Nouthetic Counseling

[Arbo]

Am curious about the general opinion of this here.

[Anon]

Huh.  I had to Wikipedia that term.  haha.   I would say you're going to use the Bible as the basis for your counseling, but that it is valid to use some knowledge of modern psychology along with it.  I feel like you can use the Bible better as a tool if you have a basic understanding of psychology, which most pastors actually do not, I would guess.

 

By "psychology" I should say that I mean "how people think" and "what makes people tick" rather than the humanistic form.  By "psychology" I mean you should use the Bible as your foundation, but then approach the person in a "psychological" way to use the Bible.  If that makes sense.   You can't just say "You need to fix your sin and then your problem will go away."   You have to sort of go about things a little more gentle, I think.

 

I was on a women's forum one time run predominantly by...well okay I won't say what major church they followed....but anyway there was a poor lady on there who had a basically abusive husband and was asking for advice.  The ladies there basically told her that if she would read her Bible and pray more, and submit more to her husband (than she already did) that her problem would improve.    Which was completely unfair to the woman because while I'm sure there were things she could have improved, it basically dropped the blame in HER lap for being an abused woman.  Not good.  (I got kicked off the forum by trying to stick up for the lady and tell the moderators they were placing blame where they shouldn't have...they told me I was being unsubmissive to the moderators.  Oh well!  I haven't missed it!)

 

So...yeah.

[Miss Daisy]

Just a fancy name for counseling with a Biblical basis. However, not all mental problems can be helped with just counseling, Biblical or not. Most true mental disorders are chemical imbalances in the brain. They must be treated by psychiatrist, not a psychologist. A four-year psychology graduate isn't even prepared for general counseling of people with problems. I've struggled with major depression since pregnancy 19 years ago. I've been through a lot of psychiatrists and psychologist, I saw quite a few before I saw someone who could actually help me psychologically. Due to my own researching and switching psychiatrists was I finally able to get on a medication combination that took me from near suicide to major change in only 2 weeks, due to my own diligence and persistence. I've also been to Christian counseling, wasn't helped at all. Trust me there are a lot of 'counselors' who shouldn't be in charge of the mental health of themselves let alone others. However, a lot of people don't have enough experience to know the difference between the good ones and the useless ones unfortunately.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

"Chemical imbalances in the brain" have never been proven by any medical doctor, psychiatrist or otherwise.

They are only theory.  There is not one x-ray that can show chemicals in the brain. 

[Miss Daisy]

of course an x-ray can't show chemical imbalances in brain, so no of course no doctor has ever proven that. But what can be proven is if given the right medication a non-functioning, suicidal person comes out from under the grip of depression and becomes a living, functioning member of society again and a mother to her child. I CAN prove that, I'm the living proof.

[candlelight]

of course an x-ray can't show chemical imbalances in brain, so no of course no doctor has ever proven that. But what can be proven is if given the right medication a non-functioning, suicidal person comes out from under the grip of depression and becomes a living, functioning member of society again and a mother to her child. I CAN prove that, I'm the living proof.

 

God bless you, sister!  I will say that I had a cousin who suffered from Bi-Polar disorder for years.  She passed on a couple of years ago, due to cancer.  Anyway, she was evaluated at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, OH.  They did a brain scan on her, years ago, and discovered that much of her brain had been destroyed by depression.  It was detected by a special machine set up for scanning the brain.  She stayed on a psycotropic drug, until she died.

[LindaR]

A great resource for Biblical Counseling can be found on the Psychoheresy-Awareness Ministries website.  You can download most of Martin & Deidre Bobgan's books free.  They have many great articles and critiques posted on their website.

 

Psychoheresy-Awareness Ministries

 

Against "Biblical Counseling": For the Bible is a free download...I believe there is some information about NANC (National Association of Nouthetic Counseling) in that book.

[DaveW]

"Chemical imbalances in the brain" have never been proven by any medical doctor, psychiatrist or otherwise.

They are only theory. There is not one x-ray that can show chemicals in the brain.

Actually, you are wrong.
The chemical imbalance can be recorded in cases where it is present - basic bloodwork can isolate many.

What is not proven is if these imbalances are the cause or a symptom of the problem.

And course a great deal are misdiagnosed through laziness.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Mental Illnesses Are Caused By Chemical Imbalances In The Brain, Right?  Wrong!

The truth is, there are no tests that can be done to prove this so-called "chemical imbalance".  Psychiatrists fabricated the whole story.

It's a money maker for them.  Sadly, many don't ask the important questions when a loved one is diagnosed with a "chemical imbalance."

[DaveW]

I have no doubt you have great knowledge of mental issues, but the chemistry of blood is well documented and easily checked.
Chemical imbalances are often - but not always - associated with mental problems.
What is not proven is if they cause or are caused by those problems, or if the link is incidental.

[LindaR]

No physiological test for mental illness

 

TBC Staff

 

Apr 7 2003

 

The fundamental problem is that although we know a lot about the biomedical etiology of neurological disorders, we still fathom embarrassingly little about the biology of the major mental illnesses.  And even the burgeoning understanding of genetic and metabolic risk factors has not translated into clinically useful tests or cures.  Modern technology has not produced a single blood test or brain scan that can be routinely used to diagnose depression, bipolar disease, schizophrenia or other common mental illnesses.

 

American Scientist  Vol. 90. p. 569

[DaveW]

Which does not in the least contradict anything I said, but you know a lot about the subject and have links.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

“A theory that is wrong is considered preferable to admitting our ignorance.” – Elliot Vallenstein, Ph.D.

The idea that depression and other mental health conditions are caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain is so deeply ingrained in our psyche that it seems almost sacrilegious to question it.

However, there is one (rather large) problem with this theory: there is absolutely no evidence to support it. Recent reviews of the research have demonstrated no link between depression, or any other mental disorder, and an imbalance of chemicals in the brain
 

The history of the “chemical imbalance” theory

[DaveW]

If you actually bothered to read what I posted - I never said it was caused by chemical imbalance.
But you go right ahead and argue against something that nobody is saying.

[Arbo]

This has been enlightening.

 

This past weekend I learned of the suicide of a gentleman who frequented another Baptist-oriented website that I used to be involved with.  Though he had a genuine mental illness, he was badgered by one or two individuals who were of the nouthetic persuasion.   It was shameful.