Evidence Based Practices For Christian Counseling And Psychotherapy

Are Christian treatments as effective as secular treatments? What is the evidence to support its success? Christians engaged in the fields of psychology, psychotherapy and counseling are living in a unique moment. Over the last couple decades, these fields have grown more and more open to religious belief and religion-accommodative therapies. At the same time, Christian counselors and psychotherapists encounter pressure (for example, from insurance companies) to demonstrate that their accommodative therapies are as beneficial as secular therapies. This raises the need for evidence to support Christian practices and treatments. The essays gathered in this volume explore evidence-based Christian treatments, practices, factors and principles. The authors mine the relevant research and literature to update practicing psychotherapists, clinical researchers, students, teachers and educated laypersons about the efficacy of certain Christian-accommodative therapies. Topics covered in the book include: devotional meditation cognitive-behavior therapy psychodynamic and process-experiential therapies couples, marriage and family therapy group intervention The book concludes with a review of the evidence for the various treatments discussed in the chapters, a guide for conducting clinical trials that is essential reading for current or aspiring researchers, and reflections by the editors about the future of evidence-based Christian practices. As the editors say, "more research is necessary." To that end, this volume is a major contribution to a field of inquiry that, while still in its infancy, promises to have enormous implications for future work in Christian counseling and psychotherapy. Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS) Books explore how Christianity relates to mental health and behavioral sciences including psychology, counseling, social work, and marriage and family therapy in order to equip Christian clinicians to support the well-being of their clients.

Christians engaged in the fields of psychology, psychotherapy and counseling are living in a unique moment. Over the last couple decades, these fields have grown more and more open to religious belief and religion-accommodative therapies. At the same time, Christian counselors and psychotherapists encounter pressure (for example, from insurance companies) to demonstrate that their accommodative therapies are as beneficial as secular therapies. This raises the need for evidence to support Christian practices and treatments. This essay by Keith J. Edwards and Edward B. Davis was originally published as chapter 7 in the book Evidence-Based Practices for Christian Counseling and Psychotherapy, edited by Everett L. Worthington Jr., Eric L. Johnson, Joshua N. Hook and Jamie D. Aten. Edwards and Davis provide an overview of theory and research supporting approaches to psychotherapy that are based in psychodynamic theory and practice, particularly exploring emotion and attachment within relationships with significant adults and with God. Since people develop their sense of self in relationships, those relationships can become the curative focus in psychotherapy. Although no Christian-accomodative RCTs exist at this point, the general approach is strongy supported by secular research. The chapter is particularly strong in practical advice regarding conducting this type of psychotherapy. Like the other essays in the full-length volume, Edwards's andn Davis's essay contributes to a field of inquiry that, while still in its infancy, promises to have enormous implications for future work in Christian counseling and psychotherapy.

This essay by Fernando Garzon on devotional meditation as a treatment for anxiety was originally published as chapter 4 in the book Evidence-Based Practices for Christian Counseling and Psychotherapy.

Foundations of Counseling and Psychotherapy provides an overview of the most prevalent theories of counseling within the context of a scientific model that is both practical and up-to-date. Authors David Sue and Diane Sue provide you with the best practice strategies for working effectively with your clients using an approach that recognizes and utilizes each client’s unique strengths, values, belief systems, and environment to effect positive change. Numerous case studies, self-assessment, and critical thinking examples are included.

What does authentic Christian counseling look like in practice? This volume explores how five major perspectives on the interface of Christianity and psychology would each actually be applied in a clinical setting. Respected experts associated with each of the perspectives depict how to assess, conceptualize, counsel and offer aftercare to Jake, a hypothetical client with a variety of complex issues. In each case the contributors seek to explain how theory can translate into real-life counseling scenarios. This book builds on the framework of Eric L. Johnson's Psychology Christianity: Five Views. These include the Levels-of-Explanation Approach, the Integration Approach, the Christian Psychology Approach, the Transformational Approach and the Biblical Counseling Approach. While Counseling and Christianity can be used independently of Johnson's volume, the two can also function as useful companions. Christians who counsel, both those in practice and those still in training, will be served by this volume as it strengthens the connections between theory and practice in relating our faith to the mental health disciplines. They will finally get an answer to their persistent but unanswered question: "What would that counseling view look like behind closed doors?" Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS) Books explore how Christianity relates to mental health and behavioral sciences including psychology, counseling, social work, and marriage and family therapy in order to equip Christian clinicians to support the well-being of their clients.

Combining cutting-edge expertise with deeply rooted Christian insights, this text from a leading figure in the Christian counseling community offers readers a comprehensive survey of ten major counseling and psychotherapy approaches. For each approach, Siang-Yang Tan first provides a substantial introduction, assessing the approach's effectiveness and the latest research findings or empirical evidence for it. He then critiques the approach from a Christian perspective. Tan also includes hypothetical transcripts of interventions for each major approach to help readers get a better sense of the clinical work involved. This book presents a Christian approach to counseling and psychotherapy that is Christ centered, biblically based, and Spirit filled.

This substantially revised and updated edition of a widely used textbook covers the major approaches to counseling and psychotherapy from a Christian perspective, with hypothetical verbatim transcripts of interventions for each major approach and the latest empirical or research findings on their effectiveness. The second edition covers therapies and techniques that are increasing in use, reduces coverage of techniques that are waning in importance, and includes a discussion of lay counseling. The book presents a Christian approach to counseling and psychotherapy that is Christ-centered, biblically based, and Spirit-filled.

What would it mean for Christian counseling and pastoral care to take seriously the idea that God intervenes in the world? In this volume more than twenty of the best pastoral counselors, clinicians, and counselor educators introduce us to the models that they use to integrate the Scriptures and the work of the Holy Spirit into their daily practice.