How is Christian counseling different from secular counseling?
Dr. Harnish: We can treat the whole person, body, mind and spirit. We can enlist God’s direction and assistance from the start. I spoke to a patient recently who was fired from her psychiatrist because she (the patient) kept talking about her faith. The psychiatrist told her not to come back. It makes such a difference when the patient knows that we are believers. We can maximize their faith instead of minimizing it. Our trust in God is the foundation for health and healing. Dr. Sellen: When I’m counseling a Christian, there is a shared experience and belief system. There is freedom to utilize scripture and prayer. When people are psychotic or recovering from addiction, they are down in the pits. They feel worthless and their minds may not be clear. So I keep it very simple. I tell them, God loves you unconditionally. As His creation, you are beautiful and wonderful. He died for you and is willing to forgive you. You need to forgive yourself and move on to become the person He created
