Gideon’s Counseling Philosophy

Christian Psychology

• Our practice of counseling, or soul care, is:
  • Christ-centered
  • Biblically rooted
  • Scientifically informed
  • Clinically wise
• We hold a holistic view of people that honors biology, race, culture, social upbringing, personal history, culture, and spiritual beliefs.
• We believe the triune God of Christianity is the designer and sustainer of human life:
  • “we are the clay, and you are our potter;  we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8);
  • “In him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28);
  • “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you.” (Psalm 55:22)

From this worldview, all soul care is grounded in Jesus Christ.  As our Lord and Savior, the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in him and his teachings.  Our emphasis on spiritual and character formation in counseling sessions reflects our understanding that the grace of Christ is integral to personal transformation.

Values and Counseling

Isn’t counseling supposed to be “value-neutral?”

Actually, no counseling is neutral of values.  Every  counselor has values and a view of the world that he or she brings to the counseling session—just like clients do.  A counselor’s values and professional beliefs influence his or her outlook on what healthy recovery looks like.   A counselor’s vision of what healthy recovery looks like, or human functioning,  directs the whole counseling process.

Don’t you have to work within the client’s values, at least?

Yes and No. Any counseling is a dynamic mixture of the client’s values, the counselor’s values, the values contained in the counseling theory being used, and sometimes, the values of others, such as agencies, professional organizations, and more.

Values are intricately and unavoidably involved in counseling. They are inescapable.

Our Values

When choosing a counselor, It’s important to know what his or her values and worldview are, and because we value you, we want to be honest and transparent about our values.

As a Christian psychology counseling center, our values and work with clients is informed by three important sources:

1. The Bible, historic Christian theology, and many of Christianity’s deepest thinkers throughout history.
2. The values of the counseling profession.  These are often expressed as a code of ethics.  The code of ethics that we follow is the American Association of Christian Counselors.  You can download a copy of AACC’s Code of Ethics, or we can provide a copy upon request.
3. What good science and research has revealed about our minds, emotions, and human functioning.

Does this mean I must be a Christian, or that you will impose Christian beliefs on me?

No. We work with non-Christians often, and we would never impose Christian belief on you. That would violate state regulations, professional ethics, and our Christian belief itself.  That is why we are honest with you about our values and their influence at the beginning and throughout the counseling process. We fully respect the right and ability of people to determine their lives, including their visions and goals.  If we are not a good fit for your needs, then we will refer you to a counselor or counseling agency whose vision is the best fit for your visions and goals.

Communicate with Us

Because values are always involved throughout the counseling process and because we deeply value you, it is important that you ask us any questions you may have about our values and their role in the counseling process. Further, please let us know at any time if counseling starts to feel uncomfortable, particularly if it feels like we are imposing a value on you. Our desire is to work with you faithfully and fairly.