Running head: CHRISTIAN COUNSELING VS. SECULAR PSYCHOLOGY
Christian Counseling vs. Secular Psychology
Laura E. Johnson
Liberty University Online
CHRISTIAN COUNSELING VS. SECULAR PSYCHOLOGY
Christian Counseling vs. Secular Psychology
Counseling is a generic term that is defined as, “advice and support that is given to
people to help them deal with problems or make important decisions” (“Counseling”, 2014). One
can discern from the definition that counseling could range from career aptitude and strengthbuilding strategy sessions to suicide or drug and alcohol addiction intervention. Emotional,
behavioral, or psychological disorders can be effectively treated with counseling, and every
counselor has a foundational approach for helping their clients to achieve the desired outcome.
These approaches are as varied as the field of counseling itself, making it necessary for the
consumer to seek out the type of counseling, and the type of counselor, they are most
comfortable with.
For Christians, this has historically proven to be a difficult endeavor. Troubled people
seeking pastoral counseling may find that the pastor is ill-equipped to provide assistance for
difficult or chronic problems. Those seeking help from secular psychologists might learn
techniques and skills which are helpful for coping, however, their spiritual priorities and
convictions may be treated with disdain or neglect depending on the therapist’s foundational
approach. This dilemma provided an opportunity for the Church and counseling professionals to
join together to answer the call to minister to the deepest needs of every man.
The Christian counseling profession necessitates that it be a distinctive option for those
seeking therapeutic counseling consistent with their belief system. A careful examination of
three secular therapeutic models (Rational-Emotional Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral
Therapy, and the Rogerian Theory), in comparison to a biblically-based, integrative Christian
counseling model (Christian Counseling as developed by Dr. Larry Crabb) is a valid beginning
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to help define and delaminate the differences and commonalities between these various
approaches to helping people resolve their problems.
Part I: The Goal of Christian Counseling
Dr. Crabb asserts that Christian counseling presupposes several foundational certainties.
One is that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God (Crabb, 1977). Above all else, the Bible is
absolute truth which is useful to people for salvation, healing, and guidance (2 Tim. 3:16-17,
NIV). Another foundational reality is that Jesus Christ is Lord. Because that is so, people are to
be in relationship with Him and in submission to Him. In addition, successful Christian life
includes the practice of spiritual disciplines both privately and corporately within the local
church (Crabb).
The goal of Christian counseling is not primarily just to resolve the presenting problem or
to feel better (Crabb, 1977). The Christian counseling model follows scriptural precepts for right
living. Once a person receives Christ by way of a personal salvation experience, the believer
becomes justified, or legally declared innocent, by Christ’s payment for sin on the cross (Rom.
5:1; Phil. 3:9, NIV). A client’s correct and full understanding of this unmerited righteousness
which is solely based on the love and sacrifice of Christ is central to their motivation for
righteous living (Crabb). In accordance with the presuppositions referenced previously, the
believer must then move over, or become submitted and obedient to Christ (Crabb). As a person
walks an obedient path throughout life, they are moving up into the image of Christ, toward
glorification, or the completion of the transformation into His image which is realized in heaven
(Crabb). Christian counseling provides an opportunity for the client to establish or confirm their
relationship with Christ, to expose error based thinking by presenting biblical truth so that the
client is able to move over into obedience to Him, and finally, to assist in the process of moving
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up into Christian maturity. The overarching goal of Christian counseling is Christian maturity
(Crabb).
Similarities Compared to Secular Counseling
The field of secular psychology has conducted studies in order to flesh out universal
truths and develop helpful counseling strategies. This empirical research provides professionals
with helpful conclusions, theories, and best practices. Some can be useful to the practice of
Christian counseling even if the premise, or basic assumption, of the research is not based on
Scripture (Crabb, 1977). For instance, Christian and secular therapists agree that helping a client
take personal responsibility for their actions is important (Crabb). Moreover, both fields of
practice understand that humans rely on hope, significance, love, and social connection to be
healthy. In terms of human functioning, both groups understand that people are influenced
greatly by their environment; that at their core people are self-centered, prompting them to act in
ways they believe will meet their needs (Crabb). Additionally, both camps understand that
thoughts influence emotion and direct behavior (Crabb).
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is recognized as beneficial by both religious
counselors as well as secularists in spite of the essential differences in their respective world
views (Crabb, 1977). There are a number of different techniques which fall under the heading of
CBT that can help people change damaging thought patterns and resulting behavior (Andrews,
2010). The Christian model espoused by Dr. Crabb and most secular CBT models involve a
limited number of structured visits in order to achieve specific goals where the client is an active
participant in developing and implementing the treatment plan (Andrews, 2010; Crabb, 1977).
Goals are achieved through repetitive, action-oriented techniques that train the client to think and
behave differently (Andrews, 2010; Crabb, 1977).
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Albert Ellis, the developer of a form of CBT called rational emotive behavior therapy
(REBT) was known to be hostile toward the integration of psychology and religious practice
(Johnson, Ridley, & Nielsen, 2000). Still, Ellis accurately contends that if a particular emotion is
problematic, then the client need only tell themselves different things in order to experience a
different emotion (Johnson et al). REBT, then, is founded upon the principal that what a person
believes is central to their emotional state. In spite of the designer’s personal world view, REBT
therapy is obviously oriented toward replacing destructive beliefs with constructive ones
(Johnson et al.). Therefore it can be practiced and applied within the context of Christian
counseling without implicit contradiction (Johnson et al.).
In overtly Christian counseling as well as the secular practice CBT or religiously
sensitive REBT, the therapist must seek to avoid crossing ethical boundaries by encouraging
client autonomy, by practicing only in areas for which they have appropriate skills and training
or collaborative support, and by taking great care to avoid imposing personal world views
(Johnson, Ridley, & Nielsen, 2000).
Differences Compared to Secular Counseling
The defining difference between the goal of Christian counseling and the goal of secular
counseling is the element of obedience to Christ verses seeking what amounts to the highest
advantage for the individual (Crabb, 1977). Secular psychology promotes goals based on
humanistic presuppositions rather than from a scriptural basis (Crabb). This foundational
discrepancy is paramount to understanding the variances in desired outcomes between the two
approaches. Essentially, secular therapists do not wish to devalue any human being, and thus,
have an approach that seeks the highest good for the client as long as it is not at the expense of
another person (Crabb). Contrary to this is the chief end of Christian counseling, that being
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Christian maturity, which involves sacrificial living and obedience in order to glorify God
(Crabb).
Although his view evolved over time and in light of contradictory evidence, the secular
psychologist Albert Ellis initially stressed that religious practice was actually responsible for
damaging psychopathology (Johnson, Ridley, & Nielsen, 2000). Secular therapists, like Ellis,
often believe that strict adherence to religious fundamentals and principles regarding sin, the
need for salvation and redemption, and the submissive relationship between human kind and the
Creator are restrictive and oppressive. Alternatively, the Christian counselor seeks freedom for
the individual by ensuring a proper, biblical understanding of these fundamentals (Crabb, 1977).
Christian counselors exhort clients to think, believe, and act in obedience to God’s law
and biblical principles while understanding that human nature is bent toward sinful behavior
(Crabb, 1977). In contrast, Rogerian theory introduced a fundamentally humanistic therapeutic
approach commonly referred to as Rogerian Client-Centered Therapy, or RCCT (Kensit, 2000).
Accurately understanding the client is important in both methodologies, however, RCCT insists
that the therapist be supportive and non-directive, showing only positive regard in response to
the client in order to promote growth (Kensit). The basis of RCCT is that determining right or
wrong is completely subjective. This approach encourages the client to explore all potentials in a
non-judgmental environment on the premise that they will naturally choose that which is most
beneficial to their own self-actualization (Kensit).
Part II: Basic Concepts of Christian Counseling
According to Dr. Crabb, a person’s sense of personal worth is a culmination of their
sense of meaning and significance combined with the knowledge that they are securely and
unconditionally loved (Crabb, 1977). Neurotic behavior and pathological, problematic habits and
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thoughts are viewed as an individual’s attempt to protect their sense of worth (Crabb). He
underscores that this is typically accomplished through the never ending quest for experiences
that provide the individual with either pleasure, or power (Crabb). Unhealthy paths to
significance and security can then cause very real and lasting consequences and emotional pain.
For all intents and purposes, individuals will continue in these negative pursuits, further
increasing their distress to the point of hopelessness, in order to protect their own fragile sense of
personal worth (Crabb). The negative behavior is motivated by a deficit, and the focus is
increasingly self-centered (Crabb).
Part III: Basic Strategies
Dr. Crabb’s model affirms that once people understand that their personal worth is rooted
in the secure love of Christ and that significance and purpose is found through identification with
Christ and His purposes, the individual is free to escape the destructive cycle of protecting their
worth by continually seeking pleasure or power (Rom. 5:8; Eph. 2:10, NIV) (Crabb). In this way,
their motivation to behave differently is rooted in their desire to reflect and express their belief
and Christian maturity is achieved (Crabb).
The process of confronting problems in Christian counseling begins with identifying the
feelings surrounding the complaint or problem (Crabb, 1977). Since all behavior is an attempt to
achieve the goal of protecting worth, problems feelings tend to occur when goal achievement has
been blocked. Understanding and defining the client’s behavior in light of their goal will help to
identify problem thinking and wrong assumptions (Crabb).
Exploring the source and emotions surrounding the incorrect assumptions leads to the
opportunity to replace the problem thinking with the truth of God’s Word. In order to
successfully change the thinking, the correct, biblical thinking must be clarified and deliberately
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practiced (Crabb). The individual must work with the counselor to develop a plan and commit to
actively engage in truthful thinking and behaving until it affects not only the mind, but the heart
(Crabb).
One way this might be accomplished is by practicing the tape recorder method. This
method requires the client to write out the problem thought, feeling, or behavior on an index card
or chart. On the reverse side of the card or opposite side of the chart, the corresponding and
correct biblical truth is recorded. The client then makes a commitment to read and repeat the
biblical truth anytime the false belief comes up (Crabb). The client must use their mind, their
will, and their emotions in order to carry out new biblical thinking and behavior (Crabb). The
final step occurs when the client is able to see how their beliefs and behaviors are now Spirit-led
and consistent with their goal of maturing into the image of Christ (Crabb).
Part IV: Developing a Counseling Program in the Local Church
All Christians are called to bear one another’s burdens, and are therefore, counselors
(Gal. 6:2, NIV). Christian counseling occurs in varying degrees and can be increasingly
effective for more difficult troubles the more mature and Christ-like the counselor is (Crabb,
1977). Dr. Crabb endorses a model of Christian counseling within the local church according to a
three tiered structure.
Level 1 counseling involves understanding problem feelings and counteracting them by
providing encouragement (Crabb, 1977). All Christians have the ability to notice and encourage
others through meaningful conversation. Empathy and compassion express a genuine concern to
individuals in distress. These types of exchanges provide relief and promote biblical feelings by
offering a suffering person an opportunity to be noticed, understood, loved, accepted, and
encouraged (Crabb).
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Level II counseling addresses problem behavior, and should be the endeavor of those
who are more spiritually mature (Crabb, 1977). This type of Christian counseling happens
through exhortation, or the communication of wise, biblical counseling (Crabb, 1977). When a
Christian is faced with sinful or problematic behavior, the course correction involves a reminder
that glorifying God and behavioral obedience should be the goal. Knowing the Scripture and its
practical application to the problems of life are vital characteristics for the Level II counselor.
Level III counseling is conducted by very mature Christians who have been extensively
trained, and who may be professional or licensed counselors (Crabb, 1977). Counseling at this
level is accomplished through enlightenment. Level III counseling encompasses both Level I and
Level II counseling and goes deeper to include the unbelief, misbelief, and incorrect assumptions
of the troubled individual (Crabb). It is at this level that the counselor would implement the basic
strategies that Dr. Crabb advocates.
Clearly, there are major differences in premise and approach between secular and
Christian counseling. Although some secular theories can be integrated into Christian counseling
without contradicting the validity of Scripture, the Christian counselor and the consumer client
must weigh every counseling modality through the lens of biblical truth. Secular psychology and
Christian counseling are not enemies, but the truth of God’s Word and biblical direction must
always be the measure of wisdom and healing for the believer.
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References
Andrews, L. W. (2010). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. In L. W. Andrews, Encyclopedia of
Depression (Vol. 1, pp. 112-113). Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Press. Retrieved from
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Clinton, T., Hart, A., & Ohlschlager, G. (2005). Caring for People God's Way. Nashville:
Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Crabb, Jr., L. J. (1977). Effective Biblical Counseling. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Johnson, W. B., Ridley, C. R., & Nielsen, S. L. (2000). Religiously sensitive rational emotive
behavior therapy: Elegant solutions and ethical risks. Professional Psychology: Research
and Practice, 31(1), 14-20. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.31.1.14
Kensit, D. (2000). Rogerian theory: a critique of the effectiveness of pure client-centred therapy.
Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 13(4), 345-351. Retrieved from
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N=2009434729&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Counseling. (2014). In Merriam-Webster's dictionary. Retrieved from
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The Student Bible, New International Version. (1986). Grand Rapids: Zondervan Corporation.
Word Count: 2277
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