This post is an excerpt from the study guide which accompanies the “Overcoming Depression-Anxiety: A Personal Responsibility Paradigm” seminar. This portion is one element from “STEP 6: RESTRUCTURE MY LIFE to rely on God’s grace and Word to transform my life.” To RSVP for this and other Summit counseling seminars visit bradhambrick.com/events
This chapter is a buffet. If you consider every strategy presented to be an assignment, this chapter will overwhelm you. As you read, select those strategies that best fit your life circumstances, the dynamics of your struggle, and your personality. If you are working through this material with a friend or counselor, invite them to suggest which strategies they believe would have the largest impact.
To help you select a balanced set of strategies we have divided this chapter into six sections. Some of this material will be crystalizing and making more actionable what you have already learned. Other parts will be fresh applications of the gospel-truths we have been building upon.
- Immediate Negative Emotion Response Plan
- Stewarding Your Body
- Extended Negative Emotion Response Plan
- Life Management
- Pursuit of Joy Plan
- Strategic Spiritual Disciplines
Strategic Spiritual Disciplines
We do not engage spiritual disciplines primarily for therapeutic reasons; we engage them to know and enjoy God. However, when engaged well, these disciplines do have therapeutic benefit. There are even particular benefits that can be generally ascribed to particular disciplines. We will explore a few of these.
“We believe that a clearly articulated Christian worldview and a congruent incredible Christian lifestyle constitute a form of primary prevention (p. 136).” Mark Yarhouse, Richard Butman, and Barrett McRay in Modern Psychopathologies: A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal
1. Bible Study: How much of the struggle with depression-anxiety is the “bad content” in our thinking? The most effective counseling approach for depression-anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which involves challenging the beliefs and corresponding behaviors that under-gird these emotions. Bible study followed by practical application is an excellent discipline to establish this pattern on a daily basis.
For instruction on how to institute this consider the following chapters from books that provide guidance the spiritual discipline of Bible study.
- Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, chapter five
- Donald Whitney, Spiritual Discipline for the Christian Life, chapters two and three
- John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, chapter ten
2. Prayer and Worship:
How much of the struggle with depression anxiety is our thinking caving in on itself? Our thinking needs an outlet and purpose in order to be healthy. Prayer and worship provide direction for our thought life. Prayer allows even our inward thought to “connect” with someone who cares and understands. Worship provides a focal point for our thoughts that is grander than our situation is bad.
For instruction on how to institute this consider the following chapters from books that provide guidance the spiritual discipline of prayer and worship.
- Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, chapters three and eleven
- Donald Whitney, Spiritual Discipline for the Christian Life, chapters four and five
- John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, chapter four
3. Silence and Meditation:
How much of the struggle with depression anxiety is our inability to reign in our thoughts? Silence and meditation are disciplines that tame the wild horse that is our thought life. They are practices advocated by Christians for centuries because of their benefits for the life and character of believers.
For instruction on how to institute this consider the following chapters from books that provide guidance the spiritual discipline of silence and meditation.
- Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, chapters two and seven
- Donald Whitney, Spiritual Discipline for the Christian Life, chapter ten
- John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, chapter five
4. Journaling:
How much of the struggle with depression anxiety is the seeming pointless disconnection of day-to-day life? Life can easily begin to feel like a bad novel where one page has little to do with the page before it. Events keep happening but they don’t seem to be contributing to anything. This is what led Socrates to say, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Depression-anxiety responds, “Amen!”
For instruction on how to institute this consider the following chapters from books that provide guidance the spiritual discipline of journaling.
- Donald Whitney, Spiritual Discipline for the Christian Life, chapter eleven
- Using a Personal Journal for Spiritual Growth at www.bradhambrick.com/journal
OVERCOMING DEPRESSION-ANXIETY: A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PARADIGM
Date: Saturday October 18
Time: 4:00 to 7:30 pm
Location: The Summit Church, Brier Creek South Venue
Address: 2415-107 Presidential Drive; Durham, NC 27703
Cost: Free
For the various counseling options available from this material visit www.summitrdu.com/counseling.