Mike Emlet
Understanding the Influences on the Human Heart

I have recently been reading about those who struggle with “shattered assumptions”. You often find this phrase in literature regarding those who have gone through some type of traumatic experience which has informed or “shattered” their view of life, their future, or their sense of stability and safety.

(Listen to this audio podcast by clicking the play button above.)

This week's podcast is part two of a visit inside a CCEF Training classroom, Tim Lane's Counseling in the Local Church class. In a segment of the class titled "Growth in Grace," Tim helps us understand how essential the community of the local church is in the sanctification of each of its members.

David Powlison & worship leader Bob Kauflin chat about the similar roles of a worship leader and a Christian counselor during a break at the 2009 CCEF National Convention.

David Powlison & worship leader Bob Kauflin chat about the similar roles of a worship leader and a Christian counselor during a break at the 2009 CCEF National Convention.

(Listen to this audio podcast by clicking the play button above.)

This week and next we take you back inside a CCEF Training classroom, this time Tim Lane's Counseling in the Local Church class. In a segment of the class titled "Growth in Grace," Tim helps us understand how essential the community of the local church is in the sanctification of each of its members.

One of the great questions facing Christians in the social sciences and helping professions is this one: How do we legitimately and meaningfully connect the conceptual stock of the Bible and Christian tradition with the tech¬nical terminologies and observational riches of the behavioral sciences?  Within this perennial question, two particular sub-questions have long intrigued and perplexed me.

by Winston Smith

Worship in counseling? Yes, let me explain.

I recently met with a counselee who was struggling with some very powerful and painful emotions. As is almost always the case, those emotions reflected deeply held beliefs. The beliefs plaguing him and the feelings of rejection they evoked aren’t unusual but something new I asked him to try in the session was unusual – at least for me.

Let’s step back for a minute. How does a biblical counselor usually help such a person? Perhaps two or three passages of scripture leap to mind, verses that might direct this man’s thinking away from the unreliable affections of people to the unchanging, perfect, and infinite love of Christ. Here’s the problem: my counselee already knows most of those passages. We’ve read and discussed many of them together. So, where to now? I know, you’ll remind me that I should press on, remembering that change is a process and often a slow one at that.  But I want to share with you something different that I tried that was a game changer and I believe reflects on the ways we need to think more broadly about worship in the counseling process.

by Mike Emlet

Other posts in this series: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

To close this series on training interns, I want to address the issue of suicidal counselees.  (Obviously there are other crises an intern may encounter but I'll focus on counselees who pose a danger to themselves.) It's inevitable during the year that an intern will have a suicidal counselee. Learning how to assess and manage the risk of such a situation is a critical aspect of training.

Probably the most important thing I stress is, "Be willing to ask your counselees whether they have thought about suicide." This is particularly critical in counselees with depression, severe anxiety, or fluctuating moods. It is a myth that asking someone about suicidal thoughts can give that person the idea. But the opposite is true—not asking someone initially or not following up on a passing comment that indicates risk is a problem. Invariably, counselees who have had suicidal thoughts are thankful that their counselor has raised the issue. Doing so is an act of loving care.