Overview
This proven guide in pastoral counseling has been extensively expanded and revised by the author to include recent developments and research, new resources, and attention to newly urgent needs such as AIDS, eating disorders, homosexuality, and violence. Written with clarity and sensitivity, this volume builds on biblical foundations and the best resources of professional psychology. It reflects the insights the author has gained from many years of Christian counseling.
This revised, expanded, and updated version contains nearly 1,000 pages of information!
Contents
Part 1 - Introductory Issues
- The Changes in Counseling
- The Counselor and Counseling
- The Church and Counseling
- The Community and Counseling
- The Core of Counseling
- The Legal, Ethical, and Moral Issues in Christian Counseling
- The Multicultural Issues in Christian Counseling
Part 2 - Prominent Issues
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Guilt and Forgiveness
- Loneliness
Part 3 - Developmental Issues
- Childhood
- Adolescence
- Twenties and Thirties
- Forties and Fifties
- The Later Years
Part 4 - Interpersonal Issues
- Conflict and Relationships
- Sex Apart from Marriage
- Sex Within Marriage
- Homosexuality
- Abuse and Neglect
Part 5 - Identity Issues
- Inferiority and Self-Esteem
- Physical Illness
- Grief
- Singleness
- Choosing a Marriage Partner
Part 6 - Family Issues
- Premarital Counseling
- Marriage Issues
- Pregnancy Issues
- Family Issues
- Divorce and Remarriage
Part 7 - Control Issues
- Mental Disorders
- Alcohol-Related Problems
- Addictions
- Financial Counseling
- Vocational Counseling
Part 8 - Concluding Issues
- Crises
- Trauma, Terror, and Terrorism
- Other Issues
- Spiritual Issues
- Counseling the Counselor
Part 9 - Future Issues
- Counseling Waves of the Future
Praise for the Print Edition
Several names emerged as leaders of the burgeoning Christian counseling movement in the 70s—Jay Adams, Larry Crabb, and Gary Collins among them. Collins was not only a counselor, but a student of Scripture and an entrepreneur. Under his leadership the American Association of Christian Counselors was birthed (with over 50,000 members as of 2005).
Those in the biblical counseling movement see Collins as too integrationist. While those in the later emerging Protestant spiritual formation movement see “Christian Counseling” as overly therapeutic.
Regardless of one’s orientation, Collins’ work raises vital issues that continue to resonate with people helpers. Given his role in Christian counseling, the text now stands as a classic and one historical researchers will cull for years to come.
—Bob Kellemen, PhD, author, Soul Physicians, Spiritual Friends, Biblical Psychology, Martin Luther’s Pastoral Counseling, and Sacred Companions: A History of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction.
Product Details
- Title: Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive Guide
- Author: Gary R. Collins
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson
- Publication Date: 2006
- Pages: 976