What is the Difference between Christian Counseling and Secular Counseling

5 differences between Christian counseling and secular counseling

1.      The Bible is our navigator

2.      More than just clinical

3.      Not about the flesh, it’s about the soul

4.      Holy Spirit leads

5.     Finding their yellow brick road

As I walk this road as a Christian counselor there are many questions I often get. One of the most popular is, “What is the difference between Christian Counseling and secular counseling?” To help everyone better understand I broke down the five main differences below.

1. The Bible is our navigator

A common misconception when people talk about therapy is the idea that us therapists are there to give our opinions so that a person can heal, make better decisions, and so on. The reality is we clinicians are trained to NEVER give our personal opinions. Rather, we are taught to assist the client in obtaining healing through the use of differing therapeutic techniques. These techniques are created through research and study of humankind. It is this research that becomes the foundation for therapists to use as their roadmap on how to heal a client.

In Christian Counseling the Bible is the foundation we use in helping our clients. Sidney Roger of the website JustDisciple elaborates this fact in her blog post on the same topic.

I would say the best definition for Christian Counseling is the act of blending the Christian faith with the therapeutic techniques, theories, and tools formed by psychology that support the Bible. For example, let’s say I have a client coming to therapy to process their trauma. In my counseling of that person I am going to look to the Bible first. From there, I will pull from resources that support what the Bible shows.

If you are someone who is reading this and you do not know what the Bible is, I would recommend reading this article by Biblica.com

2. More than just clinical

Christian Counselors recognize that the work they are doing is so much more than just showing up and trying to figure out the perfect blend of helping that client move on with their lives. Christian Counseling is taking the time to investigate what is holding a person back from finding their purpose in God’s eyes. From there Christian counselors are then reaching out to God to help us help you. My job as a Christian Counselor is to remember that I am being used as a vessel so that someone else can be healed so they may go out and heal someone else.

3. Not about the flesh, it’s about the soul

When people walk into counseling, they usually come because of something that is holding them back in life. They are focused on that thing and they want that thing fixed. Christian counselors know that it is more than just that one or few things that are holding you back. A visual I love to give my clients is their trauma is like an onion. In trauma work we start by healing the outer layer of traumas. Then slowly but surely move deeper and deeper into one’s traumas until we hit the core.

Your soul is the core of you and biblically it says so. Intrinsically, it then becomes my job as a Christian therapist to help you heal that soul. Now, you get to decide if that happens or not. But my job is to poke and push where the client allows, so we can heal that beautiful soul.

4. Holy Spirit leads

I hinted at this earlier, but I am not the one that leads my counseling. What leads me is the Holy Spirit. This is a rather huge difference between Christian therapy and secular counseling. When I am working with a client I am ALWAYS checking in with the Holy Spirit. I am always asking should I challenge here, what should I say there, and often I am praying for the Holy Spirit to come into the room as my client processes the horrors that others have done to them.

A great article post I read from the Mirmosa Christian Counseling Center discusses this very difference and a few others they see between Christian counseling and secular counseling.

5. Finding their yellow brick road

The final difference between Christian therapy and secular counseling is the ultimate goal that we want for the client. Don’t get me wrong, ALL of us therapists want our clients to heal and thrive. However, Christian therapists are looking at that healing from a different perspective.

Before I illustrate what I mean. First let me start by giving this amazing visual my mom gave to me when I was a young girl. My mom told me that God is the perfect gentleman he does not shove nor shout, instead he lays out his hand and whispers please take it.

God then furthered that visual for me by showing me that after we take His hand, He leads us down His perfect yellow brick road for us. Let me make it clear none of that means you won’t endure strife or struggle. What this yellow brick road represents is the path that God created for you. A path in which you will love, grow, and struggle. But, under the unbelievable protection and love of God.

This is what I am always trying to help my clients find. I have seen time and time again the healing and life change that happens when a client finds their yellow brick road.

I hope this clears up some confusion! If you would like to listen to more about this topic please click this link for my podcast. Here I further illuminate on the above topics, while giving you a little extra!  

God Bless!!!