This document discusses several key points about counseling and counselors: counseling involves facilitating change; effective counselors are skilled at helping others change; change is difficult and often fails without proper support systems. To be effective, counselors must be psychologically healthy, empathetic, self-aware, and maintain integrity. They are also vulnerable to burnout without maintaining their own spiritual, emotional and social well-being.

2. KEY POINTS
Counseling is all about
change.
The best counselors are
change specialists.
Self-change often fails.

3. KEY POINTS
Tips to prevent Failure:
Set expectations that are realistic.
Avoid situations and people that might
create temptations to relapse.
Expect occasional relapse but determine to
resume the changed behavior immediately
afterward.
After relapse, discuss what happened and
take steps to prevent a recurrence.
Provide support and accountability from
others.

4. KEY POINTS
Change that lasts is characterized
by:
Commitment from the person who
wants to change.
The setting of attainable goals.
Active efforts to prevent relapse.
Support from other people.

5. KEY POINTS
Counseling today is complicated by
trends that impact our work, including:
A faster pace of life and busyness.
Galloping technology, including
biotechnology.
An overload of information.
Greater interest in spirituality, including
non-Christian spirituality from other
people.

6. KEY POINTS
Counselors must have
some understanding of
postmodernism and
know the ways in which
it is changing counseling

7. The Changing Face of Christian
Counseling

8. The Changing Face of Christian
Counseling

9. Counselors and Counseling Key
Points
Counseling can be
both fulfilling and
difficult work.

10. Counselors and Counseling Key
Points
Characteristics of effective
Counselors:
Psychological health and stability.
A genuine interest in people.
Empathy, which is the ability to
“feel with” counselees.
Personal warmth.

11. Counselors and Counseling Key
Points
Characteristics of effective
Counselors:
Self-awareness.
Tolerance for ambiguity, which means
the ability to live with uncertainty.
Awareness of one’s values.
Integrity, courage, and the genuine
ability to care

12. Counselors and Counseling Key
Points
Christian counselors
have:
Unique assumptions.
Unique goals.
Unique methods.
Unique giftedness.

13. Counselors and Counseling Key
Points
Counselors’ needs:
Relationships.
Control.
Rescue.
Information, built mostly on curiosity.
Affirmation, acceptance or approval.
Help with one’s own problems.

14. Counselors and Counseling Key
Points
Common Mistakes of
Counselors:
Visiting instead of counseling.
Trying to solve problems too
quickly.
Asking too many questions, too
rapidly.
Being disrespectful or judgmental.

15. Counselors and Counseling Key
Points
Common Mistakes of
Counselors:
Getting too involved
emotionally.
Being artificial or distant.
Being defensive when one feels
threatened.

16. Counselors and Counseling Key
Points
Counselors’ Vunerabilty:
Counselees who manipulate.
Emotional entanglements with
counselees, including
countertransference.
Counselee resistance.
Feelings of sexual attraction involving
the counselor and counselee.

17. Counselors and Counseling Key
Points
Avoiding Burnout:
Spiritual strength.
Support from others.
Freedom from the drive to achieve.
A realization that no one person can do
everything.
Regular times away from other people.
Constant growth in our helping skills.
Other people with whom we can share the
load.

18. Counselors and Counseling Key
Points
Every counselor should have
counselor friends who can give
perspective and remind us of the
perfect counselor—Jesus Christ.
He gives hope, strength, and
guidance through his Holy Spirit.
He is the ultimate counselor,
often working through us.