This is a weekly post that highlights resources from other counselors that I have found helpful. The counselors may be from the biblical counseling, Christian psychology, integration, or secular counseling traditions. By linking to a post, I am not giving it my full endorsement, I am merely indicating that I believe it made a unique contribution or raised an important subject for consideration.
Where the Gospel Meets Mental Illness by Love Thy Neighbor (Podcast)
Synopsis: Christians say they believe with faith all things are possible, but what happens when faith doesn’t heal our own sickness? The story of a missionary wrestling with God… and her own mind.
- If you enjoy this podcast, you might also enjoy my article “On Diagnosing Mental Disorders: Interacting with a Quote from Allen Frances, M.D.“
A Top Reason for Church Shootings: Domestic Abuse by Kate Shellnutt
Though the scale of Kelley’s carnage is unprecedented, his motive is all too familiar. Domestic violence rarely stays confined to the home, and has increasingly led to violence on church property. Estranged husbands make their way into church parking lots and lobbies to settle fights, take revenge, or confront their victims.
- Based on this article we learn it is important for the church to become more skilled at ministering to abusive relationships and responding to traumatic events.
8 Ways to Promote Marital Unity When Disagreement Occurs by Merrick Nunn
I’ve always wanted to be a good husband. I’ve found, though, that marriage cannot truly be a blessing if my wife and I don’t handle disagreement well. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned that have allowed our marriage not only to endure disagreement, but also to flourish in spite of it.
- If you enjoyed this post, you may also benefit from my article “What Are We Fighting About?.”
How Divorce Impacts a Child’s Relationship With God by Hope 4 Hurting Kids
Over the last several weeks, we laid a foundation for examining how divorce affects the development of children (specifically spiritual development), how kids are wired to connect and recapped some of the impacts of divorce. Today, we are going to look more specifically at how divorce impacts the different areas of a child’s development.
- Here are two posts on having hard conversations with your children “Mom/Dad, I’m Not Sure I Want to be a Christian Anymore…” and “Talking to My Boys after the Transgender Talk at Their Public School.”
3 Mistakes Pastors Make in Counseling by Jeffrey Forrey
You have a very challenging job. You must develop skills in administration, preaching, teaching, evangelism, leading worship, and discipling people through trials in their lives (pastoral counseling). This last responsibility might be the most challenging of these responsibilities for a variety of reasons. Here are some ways to improve your role as a counselor.
- Here is a page devoted to helping pastors learn how my site can be used for their day-to-day ministry needs.
What I’m Reading
Descriptions and Prescriptions: A Biblical Perspective on Psychiatric Diagnoses and Medications by Michael Emlet. OCD, ADHD, PTSD, Bipolar Disorder . . . these are not just diagnoses from the DSM; they are part of our everyday vocabulary and understanding of people. As Christians, how should we think about psychiatric diagnoses and their associated treatments? We can t afford to isolate ourselves and simply dismiss these categories as unbiblical. Nor can we afford to accept the entire secular psychiatric diagnostic and treatment enterprise at face value as though Scripture is irrelevant for these complex struggles.
Instead, we need a balanced, biblically (and scientifically!) informed approach that is neither too warmly embracing nor too coldly dismissive of psychiatric labels and the psychiatric medications that are often prescribed. Biblical counselor and retired physician, Michael R. Emlet, gives readers a helpful way forward on these important issues as he guides lay and professional helpers in the church through the thicket of mental health diagnoses and treatments in a clear, thoughtful primer in which the Bible informs our understanding of psychiatric diagnoses and the medications that are often recommended based on those labels. This first book in the Helping the Helper series will give readers biblical, gospel-formed categories that will help them understand and minister to those who are struggling with mental health issues.
Tweets of the Week
Great Thread
If a counselor just assumes idolatry, he’ll seek to pull out entire plant of desire rather than simply prune; so it thrives in faithfulness.
— Kyle J. Howard (@KyleJamesHoward) November 7, 2017
Sin poisons the lives of the ones you love, as well as, your own.
— Richard Klein (@Moosewise) November 7, 2017
Kids tend to live in one of two realms: Gratitude or Entitlement. Teaching them to constantly express thanks will keep them from the latter.
— Jeffrey M Reed (@JeffreyMReed) November 7, 2017
Meaningful Meme
On the Lighter Side
Because, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones,” Proverbs 17:22.
Every time I get a Logos email, and realize it’s a sales pitch, not a notice that I won that Gold package contest I entered … pic.twitter.com/mUixbekRun
— Joshua Waulk (@joshwaulk) October 26, 2017