Council of Counselors: Mandated Reporting Clarification / 5 Sanctification Factors / Christian Meditation / Psychiatric Disorders & the Church / What Are Moods?

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.

Twitter Question Mandated Reporting by Diane Langberg

“Can you address the complexities of mandated reporting related to the fact that adults typically have power of consent, other than elders and those with disabilities? With battered women or those abused as children it is possible to violate confidentiality and expose people to physical and emotional pain if they do not consent to a police report. Can you address this as a part of empowering adult survivors, balanced with cutting off access by predators?”

• If you want more on this subject, consider the brief video training – If I Learn of Abuse When Am I Mandated to Report and What Should I Do Even When I’m Not Mandated to Report?

The Five Key Factors in Every Christian’s Sanctification by Tim Challies

How does God go about this work of sanctification? David Powlison helpfully narrows it down to five means or five streams through which God pours out his sanctifying grace. These factors work in tandem, each one contributing to our lifelong gain in godliness.

• If you are interested in factors that contribute to change, you might also like Brain Research, Biblical Counseling, and the Change Process: Habits.

Meditation- An Exercise for Christians by Eliza Huie

Meditation is a part of holistic health and should be something every believer gives attention to. But just like mindfulness we must be clear as to what we are talking about.

• If you are interested in this post, you might also like Can Someone Be Spiritually Healthy and Still Experience Mental Health Challenges?.

Psychiatric Disorders & the Church by David Powlison (Podcast)

Alasdair Groves sits down and talks with David Powlison about Psychiatric Disorders & the Church.

• If you are interested in this subject, you might also like Dietrich Bonheoffer on Psychiatry.

What Are Moods? by Paul Thaghard

Moods and emotions are linked. When you are in a bad mood, you are inclined to have negative emotions such as being sad, angry, or afraid about something. But when you are in a good mood, you are inclined to have positive emotions such as being happy or hopeful about something. So the nature of emotions should inform us about the nature of moods.

• If you benefited from this post, you might also want to read What Is “Emotional Maturity”?

What I’m Reading

After an Affair: Pursuing Restoration (31-Day Devotionals for Life) by Michael Gembola. You have been unfaithful, and you want help, but moving forward is complicated. Professional counselor Michael Gembola provides daily guidance and encouragement to help you make lasting change. He offers reflection questions, plus suggestions for practical actions, so you can form new qualities and habits as you move toward God in repentance and toward your spouse in reconciliation.

You feel both guilty and frustrated—your family and friends are distant, and God alone is left (and you’re not sure how happy he is with you either). Yet God is a gracious, loving healer who makes upside-down things rightside-up again . . . even this.

Here is help and encouragement for you to move toward God in repentance while moving closer toward your spouse in reconciliation.

Tweets of the Week

Meaningful Meme

On the Lighter Side

Because, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones,” Proverbs 17:22.