Christian Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a groundbreaking therapeutic Christ-centered approach to address mental illness. Samaria has been in the counseling field for many years. Through her years of study, she has found that most mental health counseling strategies originated from principles and perspectives found in the Bible. What the secular mental health community has done is taken out Christ and the authority of the Holy Spirit then called counseling strategies by a different name. As a result, we see most mental health approaches helpful but not healing. According to scripture counseling is first and foremost the ministry and mission of Christ Jesus. He came to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and help those who are imprisoned emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Isaiah 61:1 In the book Christian Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Samaria teaches us how to apply scripture to counseling practice so that real healing can take place in the lives of those we serve.
Does religion belong in psychotherapy? For anyone in the helping profession, whether as mental health professional or religious leader, this question is bound to arise. Many mental health professionals feel uncomfortable discussing religion. In contrast, many religious leaders feel uncomfortable referring their congregants to professionals who do not know their faith or intent to engage with it. And yet Michelle Pearce, PhD, assistant professor and clinical psychologist at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland, argues that if religion is essential to a client, religion will be a part of psychotherapy, whether it is discussed or not. Clients cannot check their values at the door more than the professionals who treat them. To Pearce, the question isn’t really, “does religion belong?” but rather, “how can mental health professionals help their religious clients engage with and use their faith as a healing resource in psychotherapy?” Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Christian Clientswith Depression is the answer to that question, as the book’s purpose is to educate mental health professionals and pastoral counselors about religion’s role in therapy, as well as equip them to discuss religious issues and use evidence-based, religiously-integrated tools with Christian clients experiencing depression. In this book, readers will find the following resources in an easy-to-use format: An overview of the scientific benefits of integrating clients’ religious beliefs and practices in psychotherapy An organizing therapeutic approach for doing Christian CBT Seven tools specific to Christian CBT to treat depression Suggested dialogue for therapists to introduce concepts and tools Skill-building activity worksheets for clients Clinical examples of Christian CBT and the seven tools in action Practitioners will learn the helpful (and sometimes not so beneficial) role a person’s Christian faith can play in psychotherapy. They will be equipped to discuss religious issues and use religiously-integrated tools in their work. At the same time, clergy will learn how Christianity can be integrated into an evidence-based secular mental health treatment for depression, which is sure to increase their comfort level for making referrals to mental health practitioners who provide this form of treatment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Christian Clients with Depression is a practical guide for mental health professionals and pastoral counselors who want to learn how to use Christian-specific CBT tools to treat depression in their Christian clients.
Mark R. McMinn is Professor of Psychology and Director of Integration in the Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. He was previously on faculty at Wheaton College in Illinois, where he was the Rech Professor of Psychology from 1996 to 2006. Mark is a licensed psychologist in Illinois and is board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He is Past-President of the APA's Psychology of Religion division. His other books include Sin and Grace in Christian Counseling (2008), Integrative Psychotherapy (coauthored with Clark D. Campbell, 2007), Finding Our Way Home (2005), Why Sin Matters (2004), Care for the Soul (coedited with Timothy R. Phillips, 2001), and Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling (1996). Mark and his wife, Lisa--a sociologist and author--live in rural Oregon. They have three grown daughters.
Ancient Christian Wisdom and Aaron Beck's Cognitive Therapy details a colorful journey deep into two seemingly disparate worlds united by a common insight into the way our thinking influences our emotions, behaviors, and ultimately our lives. In this innovative study about mental and spiritual health, readers are not only provided with a thorough introduction to the elegant theory and practical techniques of cognitive therapy, they are also initiated into the perennial teachings of ascetics and monks in the Greek-speaking East and Latin-speaking West whose powerful writings not only anticipated many contemporary findings, but also suggest unexplored pathways and breathtaking vistas for human growth and development. This groundbreaking interdisciplinary volume in the art of pastoral counseling, patristic studies, and the interface between psychology and theology will be a coveted addition to the working libraries of pastors and psychologists alike. In addition, it is ideal as a textbook for seminary classes in pastoral theology and pastoral counseling, as well as for graduate courses in psychology dealing with the relationship between psychological models and religious worldviews.
The essays collected in this volume examine evidence-based approaches to Christian counseling and psychotherapy, exploring treatments for individuals, couples and groups. The book addresses both the advantages and the challenges of this evidence-based approach and concludes with reflections on the future of such treatments.
CBT AND CHRISTIANITY “A surprisingly satisfying read that refreshed my perspective on, and deepened my understanding of, two topics that have long seemed overly familiar. This work underscores how much of contemporary thinking has been anticipated by the ancients or just how much ‘new thinking’ is a recapitulation of the old, but does so in a thoroughly original way.” Murray J. Dyck, PhD, Professor of Clinical Psychology, Griffith University While cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment, many behavioural and analytical psychotherapists also recognize the healing potential of religious belief. CBT and Christianity offers CBT therapists an authoritative, practical, and comprehensive resource for counselling clients with an allegiance to the Christian faith. This innovative new treatment approach compares the teachings of Jesus to contemporary cognitive and mindfulness-based therapies, describing a variety of successful assessment and treatment approaches with Christian clients by incorporating the teachings of Jesus into logical thinking, schema modification, and committed behaviour change. Clarity is further enhanced through a variety of specific examples, descriptions of generic methods, and supplemental resources provided by the author. By combining effective treatments with sensitivity to religious convictions, CBT and Christianity offers innovative insights into the spiritual and psychological well-being of clients with Christian beliefs.
This substantially revised and updated edition of a widely used textbook covers the major approaches to counseling and psychotherapy from a Christian perspective, with hypothetical verbatim transcripts of interventions for each major approach and the latest empirical or research findings on their effectiveness. The second edition covers therapies and techniques that are increasing in use, reduces coverage of techniques that are waning in importance, and includes a discussion of lay counseling. The book presents a Christian approach to counseling and psychotherapy that is Christ-centered, biblically based, and Spirit-filled.
CBT AND CHRISTIANITY “A surprisingly satisfying read that refreshed my perspective on, and deepened my understanding of, two topics that have long seemed overly familiar. This work underscores how much of contemporary thinking has been anticipated by the ancients or just how much ‘new thinking’ is a recapitulation of the old, but does so in a thoroughly original way.” Murray J. Dyck, PhD, Professor of Clinical Psychology, Griffith University While cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment, many behavioural and analytical psychotherapists also recognize the healing potential of religious belief. CBT and Christianity offers CBT therapists an authoritative, practical, and comprehensive resource for counselling clients with an allegiance to the Christian faith. This innovative new treatment approach compares the teachings of Jesus to contemporary cognitive and mindfulness-based therapies, describing a variety of successful assessment and treatment approaches with Christian clients by incorporating the teachings of Jesus into logical thinking, schema modification, and committed behaviour change. Clarity is further enhanced through a variety of specific examples, descriptions of generic methods, and supplemental resources provided by the author. By combining effective treatments with sensitivity to religious convictions, CBT and Christianity offers innovative insights into the spiritual and psychological well-being of clients with Christian beliefs.
For As I Think In My Heart - So I Am: Combining Biblical Counseling with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy offers a transformative journey for Christians seeking to align their thoughts, emotions, and actions with biblical truth. In a world where the mind is often at war with the spirit, this book provides a powerful tool for overcoming the mental and emotional challenges that hinder spiritual growth. Drawing on the timeless wisdom of Scripture and the practical techniques of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), this book equips believers with the knowledge and skills needed to renew their minds and hearts. Each chapter delves into common struggles such as anxiety, depression, and destructive thoughts, offering biblically grounded strategies that foster true and lasting change. This is not a book of easy answers or superficial solutions. It is a guide for those ready to do the hard work of self-examination and transformation, rooted in the belief that as we think in our hearts, so we become. Whether you are a pastor, counselor, or an individual seeking personal growth, For As I Think In My Heart - So I Am provides the insights and tools necessary to develop a mind that honors God and a life that reflects His love and wisdom. Let this book be your companion as you embark on a journey to renew your mind, overcome destructive patterns, and embrace the peace and strength that come from a biblically centered life.
The purpose of Waging War is to guide the youth of this program from start to finish in their therapeutic efforts to gain insight into their patterns of thinking and beliefs that have led to the current outcomes in their life thus far and enable them to change the path which they are on. Waging War is a guide to start the youth with the most basic information and work pages to the culmination of all of the facts, scripture, and their newly gained insight to offer a more clear picture of where they are and how to change their lives for the better. Every chapter will have work pages that Freeman has used and had found to be useful in therapy, but most importantly, this workbook will teach the Word to a population that does not hear it in its’ most correct form. What is the significance of controlling ones’ thoughts and how does that apply to you? Doubts, fears, and insecurities come from somewhere, especially when they are pervasive. Understanding this idea will help one to fight those thoughts and free them from the shackles their mind puts around their hearts, preventing them from achieving their dreams and the plans God had intended for them when they were created.
