One of the most frequently asked questions by inquiring potential clients and referring pastors is whether we offer “Christian Counseling.” In typical counselor fashion, I usually ask a clarifying question: What do you mean by Christian counseling? This is a term that can mean a spectrum of different things to a variety of people.
We want to take a minute to help you understand what it means for us at Restorative Counseling Center. First, although all of our counselors come from a Christian worldview and attended graduate school at a Christian university, it does not mean that we serve only those aligned with the Christian faith. It is a large sector of our caseloads, but we see many clients from other religions or no religious affiliation. As licensed counselors through the state of Michigan, we are legally and ethically bound to be client-directed; therefore, how much spirituality is a part of their treatment is ultimately up to the client. Each clinician asks initial questions on their intake that allows us to get a sense of where a client is at on this topic. Also, we are independent clinicians, so how we incorporate spirituality into treatment is going to look different.
We know that spirituality and faith for some people is a defining factor in your life. Although many of us feel the same, we also honor those that don’t feel the same. If you have questions, or specific desires for how your faith will be incorporated, have a conversation with your counselor about this. And most likely, they will be asking you questions early on about this as well.
Hopefully, the chart below helps give a bigger picture of what we at RCC mean when we say “Christian Counseling.”
At RCC, Christian Counseling…
| …is | …is not |
| The lens through which we see our clients: made in the image of God, broken yet fully loved. | Using a “pray more and read your Bible and everything will be okay” approach. |
| Meeting clients where they’re at and honoring their desires for how they want spirituality incorporated. | Telling them what to do. |
| Loving first and encouraging clients to seek God’s truth. | Perpetuating shame or pretending we have all of the answers. |
| Pointing them to Jesus whenever possible. | Negating client’s goals to serve our own agenda or those of the parent/ spouse/ family/ pastor, etc. |
A note to pastors:
Professional counseling, even if it is “Christian counseling” is different from pastoral counseling. Again, we are legally and ethically bound to following certain rules and guidelines from the state and national organizations. Sometimes it’s tricky, and sometimes we get stuck. Please now, we strive to honor God in all we do, and we rely on the power of prayer and our personal relationships with God to make possible what is sometimes impossible in our professional counseling profession.
Read more here about how I {Nicole Fryling} offer Christian counseling. If you have questions or would like a conversation about what counseling could look like for you, please contact us.
About the author
Nicole Fryling, MA, LLPC counsels women who feel anxious, overwhelmed and stuck, and want to be empowered to create peace, joy and fulfillment in their lives. She does this by blending together proven psychological tools and techniques with the therapeutic framework Scripture provides. Of all of the hats Nicole wears (wife, mother, counselor, business owner), Nicole’s favorite is her beach hat!
If you’re ready to learn to thrive rather than just survive, contact Nicole today for support at nicole@restorativecc.com
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