Can CBT be used in Christian Counseling?
August 19, 2010 – 12:14 amThis article addresses the question, “How is CBT consistent with a Scripturally-based perspective on how people change?”
CBT is scripturally based in that it deals with one’s thoughts, and how one’s thoughts affect the way a person feels and behaves. In likeness, scripture also makes the same conclusion, that what one thinks affects that person emotionally and spiritually (Jas 3:3-5). In addition, many bible passages are helpful in replacing an individual’s irrational beliefs with rational, or helpful, ones and some books of the bible (proverbs in particular) contain much information regarding one’s thoughts and how to change them.
According to Dr. Neil T. Anderson, from a Christian perspective, CBT very much resembles the idea of repentance, which translates literally “a change of mind.” From this paradigm Dr. Anderson is able to list the processes of scripturally-based CBT:
In the first step, one is assisted in seeing how his/her negative thoughts effect behaviors and emotions. Next, the client is instructed on how to identify and to recognize and monitor any irrational beliefs or distortions of reality. With this any thoughts/beliefs that lead to negative feelings or dysfunctional responses are identified as irrational. Third, the client is shown how to examining the evidence either for or against his/her distorted perceptions of reality. The client, after examining the evidence makes a conscious decision to abandon false beliefs. In step four, the client replaces the unhelpful belief with an accurate belief. Lastly, the client learns how to alter his/her predispositions to irrational thinking, to ensure accurate thoughts in the future.
How is this process exceedingly Christian? Simply, in the exchange of irrational for rational thoughts/beliefs, clients often look to scripture to identify where their beliefs are faulty, and how they should be changed. For example, a person dealing with feelings of abandonment may realize through scripture that God does not abandon. Likewise, one may learn about God’s ability to restore overwhelming comfort (2 Cor 1:3) or that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7 NIV).
Dr. Anderson sites a “Living Free in Christ” conference in Michigan where a colleague, Judy King (a licensed Christian therapist) conducted a study “on those who were in need of personal counseling.” The subjects of her study were those who attended the conference and requested a “freedom appointment.”
They were given a questionnaire before their appointment and then again three months later. The counseling appointment was one session conducted to take a person through the “Steps to Freedom in Christ.” The results displayed a 52% improvement in depression, 47% improvement in anxiety, 57% improvement in irrational thoughts, 48% in personal and spiritual conflicts, and a 39% improvement in behavior. These results were reportedly retested in another study and confirmed.
Though scripturally based CBT is effective, Anderson lists three warnings to the Christian CBT therapist. They are paraphrased here:
One)
Giving persons the words of Christ without possessing the life of Christ will prove insufficient, for Christianity concerns one’s relationship with God (as opposed to being an intellectual exercise). One’s approach to counseling is based on the need to help others get right with God by resolving personal and spiritual conflicts. The “Steps to Freedom in Christ” (Listed above) is just a tool to help people submit to God and resist Satan. Only Christ can set one free, and that requires both one’s repentance and faith. The Steps, like any tool, can be used rightly or wrongly.
Two)
Christian counseling is primarily concerned with an encounter with God, not a learned technique. Jesus is the “wonderful counselor” and the only one who can let a captive free, bind up the broken hearted, transform a sinner into a saint, and make one a new creation. In regards to one’s past, freedom from the past is self-evident if one is a new creation in Christ. It is the birthright of every believer to be alive and free in Christ. The Christian counselor is to be the facilitator in the ministry of reconciliation.
Three)
CBT will not be effective if the counselor does not take into account the potential that the suffering person could be paying attention to a deceiving spirit. There is a clear warning by the Apostle Paul; “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Tim. 4:1). Also stated, “I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). Through these passages and other scriptures, it is legitimate to understand some of those who appear “mentally ill” are actually fighting a spiritual battle for their minds. In response to this warfare all Christians are instructed in Scripture to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5), put on the armor of God, choose to think upon that which is true, pure, and lovely, etc., (Phil. 4:6-8).
The above writing concerns issues of How CBT is consistent with a Scripturally-based perspective on change.
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