Page 23 - Biblical Counseling II

Let’s Practice…

After looking at this chart and reading about the Social-Cognitive Perspective on personality, how would you
explain the difference in Samuel’s response to his mother’s death compared to Sara’s?

1. What cultural influences may have impacted how they grieved?

2. What social factors could account for how Sara and Samuel grieve?

3. What biological reasons could be behind Sara becoming depressed while Samuel was able to return to life
as it was before his mother’s death?

4. What psychological explanation could you imagine for the difference between Samuel and Sara’s
responses to grief?

5. Sara and Samuel are both Christians, and their mother was too. How could their spiritual beliefs impact
how they grief and also how Sara will heal from her deep grief?

Let’s get Personal…

Think about the example of Sara and Samuel. Now reflect for a few minutes on your own personality traits
as well as your life experiences. What are some personality traits that would help you as you counsel Sara?
What are some personality traits that would make it difficult to help her? What about life experiences? Have
you struggled with grief after someone you cared about died? Have you seen others not able to cope with life
after the death of a loved one? How can your personality traits, along with your life experiences, help you
counsel someone who is grieving? How will you help them find hope in Jesus? Spend some time answering
these questions.

21