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Christian marriage counseling and secular therapy share numerous commonalities. Both types of counseling seek to assist couples in resolving their concerns through the advice of a third party. Christian couples may discover that secular treatment endorses ideals and aspirations that are inconsistent with their Christian beliefs. This could include perspectives on delicate matters like homosexuality, divorce, or abortion.
Conventional therapy addresses these concerns in ways that reflect the popular beliefs of the mental health community at large. In contrast, Christian marriage counseling addresses these and other challenges from a Christian perspective.
Whether you are looking for Christian marriage counseling or traditional therapy, remember that therapists use various approaches. Christians frequently hold opposing perspectives on the topics discussed above and other areas of spirituality and mental health. Therefore, while selecting a psychologist or clergyman to conduct marriage counseling, look for someone with similar ideas.
One of the primary benefits of any sort of counseling is the ability to choose your psychotherapist. Whether you decide on Christian marriage counseling or conventional therapy, you should discuss your specific Christian views and how they may affect your sessions.
Many secular counselors are more likely to propose divorce than Christian marriage counselors. In secular counseling, the therapist and the couple may decide divorce is the best solution. During Christian marriage counseling, the couple considers what Jesus says regarding divorce. In the Sermon on the Mount, He stated that divorce was only acceptable in cases of adultery. Therefore, most Christian marriage counseling focuses on how to keep a couple together, which can be beneficial.
Couples who turn to the Bible in marriage therapy can find divinely inspired solutions to their problems. Marriage therapy based on the Bible may look at Genesis to determine God's design for marriage or Ephesians or Proverbs to discuss the wife's position in the marriage. Verses like James 4:1-2 can encourage a couple to go beyond what they require in marriage and instead consider what they can provide to their marriage. Other passages of the Bible can be used in biblically-based marriage counseling to encourage forgiveness, conflict resolution, and anger management.
One of the most essential factors to consider while weighing the benefits and drawbacks of Christian marriage therapy is the Bible's inspirational power.
Many people who go through therapy discover that they or their spouses have behavioral or psychiatric issues. In biblical times, psychiatric problems were sometimes referred to as satanic possession. Instead of counseling a person, Jesus might have just cast their devils into a herd of pigs. This concept can still be found in some forms of Christian marriage therapy today. Christian counselors may discuss behavior in terms of sins like pride, avarice, and lust.
Some couples may benefit from this, while others may not. People suffering from major psychiatric or behavioral illnesses may require specialized science-based treatment. In particular, these patients may need the assistance of a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist. A pastor or religious counselor may lack the expertise to help these folks manage their symptoms.
Unfortunately, most secular counseling in marriage therapy centers on blame. Couples may discuss recent occurrences with their counselors and events from several years ago. This is unhelpful, as it does not prioritize discovering solutions that will genuinely work.
In contrast, Christian counseling may place a greater emphasis on removing blame from a relationship. Couples can seek forgiveness for their past actions from both God and themselves. They can find comfort in Jesus' mandate to turn the other cheek, and Christian marriage counseling can help them figure out how to put this ideal into practice.
