You have finally decided to get counseling. It took a little time, but with a little research you selected a Christian Therapist. You finally arrived at your first session. After 20 minutes you know you’ve made a wrong decision. The session was nothing like you expected? How do you find a therapist who is not just a Christian, but someone who actually does Christian counseling? You need to know the difference.

In fact, I would categorize Christian therapists in three levels. If you don’t know the difference, you will be disappointed to discover that your counseling session with a Christian therapist doesn’t differ at all from regular traditional counseling. Let me describe the various levels. It will help you in selecting the next Christian Counseling Center you will attend.

Level One – Christian counseling services where God or faith is rarely discussed in the counseling sessions.

Although the therapist may be Christian, these counseling sessions will not differ a whole lot from non-Christian, traditional therapy sessions. There is no prayer or use of bible scripture in the counseling session. If you never bring up God and Christian principals, it will never come up in a counseling session. Even if you bring up your faith, this therapist may do very little with it but listen.

Level Two – Christian counseling services where the therapist may mention God or faith in a counseling session and is comfortable if a client talks about God.

This therapist may ask a client about their faith and may disclose that they are themselves a Christian. If the client does talk about God, this therapist is very comfortable with it and may even encourage discussion about the person’s relationship to God and their faith. Whenever possible, this therapist will incorporate discussions on prayer, principals of forgiveness, and other biblical concepts either in the counseling sessions or as homework assignments.

For example, a therapist may ask a client to pray, read scriptures on a particular topic and journal their thoughts and revelation.

Level Three – Christian counseling services where the therapist actively and intentionally incorporates Christianity in the counseling sessions.

There are some clear distinctions on how a Level Three Therapists operates:

• Early in the counseling process, the therapist will ask you about your faith and ask if you are interested or comfortable in incorporating Christian principles and prayer into the counseling sessions.
• The therapist learns about your faith and Christian experiences so that he/she incorporates Christianity in line with your comfort level.  .
• Level Three therapists only give advice consistent with the Word of God and yet they know how to carefully, loving, and non-judgmentally work with you making it easy for you tell them anything, everything.  .  It is an art to incorporate Christian principals as part of your decision making thought processes without shoving it down your throat.
• Level Three therapists know how to balance Christianity and traditional counseling techniques so that you are able to bring the best of both worlds into each counseling session. 
• This therapist knows the Bible well enough to explain how it relates to real life situations.  They can teach you how to read and study the Bible if that is an helpful
• You pray before and at the end of each session.
• All through the counseling session, this therapist is sensitive to voice of God who will often give them insight and instructions. 
• I have many examples of times, when God will place in my heart something to say or do.  The results would be amazing and I would stand in awe at how wonderful that particular session turned out.
• Level Three therapists completely understand that prayer is a two-way conversation with God and they are able to teach you  how to pray conversationally.  There is no better counseling experience than to be able to ask and hear what God thinks about a situation.  When you get revelation, insight, answers, direction right from the throne of Grace, it is life changing.

Don’t assume that all Christian therapists operate the same. When you know what you’re looking for in a Christian counseling setting, it will helps you avoid disappointment. Asking specific questions about how a therapist incorporates Christianity in their counseling process will help you to determine if a particular counseling will meet your needs.

Christian counseling is readily available to a lot of people with their different everyday struggles. However, many individuals are hesitant to grab the opportunity and take advantage of the resources that are available to them because of embarrassment or fear in seeing a psychologist or a counselor.

Truth be told, most of the clients who are attending therapy or Christian counseling are normal people like me and you. Contrary to the belief of many, they are not unusual or crazy; they are dealing with hard and difficult things in their lives and it is out of their free will that they are going and getting help from a professional counselor.

If you are faced with difficulties and challenges in your life that have motivated you to see a Christian counselor of your choice, we will discuss some benefits that you might get from the meetings. Hopefully, it will stimulate you to be comfortable and relaxed with the circumstances you are facing.

• Overcoming the difficult times

Most of the individuals that come to Christian counselors are there for a certain reason that they are trying to deal with and overcome. Maybe it is anxiety, marital problems, stress, depression, or any other issue. Ideally, the counselor of your choice is experienced when it comes to working with people who are in the same situation as you are, and they should aid you in the process of overcoming these problems.

• Focus on God and His words

Unlike secular counselors, Christian counselors always turn to the Scriptures when they advise their clients. They base what they say on biblical principles and not on whatever can make the person feel right and happy. Seeking the help of a Christian counselor can go a long way especially when it comes to turning your focus to God and His Word when you have problems.

• Look at Yourself

As people, our natural reaction when we are faced with struggles is to look at people who are involved in a similar situation and observe what they are doing and their faults. Christian counseling can assist us is seeing the truth that all of us are accountable to the ways in which we react to specific situations in our lives, even if there are others involved.

• Pray

Just like the Word of God, prayer plays a huge role in Christian counseling. A lot of the counselors often pray together with their clients in order to ask guidance from God in leading the certain situation.

• God’s guidance

A Christian counselor is also considered as a mentor that one can turn to for some advice. Many individuals do not have solid Christian influences that they can readily turn to in difficult circumstances. If this is the case, having someone who will give you some guidance and grounded advice is valuable.

• Someone who is willing to listen

Aside from giving biblical advice, Christian counselors can always be there for you as a person that you can talk to. If you are faced with issues that you cannot openly share with your friends or family, having someone you can trust and will listen to what you are trying to say will aid in taking away the stress and tension.

In a world stricken with development, all around is a rat-race where everybody is busy with his or her own loaded responsibilities and priorities, whether it is related to work, family, or relationships, many people want to readily give up. All of us strive hard and put merciless efforts in order to achieve the various goals that we have already set for ourselves. This dynamic and fast-paced globe that we live in has somewhat changed our priorities. Many of us often turn a blind eye to the basic parts of our lives that can eventually bring us to some unprecedented situations. Many issues like coping difficulties in the pressures of work, managing our personal lives and our relationships have now become common causes that can lead one into depression.

Counseling in an extensive sense means to understand someone’s problems and help that person pass through with a better outlook. However it is not as easy as it is said, counseling requires proper analysis, comprehension of the root cause of the problem, guidance in an efficient way, and lastly, the comfort, care and confidentiality that a counselor can offer.

The words “Christian Counseling” are actually self-explanatory terms. “Counseling” has multiple definitions, which include offering encouragement and advice, sharing skills, and wisdom, resolving conflict, and setting goals. Somehow, it is a way that came through God and brought to man. The goal behind Christian counseling is to offer a heeding, confidential, and soothing surrounding so that one can cope easily with the struggles that he or she will be faced in the stages of life. There are many Christian counselors around the globe that can aid an individual in unraveling the sorrows and problems that he is undergoing through the application of different counseling ways.

Christian counseling is based greatly on the words in the holy book, the Bible. Counselors should have extensive knowledge about the Scriptures and the detailed philosophies found in them. Counselors are trained professionals who can comprehend the various mental states in order to help them in diagnosing and giving proper treatment interventions. Always bear in mind that each individual is beset with different circumstances; a Christian counselor should have the proper psychology background to help an individual emerge victorious from all his sorrow.

For those who cannot go to face-to-face meetings, there are many counseling services available online. These are often accredited as the “Online Christian Counseling Services” or the “E-counseling services”. In these programs, sessions are conducted through video chatting, private phone calls, or chat sessions. When you choose to attend these online counseling sessions, one should have control over their mental situations and stress.

Various counseling programs are available for adolescents, individuals, families, and couples, who may be dealing with issues related to sadness, grief, loss, depression, stress, anxiety, sexual intimacy, family conflicts, sexual intimacy, and many others.

There are also Christian counseling services that focus on individual counseling, marriage counseling, career and couples counseling. A lot of clients claim that they got through all of their life’s problems because of Christian counseling.