Just as Christ came alongside people breathing grace and truth, I believe that counselors should come alongside people who are hurting. We are to love our clients enough to support and empathize with them, yet be prepared to share the difficult words, challenging them to grow. It is my hope that I may come alongside of people: adults or children, not in an overbearing way, not conveying the impression that I know all the answers nor placing a judgment upon them. I believe it is my task to support and help my clients as they share, define and explore their thoughts, feelings, and issues in a collaborative way. In working through their issues it is my hope that they will perceive this as a growth experience on their journey through this life.
Although counseling is collaborative, it is also my responsibility to help the client understand why they may be having the issues which are causing them grief. In this broken world of many wounded and hurting people, we do things that are not necessarily rational or helpful to us and others around us. Therefore I am prepared to listen to clients, respecting them as individuals, not forcing values or beliefs on them as I work at addressing their physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs.
Yet, even as I come alongside my clients, I know that the Holy Spirit helps us in that He gives His gift of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. With this gift both counselor and counselee will grow in glorifying God so that we may have peace with God, peace with each other, and peace within ourselves. This is not taken in a simplistic sense that if we simply pray all of our problems will disappear, but in knowledge that when Christ ascended into heaven He sent the heavenly Counselor, the Holy Spirit to help us through the pain of this earthly life.
Still, even knowing that counseling is a collaborative experience, in the end, the client with the Holy Spirit, is responsible for bringing the dedication and motivation for change. It will be hard and risky work for the client, but I will be there to support, encourage and provide a safe place.
Knowing that every person is unique with their own physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs, I realize that I may not be able to meet each person’s individual needs and therefore I will be ready to refer the client to someone else when the client’s needs are outside of my expertise.
