Page 10 - Biblical Counseling

When Should Christians See a Professional Counselor?

In the past, I believe there was often a negative stigma attached to therapy. Author Jared
Wilson notes that there used to be a "perceived ethos" that people who were depressed
simply didn't have enough faith and just needed to pray more. So counseling wasn't seen as
an attractive option for Christians.

However, things are different in the church today where professional counseling doesn't
seem to carry the same negative connotations as before. This may be due to the growing
presence of Christian counseling out there. In fact, there are now institutions, conferences,
and podcasts dedicated to the importance of mental health. But I also think it's because
Christians today realize struggling individuals may need more than the "normal ministries"
at church to help them.

Personally, I'm a full supporter of Christians seeing a Christian counselor. In fact, I think
Christians who go through traumatic events must receive professional help. But at the same
time, I'm certain that some Christians whose knee-jerk reaction to a dark season in life don't
really need counseling - they just need a solid small group. But while Christians in the past
may have been overly hesitant to receive such professional help, I wonder if some
Christians today may be overly eager to utilize such resources.

So, when do Christians need such help? When is an appropriate time to seek a professional?
Should a person struggling with sadness automatically seek one out? Do all married couples
going through a tough season need a marriage counselor? Here are some thoughts to help
navigate through this important question.

What You Should Know About Professional Counseling
Before seeking professional counseling, I think it's helpful to know what you're actually
getting yourself into. One thing I like to say is that counseling is kind of like getting an
MRI. People usually get MRIs when they're injured and want to figure out the extent of the
injury. But MRI’s are an intense and expensive way of diagnosing your body. So, if you've
sprained ankle, it would be silly to spend hundreds of dollars to confirm a diagnosis. But if
you sense something is severely wrong with your ankle where it's hindering your day-to-day
lifestyle, then it might be worthwhile to get that MRI.

Lastly, your time in counseling is usually filled with more diagnosis than rehabilitation.
That's because we go into sessions not really knowing what's really wrong with us. And
even if we think we know the problem, we often discover there's something deeper going
on.

So before seeking professional help, Christians should think things through and really
consider the time and cost that goes into receiving such resources. Are you truly committed
to not only seeking help, but implementing change to achieve goals.