Chang, 2021). A sinful nature and the fact that it affects a person’s emotions and behaviour are recognized and accepted.
Conclusion
Secular intellectuals can make conclusions about what it means to be human by seeing and engaging with actual people. A Christian counsellor may benefit from these observations if and only if they are in harmony with the teachings of the Bible. The “elements of the puzzle” that scientists have unearthed via studying nature’s underlying rules and elements may be beneficial when trying to solve problems that the Bible does not explicitly address. The Bible, however, is still authoritative and may be used to filter one’s view of reality.
References
Kuo, C. F., & Chang, T. F. (2021). Do Christian Counselors Show More Empathy Toward Christian Clients Than Secular Clients? An Examination of the Relations Between Counselors’ Empathy and Counselor–Client Similarity in Christian Commitment. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 00916471211046218.
Mack, K. J. (2020). Unveiling God in Counseling: The Compatibility of Christian Theology and the Modern Therapeutic Process.
Mufid, A. (2020). Moral and spiritual aspects in counseling: Recent development in the West. Journal of Advanced Guidance and Counseling, 1(1), 1-22.
Odisho, C. (2019). Factors affecting the help-seeking process: willingness to seek religious-based and secular counseling (Doctoral dissertation).
write