Pastoral Counseling Looking For Solutions

This groundbreaking book, now updated and expanded, furthers its original, effective, time-saving approach that benefits pastors overtaxed by counseling demands. Dr. Charles Kollar presents a departure in pastoral counseling, showing that counseling need not be long-term or depend on psychological manipulation to produce dramatic results. In most cases, the solution lies with the counselees themselves. Using the tested methods found in Solution-Focused Pastoral Counseling, pastors, apart from counselors, will be well equipped to help their counselees discover a solution and put it in motion speedily and productively.SFPC is short-term—typically one to five sessions, in which the counselor seeks to create solutions with—not for—the counselee. The focus is on the possibility of life without the problem through an understanding of what is different when the problem does not occur or is less intrusive. The goal is healthy change, sooner rather than later, by helping the counselee see and work on the solution with God’s activity already present in his or her life.The solution-focused approach does not require the counselor to be a highly trained psychological expert. It requires biblically based sensitivity and common sense. Yet this approach also recognizes its limitations and understands that there are situations in which other professional and/or medical help is required.

This book will assist pastors in their efforts to counsel parishioners by moving from a problem-focused approach to a solution-focused approach. 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 book 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.[1] 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 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 book features the research method of Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR), and a narrative analysis of exemplars.

Since the beginning of the biblical counseling movement in 1970, biblical counselors have argued that counseling is a ministry of the Word, just like preaching or missions. As a ministry, counseling must be defined according to sound biblical theology rather than secular principles of psychology. For over four decades, biblical theology has been at the core of the biblical counseling movement. Leaders in biblical counseling have emphasized a commitment to teaching doctrine in their counseling courses out of the conviction that good theology leads to good counseling…and bad theology leads to bad counseling. A Theology of Biblical Counseling is a landmark new book that covers the history of the biblical counseling movement, the core convictions that underlie sound counseling, and practical wisdom for counseling today. Dr. Heath Lambert shows how biblical counseling is rooted in the Scriptures while illustrating the real challenges counselors face today through true stories from the counseling room. A substantive textbook written in accessible language, it is an ideal resource for use in training biblical counselors at colleges, seminaries, and training institutes. In each chapter, doctrine comes to life in real ministry to real people, dramatically demonstrating how theology intersects with the lives of actual counselees.

This book will help counselors understand and deal with the typical problems that arise in a marriage. The approach is to offer not merely solutions, but biblical solutions. Chapter by chapter, each problem that is brought into focus is addressed by Scripture, and a solution arising from Scripture is developed. Unless one understands what a biblical marriage is supposed to be, it is difficult to solve marriage problems. For that reason, Dr. Adams spends the first few chapters developing a biblical model. Then he treats many of the specific kinds of problems that typically arise : life patterns, priorities, children, sex roles, in-laws, and so forth. - Back cover.

Multitudes of women struggle daily with negative habits and addictions, emotions such as anger and depression, various kinds of loneliness, and other difficulties experienced by mothers, wives, or singles. Here is a rich counseling resource that looks to the Bible alone as being sufficient to address our every need. Author Elyse Fitzpatrick and several contributors are all qualified biblical counselors skilled at interweaving the perfect wisdom of God’s Word with heartfelt compassion and concern for those who need help. Among the topics are... emotions, worry, and depression eating disorders and habitual struggles and sins verbal abuse and pornography singleness, marriage, and parenting grief and caregiving Designed for both self-use and as a guide for counseling others, Women Counseling Women offers answers that will encourage and endure because God’s Word is timeless and full of wisdom for the problems women face.

Many Christian counselors and pastors want to bring Christ's Gospel and forgiveness into their soul care, but don't know how. Luther's very Christ-centered theology, based in his desire for care of souls, can provide us with that foundation. Various techniques flowing from that foundation are shared. "Martin Luther formulated his proclamation of the message of Scripture for his contemporaries between the poles of God's voice in the pages of the Bible and the needs and afflictions of his hearers and readers. Marrs brings twenty-first century readers into that exchange and demonstrates how Luther's insights into the gospel of Jesus Christ help bring healing and comfort to those struggling with guilt, shame, fear, loneliness, and other spiritual afflictions in our day. This volume provides those who are engaged in conversation with the troubled and distressed rich resources for fostering peace and joy in the midst of such trouble and distress." Robert Kolb, PhD, professor of systematic theology emeritus, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis USA "If all good theology is pastoral in its orientation, then this groundbreaking, practical, biblical study is well worth careful consideration by any pastor or Christian counsellor. In it Marrs engages in a conversation with the teaching of Luther as a Christ-centered pastoral theologian and the practical insights of psychologists on the personal care of their clients, with a special emphasis on Luther's insistence on the need to distinguish between law and gospel in the proper application of God's gracious word with the delivery of soul care to God's people." John W. Kleinig, PhD Professor Emeritus, Australian Lutheran College University of Divinity, Adelaide, South Australia

This book discusses brief-therapy approaches that look at solutions rather than problems.

Western culture and many of its churches and pastors are enamored by the assumption that life's most difficult problems call for in-depth psychological treatment. This book offers a different model of care than the dominant perspectives of modern psychology to those who have the responsibility of pastoral counseling. While there are a number of models and training programs for Christian lay counselors, this work is original in its application of the Solution-Focused approach to training lay members. The fundamental value of this book is as a guide for ministers in equipping the members of their congregations to care for one another. It is in caring for and being cared for by others that we truly discover the joy of living in God's community.

In this collection of humorous and inspirational vignettes and poetry, Robert L. Menz reframes life's situations from a holistic and inclusive perspective. A Memoir of a Pastoral Counseling Practice consolidates the dynamics of theological consistency, psychological insight, wellness, and wholeness issues along with relevant humor. This synthesis results in viewing and understanding life experiences from a unique perspective. You'll see how reframing is used to turn an inoperable Jacuzzi into a Therapeutic Pool. You'll learn how to "shift your paradigm." And you'll read about some "nice" naughty words. As a pastor and counselor, Menz seeks to assist in making life meaningful and fulfilling to others and himself. A Memoir of a Pastoral Counseling Practice takes us back to his service in Vietnam and his decision to join the ministry and brings us up to his recent travels with his wife. Along the way we learn what he thinks about "nice" people, anger, snakes, memory, and stress during the holidays. He offers us such nuggets as: "Sometimes one day at a time is 738 of a day too much." "I think that some come and go and have not been." "I think that you and I are words spoken by God in our own time." An enjoyable and useful read for pastoral counselors, chaplains, and other clergy professionals, as well as psychologists, social workers, professional counselors, employee assistance professionals, and educators, A Memoir of a Pastoral Counseling Practice is perhaps most needed by the general reader who is searching for something meaningful in life. Menz explains, "In a world of fast food and quick fixes, shallow explanations for living and understanding have been offered socially, psychologically, relationally, emotionally, and spiritually. This book attempts to flesh out simple solutions with limited, yet mature and consistent, thinking. Even though the book is filled with meaningful humor, the intent of this work is to provide a critical and serious approach to life's complexities. Any accomplishment of this task, I believe, is strengthening to our local communities as well as to the community of God."