Fun Friday!

Should be grading today (and will be in a minute) but spent the morning biking with my 9 year old. One of the best things I’ve done recently is to buy a bike–actually 2 for the price of one on craigslist. Sam and I have been biking most mornings before I go to work. Today, [...]

Christian Counseling: Collaboration and Referral

After a brief hiatus I return to reviewing Malony and Augsburger’s book, Christian Counseling: An Introduction. Chapter 7 begins with the assertion that the lone ranger Christian counselor is problematic. “First, totally private practice is not a responsible, trustworthy way to offer counseling…[and] second, the counselor’s theology is inadequate.” (69). Rather Christian counseling ought to [...]

Serious Mental Illness and faith: what to do?

Had a meeting today with two people from UPENN (one a prof) who are working to break down barriers for those with Serious mental illness (SMI). They have found that folks with SMI are quite likely to acknowledge spiritual or religious beliefs and identity. And yet, these folks say there are two serious roadblocks for [...]

Science Monday: The ethics of working with those who want to change their sexual orientation

Last class of the school year! Excitement is in the air for both teacher and student. Tonights Ethics class adddresses the matter of counseling those who are different (sexual and religious). Since I have little time before class I want to mention an article worth reading. Mark Yarhouse and a colleague have written a 2002 [...]

Living in a state of denial

My roof leaks. I’ve been up on it twice in the past week (scared to death I might add) but can’t find where the water is getting in. I squirt a little caulk here and there just for good measure. Redoing the roof is very expensive so I avoid that option. The bucket in the closet [...]

I’m still here…but grading

Sorry for the hiatus but Monday is the last class of the school year and I’m over my head in grading papers. No one to blame by myself. Looking forward to July to post some things that have been on my mind but unable to get out…

Science Monday: Sexual attraction in the counselor’s office

Today’s ethics class is going to cover the area of misconduct. Unfortunately, misconduct means here the illicit sexual contact between the counselor and counselee. In 2004, sexual misconduct played a role in 35% of complaints to the APA committee on ethics (2005 American Psychologist, 60:5, p. 526). How are pastoral counselors doing on this matter?

Christian counseling will cause you to forgive others?

“Counseling…fosters the practice of forgiving; it facilitates the search for being forgiven.” So says Malony and Augsburger at the start of chapter six of Christian Counseling. But lest we confuse forgiveness with absolution, the authors remind us that while sometimes forgiveness is given immediately after an apology, we may need to ask, “What about the [...]

Multicultural vs. multiculturalism

I’m continuing to read Infidel, Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s story of her life and transition from Muslim girl to atheist woman. Very compelling. After becoming a citizen of Holland and entering the political scene, she began to battle injustices and lack of freedom within the Islamic communities in Europe. She describes the reaction from native Dutch who [...]

Christian Counseling or Spiritual Guidance?

Sorry for the absence. Grading and teaching, teaching and grading….soon to be over but not yet.
In chapter 5 of Christian Counseling, Malony and Augsburger address this question: How might Christian counseling help believers discern how faith works out in everyday life? The authors believe, “Christian counseling should provide an opportunity to explore faith in a manner that [...]