Getting Pastoral Counseling for Serious Mental Illnesses

Getting Pastoral Counseling for Serious Mental Illnesses

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4-MAT Review-McMinn

ABSTRACT McMinn, Mark R.   Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality In Christian Counseling . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996. Dr. Mark McMinn compiles an excellent resource for those who have chosen the path of Christian counseling. It focuses primarily on two important aspects of the Christian counseling field : in counseling sessions and life outside of counseling sessions – namely the counselor’s task and the counselor’s life. He starts his book with a brief section – written with James Wilhoit – that talks about religion in the Counseling office. It informs the counselor of the importance of utilizing the Christian faith in counseling not focusing on the relationship between psychology and theology. It states the challenges that religion brings in counseling sessions and how to handle and address those challenges. In the section, Toward Psychological and Spiritual Health , McMinn directs his focus to the different characteristics of a person’s life...
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4-MAT Review - Ortberg

ABSTRACT Ortberg, John. The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People . Grand Rapids, MN: Zondervan, 1997. John Ortberg’s The Life You’ve Always Wanted is a brilliant compilation of principles to achieve a life that is pleasing to God and to the follower of Christ. Ortberg breaks his book down to thirteen chapters that seems to be thirteen steps on a stairway to transformation. Chapter 1 starts off by talking about transformation. The primary goal of the spiritual life is to achieve human transformation. This chapter leads that way to utilizing every moment, every activity of life, for transformational purposes. Chapter 2 and 3 speaks of the goal of spiritual life and the truth about spiritual disciplines. The spiritual life is marked by transformation, but if that transformation is not achieved or at least attempted, then the Christian has missed out on the true goal of Christianity – transformation. A Christian must not only seek transformation, but spi...
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4-MAT Review- Nouwen

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Nouwen, Henri J. M. Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life . New York: Image Books, 1966. Abstract What does it mean to live a life in the Spirit of Jesus Christ? What a way to start a discourse about finding oneself before attempting to help another. Henri J. M. Nouwen masterfully compiled the blueprint for cultivating ones spiritual life and letting it translate into true discipleship – which means helping others find Jesus Christ. I understand his thesis because many people fail to realize that most Christians – while called upon to help others – find themselves in as much pain and inner chaos as the ones who need help. Nouwen’s aim is to bring the Christian to the understanding that solitude in oneself is necessary, rather than living with the appearance of spiritual stability. This aloneness in the spirit is the seed in which spiritual maturity is born. As a Christian, many believe that accepting Jesus Christ is all that’s needed. The bible does say that “if an...
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