Caring for People Gods Way Critique - Book Report/Review Example

?Caring for People God’s Way The world, we live in, is a place of constant activities even since its origination. These activities of the humans using their physical as well as their mental part has to led widespread development in various aspects of human life. These developments have improved the humans’ lifestyle, comfort, safety, health, etc, etc. However, at the same time, the new age developments around the world, has given rise to number of problems for the humans as well. Although, these problems for the humans have been prevalent from historic times, the current changes have led newer as well as modified problems. Thus, the world of today is beset with a lot of problems affecting people in various geographical regions as well as cutting across demographic profiles. That is, people or families or individuals belonging to all religions, including Christianity, are being negatively impacted by problems like Martial discord, domestic violence, Alcoholism, Substance abuse, Sexual assaults, varied Mental disorders, suicides, etc, etc. These physical cum mental problems are forcing the humans to find solutions as well as solace. Apart from finding and following scientific and medical options, struggling people are also seeking spiritual care. That is, people are approaching the places of religious importance particularly churches to find solutions to their personal problems. This is where the role of Christian Counseling or Christian counselors assumes importance. The book, Caring for People God’s Way edited by Timothy Clinton, Archibald Hart and George Ohlschlager focuses on this constructive role of Christian counselors, and how they listen to and the try to solve the various emotional issues and even trauma of the approaching people. This paper focusing on this book will first discuss the essential elements of the book along with information about the author, and then will identify the key role played by the church in giving spiritual and emotional care to the needy people, then will discuss the issues and struggles faced by the church and importantly by the counselors while giving the Pastoral care, and will finally answer the question of what knowledge, skills and resources will be required to engage in Pastoral Care in the new millennium church. The book is edited by Timothy Clinton, Archibald Hart and George Ohlschlager, with they themselves along with other writers contributing content for the book. Tim Clinton seems to be the best person to author and edit a book about Christian counseling because of his impressive credentials. That is, Clinton is the President of American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), the largest Christian counseling association in the world; as well as the Publisher of the Christian Counseling Today magazine. (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.8). Apart from these administrative roles in the field of Christian Counseling, Clinton also has ‘on the ground’ professional experience. That is, having licensed as both Professional Counselor (LPC) and Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Client maintains a part-time counseling practice with Light Counseling, Inc., in Lynchburg. (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.8).The other major editor is Archibald D. Hart, Ph.D., who is Senior Professor and Dean Emeritus at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Apart from the above academic background, Hart is a licensed psychologist as well as a certified fellow in psychopharmacology. These strong credentials and being an effective authority as well as speaker on Christian counseling (particularly on the subject of how to manage the stress of ministry), had made Hart an apt person to contribute about the topic of Christianity counseling. The other main editor George Ohlschlager is the Co-Founder of the American Board of Christian Counselors. Apart from being Senior Editor and Writer of the Christian Counseling Today magazine, he also headed the AACC Law & Ethics Committee which came up with the AACC Christian Counseling Code of Ethics. Thus, it is clear that all these three editors have an optimal academic and professional background about Christian Counseling to write, contribute and edit a book about Christian counselors, their roles, struggles, etc. As pointed out above, the book Caring for People God's Way focuses on the roles of the Christian counselors in providing support and ‘treatment’ to the affected souls. The book is divided into four parts, with each part discussing particular aspects of Christian counselors and importantly the problems for which they can provide relief. The first part titled, 21st Century Christian Counseling has 5 chapters, with the chapters providing the list of various ills and other problems faced by the individuals, particularly the people belonging to Christianity. Also, the first part focused on the traits that should be imbibed and exhibited by the Counselors. In addition, the first part discusses the relation of biblical principles in the counseling process, the importance of ethics, etc. The Second Part titled Counseling for Personal and Emotional Issues discusses the types of mental problems or disorders, which can be cared and treated through Christian counseling. The Third Part, Addictions and Impulse Control problems focuses on the socio-behavior problems that could be faced by the individuals including Sexual Addictions, gambling, eating disorders, etc. The final Fourth part, Counseling for Grief and Trauma brings forth more severe mental problems like PSTD as well as problems associated with Sexual abuse, abortions, etc. Marital Discord is shown as a major problem with couples going for divorces are on the rise. The authors particularly point out how this discord and the resultant divorces of the couples are negatively affecting the lives of their children. "It should be noticed that the destruction of the American Family is troubling kids too" (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.4). The authors state that the Christians are not exempt from this problem, with rates of divorce increasing sizably among them. Apart from divorces, the abandoning of the children by the parents or even one of the parents is leading to behavioral problems among the children, which continues to affect them in their adulthood as well. Domestic violence is another problem related to marital discord, and according to the authors, “the occurrence of nearly 5.3 million acts of domestic violence each year results in almost 2 million injuries and 1300 deaths.” (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.5). The other social and personal ills that are plaguing the lives of many people are alcoholism and substance abuse. According to the authors, Alcohol is the third actual leading cause of death, as it could led both direct deaths (deterioration of health, heart attack, etc) as well as indirect deaths (driving accidents, murders in rage, etc). On the same lines, substance abuse is affecting sizable sections of the population particularly the young people. Individuals with drugs usage have both self-damaging tendencies as well as aggression towards others. According to the authors, the other key problems (which could also be interrelated to the above discussed problems) affecting the people are mental disorders starting from Depression to wide range of complex mental illnesses. After discussing all these problems, the authors point out how all these problems have to be aptly solved to enable the people to live a comfortable, healthy and happy life. Although, people with these problems are approaching various treatment avenues including medical options as well as psychological options, sizable sections of the affected people are also seeking spiritual form of treatment. When the medical and other treatments are not providing apt results and when the people have no faith in those medical treatments, they seek spiritual care. Importantly, with the research studies also proving that the spiritual based counseling is providing effective results, many people are going for it. According to the authors, “religious and faith-based psychotherapy have skyrocketed, showing again and again the great value that ensues when "faith meets counseling"”(Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.8). Due to the people's interest in seeking spiritual care or pastoral care to be specific, has brought to prominence the roles played by Christian Counselors. That is, sizable number people with problems particularly the mental related problems expect their psychologists or counselors to understand and support their religious beliefs, and thereby provide them treatment laced with spiritual aspects. "A Gallup poll suggests that above 60 percent of prospective clients prefer counselors with spiritual values and 80 percent want their beliefs brought into the counseling process. (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.8). As sizable psychologists and counselors having a scientific bent of mind may not favor and fulfill this above expectation of the people, individuals find Christian Counselors to be an apt option. In Christian Counseling, spiritual aspects particularly Holy Power is considered as a key component in the whole treatment process. In Christian counseling, “the Holy Spirit is the third person in every counseling situation...it is essential that healing pursuits are started with the relational God.” (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.15). In addition, the Christian counselors need to imbibe in them positive biblical traits, so they can optimize their care giving duties. The authors validate this aspect by defining Christian Counseling as a triadic healing encounter with the living Christ, facilitated by a helper who assists this redemptive, healing process, healing another get unstuck and moving forward on the path to spiritual maturity and psycho-social-emotional health. In the subsequent parts of the book, the authors discuss the key traits that would make an individual a good Christian counselor, who can provide effective emotional care. One of the basic traits is how the counselor view and relate to the Christ. That is, the essence of Christian counseling, or for that matter any aspects of Christianity, is the person of Christ is an omnipresent entity, who needs to be kept in mind during the counseling process. Thus, both the counselors and the individuals with problems need to a have counseling relationship with hope in Christ. Psalm 42.5 evinces this point: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior..." (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.32). According to the authors, the other specific traits that needs to be imbibed in a Christian counselor are that he/she needs to be a Consultant, who helps the client to troubleshoot the problem and help them make key life decisions, then Teacher, who teaches and explains the client about the problems, then Supervisor, who fully oversees the recovery of the client and finally needs to be a Researcher, who can research and find out what they are doing is working or not. The authors then list out some of the key traits that have to be naturally endowed in an individual who wants to be a Counselor. The first trait is counselor has to have a good personality. Apart from these personal attributes, according to the authors, the Counselors must be knowledgeable about variety of issues and topics, that is of historical as well as current nature. Only when they have knowledge about the issues that are brought up by the clients, they would be able to provide apt treatment and emotional care. For that, the authors state that they need to have formal education and specialized clinical trainings. (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.35). Importantly, that training need to involve how to see contemporary mental disorders in the view of Christian theology. The authors point out some more traits that need to be exhibited by the counselors to provide effective emotional care. They need to be Genuine, so that they view an individual's problem from a spiritual and professional angle, without any other negative perspective. The Counselors also need to exhibit warmth with the clients so they can provide a sense of comfort to them, and make them cooperate aptly during the treatment process. Importantly, to provide good care, the counselors have to be supportive to the clients and at the same time challenge them. There is an intricate balance of supporting clients through the "tough stuff" they are dealing with, while at the same challenging their destructive beliefs and sinful choices. (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.37). Apart from detailing these traits, the authors also have discussed the optimal steps that needs to be followed by the counselor during the counseling sessions, and those sessions could number from 8 to 10. One of the key steps pointed out by the authors is that the counselor should make efforts to empower the client, instead of rescuing him/her. Another key step is, counselors should state the goal of the counseling process, and instill it strongly among the clients. So, during the sessions, whatever be the “behavioral deficits” of the clients, the counselors should strongly focus on the goals and make the clients work towards those goals to make it a successful therapy. (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.238). This should be the case during the counseling process for all types of disorders or problems including various forms of addictions like sexual addictions, eating disorders, gambling and even when clients exhibit suicide tendencies. The counselors’ treatment process for the sexual addicts will include imbibing of positive thoughts in their mind, particularly making the man or woman or even both spouses surrender each other to Christ. When they do that, they will start avoiding the sexual thoughts or "by guarding the mind against them". (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.275). On the same lines, the authors states that to make the clients get rid of their gambling habits, the counselors should make them agree to a self-banning agreement and even "ask to the family member of friend to go with a the recovering gambler to every gambling establishment" to rein him/her when they go over their limits. (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.300). When the clients exhibit the extreme form of mental disorder, which are suicidal tendencies, then the counselor should make the client discuss about suicide openly and discuss it in a matter-of-fact tone, which helps the affected to see the issue more normally and easily (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.350). In the final Part of the book, the authors also discuss how counselors can play a helpful role when individuals suffer from mental disorder like PTSD, and other problems like sexual abuse. According to the authors, when counselors receive clients with PTSD, one of the key things they need to do is they need to strengthen the individual's relationship with family and friends because relationships have healing properities, and so empowering one to secure attachment is a cornerstone of PTSD treatment. (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.401). Although, Christian Counselors are viewed as an effective option, certain issues inside the churches have raised skepticism regarding their impact. That is, people continue to hear about various controversies and other crisis that keeps emanating from the churches involving the religious leaders. “The Catholic Church's sexual abuse crisis, of course, immediately stands out for its severity and pervasiveness.”(Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.10). To avoid these sort of crisis, it becomes paramount on the part of the counselors to uphold high moral values. That is, imbibing high ethics and moral values, the counselors need to function in a good manner, without causing any problems for the client. This is where the codes like AACC Code (American Association of Christian Counselors) will provide a helping and guiding hand to the counselors. In addition, there is an issue of how American and Western Church are involved in a major leadership crisis. The other key issue raised by the authors is that the religious leaders including Pastors and other leaders inside the churches are also facing wide range of mental related problems, particularly depression. When they face such problems, they are not provided apt options to recover from it, instead, they are treated harshly. The authors point about the issue of how a Pastor was fired from his position, just because he had depression. “His church should have rallied around, shown him love and mercy, given him a health-restoring sabbatical, and found him the resources to repair his life and return to ministry when able. Instead they kicked him out.” (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.10). With globalization and other global processes making the world into a multicultural and at the same time pluralistic world, it would be a tough challenge for the Christian Counselors to find common ground with their clients. “Not only it is getting difficult to establish a common cultural understanding in America due to the inflow of people from various ethnicities and religions, but a common Christian culture is harder and harder.” (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.75). This is because Christians follow various cultural aspects, speak different languages, follow different traditional customs, exhibit different leanings to the ongoing changes, etc. This being the case, the Counselors have to form their process based on what the clients' cultural and other backgrounds, and how they think about and perceive religious aspects. We would encourage this next generation of Christian counselors to develop client-centered models of understanding based on the religious and cultural traditions of various Christian populations. (Clinton, Hart and Ohlschlager, 2006, p.77) From the above book analysis, it is clear that it is book with high number of strengths than weakness, and is a good read for all the prospective counselors as well as already functioning counselors. Importantly, it would be useful read for the individuals who have certain socio-behavioral problems, and have not found a good treatment option. One of the main strengths is, the book lists out all types of problem, where the Christian counselors can play a positive role. Then, it shows how biblical and other religious aspects can be aptly incorporated during the counseling process, to ease the pain of the sufferers. One minor weakness of the book is, it sounds little preachy about religious aspects in certain sections. However, on the whole, it provides a more practical and helpful discussion. Thus, this book is an effective guide for the Christian counselors who can assist the struggling individuals through scientific as well as spiritual care, as the book aptly incorporates the latest in psycho-social-spiritual research. Reference Clinton, Tim., Hart, Archibald and Ohlschlager, George. (2006). Caring for People God's Way: Personal and Emotional Issues, Addictions, Grief, And Trauma. Thomas Nelson Inc. Read More