Prevailing Purpose

“So what do you do?”

This is a simple question we are all asked, but one that isn’t always easy for me to answer. The short, truthful one is that I am a biblical counselor, but this also usually requires some additional explanation.

Below are three of the most common questions that I am asked about biblical counseling.

What is biblical counseling?

At its core, biblical counseling is a type of intensive discipleship. Specifically, discipleship focused on the application of God’s Word and the practice of walking in the Holy Spirit while in a distinct season of suffering. Exactly what this looks like may depend on the people involved, the circumstances, and the necessity. In some cases it is a one time meeting between two friends, a semi-regular occurrence between pastor and church member, or a formal, weekly appointment between a professional counselor and counselee. 

But the key to defining and understanding biblical counseling is the centrality of the Gospel. Without the hope of Christ permeating every part of the conversation, it is no different from two people talking about life’s difficulties and exchanging their best advice on how to navigate it. In a biblical counseling setting the people involved understand that those difficulties are ultimately caused by the presence of sin¹ and only faith in Christ² and the application of God’s Word³ can truly bring lasting life change and hope.  

While biblical counseling can be done in less formal environments, professional biblical counseling will consist of a traditional meeting between a certified counselor and a counselee. These sessions may include a discussion, a study and application of God’s Word, reading or journaling assignments, and homework assigned by the counselor. While each individual counselor has areas of expertise, you can find a counselor to meet with on a variety of topics including anxiety, abuse, marriage, premarital counseling, church conflict, addiction, and much more. 

Why do biblical counseling? 

Biblical counselors understand that true and lasting life change can only come through faith in Christ, and without it all other solutions are a “Band-Aid” fix. For example, when dealing with anxiety some forms of therapy do help to identify the source of your anxiety, but also only offer ways to cope with it. While grounding techniques are incredibly helpful and are an important aspect of dealing with your anxiety, if you are a follower of Christ you do not have to remain a slave to it.

While scripture is clear that not all of our struggles will be removed in this life⁴, we can and do experience a certain level of healing and freedom from bondage to sin⁵. A trained biblical counselor can be a valuable asset in helping you to not only identify the source of your suffering, but to provide you with insight and tools directly from scripture as you seek to be transformed by the Spirit during a difficult season⁶. 

Please note that Christians can and do practice other forms of counseling and therapy and they are valuable and necessary contributors to their fields. Biblical counseling may not be right for you if, for example, you are seeking clinical therapy, but having access to a christian clinical therapist can be an incredibly important tool.

How do I receive biblical counseling?

There are a few ways to receive biblical counseling, both in-person and virtually. 

In-person

The first place you should always look when seeking in-person biblical counseling is your local church. Contact your pastor to find out if your church offers biblical counseling or is aware of a biblical counseling center near you. A brief look at a church’s counseling center website will tell you what kind of counseling they practice. 

You can also search for an individual biblical counselor in your area on the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) website. The individuals listed on this website are certified with ACBC and it can help you locate someone in your area. 

Virtual 

If you are in an area with no access to in-person biblical counseling centers or you struggle to find time in your schedule to add another meeting, virtual counseling may be a great option for you. Virtual counseling offers flexibility and help when you need it, wherever you need it.

Personally, I am a virtual biblical counselor with Anchored Hope Counseling and am able to meet with many women across the United States as well as in other parts of the world. 

You can find more information about our ministry and schedule with me, or one of our other excellent counselors, here. 

1. Genesis 3:16-19 ↩︎
2. Romans 5:1-2
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3. Romans 12:2
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4. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
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5. Romans 6
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6. Ephesians 4:22-32 ↩︎

If you are walking through a difficult season and can benefit from biblical counseling, schedule a session with myself or another qualified counselor today.

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