“The primary freedom we have is always the choice of where we will place our mind.” - Dallas Willard
What about this god thing?
Many people have assumptions about what they think a “Christian” counselor is. My faith interacts with my counseling in three important ways:
1. As a Christian, I believe that every person is created in the image of our creator and, because of this, everyone holds infinite value and worth. “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” - C.S. Lewis
2. A central part of this created image is free will. Each person has been created with a will and power to choose – to decide what they believe and think. In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl – a psychiatrist, and holocaust survivor – writes a powerful statement to the unconquerable nature of the human will, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
Our ability and right to choose can be a powerful tool in our personal healing journey. A person’s right to choose is central to the Christian faith as well. Every person is given a right to choose to believe in Jesus or not, their freedom to do so is crucial! So in therapy, the freedom to choose is equally crucial. What is the issue getting in the way? How do we address it? What does health and wholeness look like? These are choices that you are free to explore and come to your own conclusions. You must! It is your journey, not your family’s, friend’s, doctor’s, or therapist’s – you are the expert on you.
3. My responsibility as a Christian therapist is to walk with you in this journey of re-ordering, to provide insight where I can, to bring knowledge, and provide a safe place to explore. All this is grounded in the lovingkindness and respect that each person was given in their created image. You can be sure, your beliefs, opinions and uniqueness as a human being will be respected and honored in our journey together.