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PERSONAL THEORY PAPER

SOLUTION FOCUSED COUNSELING

__________________

A Paper

Presented to

Professor Max Mills

Liberty Theological Seminary

__________________

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for PACO600

Survey of Christian Counseling Theories

________________

by

Carla Antoine

August 14, 2009

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Table of Contents

I. Abstract

II. Introduction

III. Personality

IV. Development of Personality

A. Concentric Circles

V. Motivation

VI. Human Development

VII. Individual Differences

VIII. Health and Healing

A. Definition of Health

B. Definition of Illness

IX. The Therapeutic Process

X. Effectiveness

XI. Theory as it Relates to Worldview

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XII. Multitasking

A. Spiritual Formation

B. Integration and Rationale

XIII. Conclusion

XIV. References

XV. Grading Guideline

ABSTRACT

This personal theory paper presents a Biblically based

comprehensive counseling model. The integrated model of choice

is Solution-Focused Counseling. The goal of Solution-Focused

Pastoral Counseling (SFPC) is to see the counselee change into

the image of Christ by establishing him or her on the path of

righteousness. Progress is measured by observing the work of the

Holy Spirit as He begins to produce spiritual fruit in the life

of the counselee. The by-product of this spiritual growth will be

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satisfaction and joy in Jesus (Kollar 1997, 61). The conclusion

reiterates why only a biblical approach to counseling is an

effective approach for the total transformation of the

counselees. The apostle Paul announces a totally unanticipated

new beginning. What he describes in his letter to the church at

Corinth reflects a profound change. In Christ, the believer’s

personal control is being reestablished and hope has been

restored. All this happens in spite of the problems the new

believer is facing. Often the solution that Paul offers does not

seem to have any direct connection to the problem at all. The

solution amounts to an entirely new way of perceiving life—an

extraordinary shift of paradigms (Kollar 1997, 19).

INTRODUCTION

The goal of Solution-Focused Pastoral Counseling (SFPC) is

to see the counselee change into the image of Christ by

establishing him or her on the path of righteousness. Change may

take place quickly or in small incremental steps. Progress is

measured by observing the work of the Holy Spirit as He begins to

produce spiritual fruit in the life of the counselee. The by-

product of this spiritual growth will be satisfaction and joy in

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Jesus (Kollar 1997, 61).

SFPC is brief, usually five to eight sessions, because we

recognize that it is God’s job to change a person (Phil 1:6) and

the counselee’s job to work through the sanctification process

(Phil 2:12-13). The counselee, with the guidance of the counselor

will set limited and specific goals and maintain clear, specific

treatment focus with clearly defined outcomes. Therefore, the

counselee will be given homework assignments and asked to journal

or take notes each day for the counselor to review with the

counselee during each session. This is very important in order to

keep alive the process of focusing on a solution.

SFPC also realizes that therapy is not timeless but may be

intermittent throughout a person’s life. Termination of

counseling therefore, is based on the counselee meeting the

specific and limited goal set at the beginning. In the future, if

the counselee fails progress or regresses in their spiritual

walk, they may need to come back to better define the solution or

discover a better one.

Solution-Focused Pastoral Counseling (SFPC) introduces a

fresh, effective, and timesaving approach that will benefit

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pastors overtaxed by counseling demands. Solution-Focused

Pastoral Counseling (SFPC) shifts the emphasis from the problem

to the strengths, vision and practical solutions that lie within

the individual. The Solution’s Focus is a powerful, practical

and proven approach to positive change with people, teams and

organizations.  It offers an alternative to all problem-focused

counseling approaches, whether they come from the Bible or from

secular counseling models. Its intention is to provide

counselors with the how-to’s for staying on track during the

counseling interview-as well as helping individuals, couples, or

families get unstuck and back on track.

We use the solution-focused approach in pastoral

counseling because it forces the counselee to identify all

components of their problem and take responsibility. It is very

difficult to find happiness in an unresolved problem and it would

be very difficult to focus on strength as the Positive Psychology

model would suggest. If a person were being counseled, it would

be very difficult to move towards progress if they are encouraged

to focus only on the good or happiness. There are many

assumptions underlying my approach. First, all people are

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created in the image of God and, as his image bearers, have

infinite value and worth. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned

and come short of the glory of God”. This passage of scripture

supports why the most effective pastoral counseling takes into

account the whole person: body, soul, and spirit. The solution

focused pastoral counseling (SFPC) is to listen attentively,

collaborate with counselee, execute, connect, and reconnect with

others.  There are six assumptions guiding the counseling

experience. The six assumptions are: (1) If it works, do more

of it. If it does not work, do something different, (2) Every

client is unique, resourceful, and capable of changing, (3)

Cooperative relationships enhance solutions, (4) Client feedback

improves outcomes, (5) No problem is constant, and (6) Big

problems do not always require big solutions.

The strategy for the counseling session should focus on

attentive listening, diagnosing the problem, determining the need

for change, and creating a vision to achieve change. In the

counseling structure/strategy, I realize that the counselee talks

while the counselor actively listens for Counselee’s

understanding of life with the problem.

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MULTITASKING

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who

have been called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28. Development of a

theory should reflect the ability to multi-task. Multitasking

requires that the counselor views “a person’s problems form

several perspectives at the same time” (Comprehensive Theory,

PACO600_D01_200930, Week 2, Slide 7). The theory should

integrate responsibly the insight from theology, psychology, and

giving preference to scriptural theological truth as the

fundamental truth in resolving what appear to be contradictions

between Scripture and psychology (Comprehensive Theory,

PACO600_D01_200930, Week 2, Slide 7).

This entails seeing a “problem through the lens of a

theological…psychological…and a spiritual perspective” all at the

same time which amounts to holistic counseling. “Jesus can meet

every problem a human being can have, but it takes wisdom and

discernment on the part of the counselor to hear how He wants

each person handled” (Backus & Chapian, 2000, 177).

Spiritual Formation

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new

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creation; the old has goine, the new has come 2

Corinthians 5:17. The apostle Paul announces a totally

unanticipated new beginning. What he describes in his

letter to the church at Corinth reflects a profound

change. In Christ, the believer’s personal control is

being reestablished and hope has been restored. All

this happens in spite of the problems the new believer

is facing. Often the solution that Paul offers does

not seem to have any direct connection to the problem

at all. The solution amounts to an entirely new way of

perceiving life (Kollar 1997, 19).

God is doing a new thing in our lives (Isa. 43:18-19). He

gives us a new song (Ps. 40:3), a new name (Isa. 62:2), and He

makes a new covenant with us (Jer. 31:31). He gives us a new

spirit (Ezek. 11:19) and a new heart (36:26). In Christ we are a

new creation (2 Cor. 5:27) through a new birth (1 Peter 1:3) in

which we put on a new self (Eph. 4:23-24). He will create new

heavens and a new earth (Isa. 65:17). Indeed, He will ultimagely

make all things new (Rev. 21:5) (Kollar 1997, 55).

Paul wrote in Colossians 1:28 that his verbal interaction

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with people (counseling?) always was designed to promote

Christian maturity. Only the maturing believer is entering more

deeply into the ultimate purpose of his life, namely, worship and

service. Biblical counseling therefore will adopt as its major

strategy the promotion of spiritual and psychological maturity

(Crabb 1977, 22). Maturity involves two elements: (1) immediate

obedience in specific situations and long-range character growth.

The transformation process requires one “to offer your

bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God” as

demonstrated by turning away from “the pattern of this world”

through the “renewing of your mind” Romans 12:1-2. In doing so,

one receives the filling of the Holy Spirit and He helps the

person gain self-control. “Self-control, a fruit of the Spirit,

will become a part of your life as you diligently cultivate it,

as you reject discouragement, and as you teach yourself to reward

yourself for your successes” (Backus & Chapian 2000, 102).

Integration and Rationale

Solution-focused therapy (SFT) is a counseling model that

puts the client into the driver’s seat as an expert of self-care.

Endorsed by a wide range of health care professionals, SFT is a

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brief model of counseling that incorporates certain key

assumptions that flavor all counseling interaction. Perhaps the

most interesting of these include a belief that understanding all

components of a problem is not essential before resolution can

begin; clients are capable of making change in addition,

experiencing solution behavior very early on in the counseling

process; change is contagious and once identified, labeled and

reinforced, often triggers more change; and helpers are in the

unique position of being enablers of change by recognizing,

reinforcing, amplifying and complimenting it for clients

(Greenberg, 2289-2295)

My approach to Integration most closely resembles the

“Spoiling The Egyptian” approach as summarized by Crabb. I like

this approach because it is a needed balance between the

unintended carelessness of Tossed Salad and the overreaction of

Nothing Buttery (Crabb, 47). A Christian who has spoiled the

Egyptians of secular psychology, carefully weeding out the

elements, which oppose his commitment to the revelation of

Scripture, will be better equipped to counsel than either the

Tossed Salad counselor who mixes concepts, as they seem called

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fro or the Nothing Butterist counselor who refuses to benefit

from the insights of secular study (Crabb, 52). My desire is to

utilize the best counseling approaches and tools to reap the best

results of spiritual formation and maturity.

PERSONALITY

One understanding of the image of God is that it refers to

qualities or attributes present in the person. Thus, the image

of God is identified as human reason, will, or personality.

Others believe the image is something present when the person is

in a relationship to God, and in fact, is that relationship

(Youngblood 1995, 593).

We especially need to learn that God created everyone with

unique personalities. No personality is better than the other.

It's what we do with our personalities that matters. By

understanding the way God "wired" us, we can discover why people

do what they do. The Bible confirms that you were "wonderfully"

made (Psalms 139:14). God's plan and purpose was to create each

person uniquely. We were gifted glorify Him with specific

influences - naturally and supernaturally. As a Christian, we

have God-given personality and spiritual gifts that serves as

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motivation. Discovering the gifts and influences can aid in

personal growth and help to avoid and resolve conflict

(http://www.uniquelyyou.net/ accessed 8-17-09).

DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONALITY

How is personality formed? There have been many debates and

theories about this question. At the present time, it is Eric

Erickson’s theories that primarily influence the practice of

counseling. Erickson stressed a psycho-social approach (Kollar

1997, 54). Erickson envisioned eight developmental stages to

give structure to the formation of human personality. They

follow through the entire life progression. Trust/Mistrust (age

0-1), Autonomy/Doubt (age 1-3), Initiative/Guilt (age 3-5),

Industry/Inferiority (age 6-11), Identity/Role Confusion (age 11-

18), Intimacy/Isolation (young adult), Generativity/Stagnation

(middle age). Each stage has both a healthy outcome and an

unhealthy outcome (Kollar 1997, 54).

Concentric Circles

In Hawkins’ concentric circle illustration, we seek to

highlight the elements that contribute to the structuring and

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shaping of the self. If you start at the center or the core of

the self for the person who is a born again believer we find the

Image of God, the Holy Spirit, the human spirit and sin or the

old sin nature. All persons are image bearers and it is that

reality that lends dignity to all human beings. Only believers

are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. His presence at the core brings

great power to the transformation process when he is provisioned

with the Word of God in the mind of the believer and a commitment

in the will to obey the word of God. Pastoral Counselors are

obligated to share the Gospel with clients. Only through

believing the Gospel will persons know the power of the Holy

Spirit at work in the Core.

Also in the core are the elements of the conscience,

thinking, deciding and feeling. Much of what persons become is

shaped by their thoughts and their choices. The Pastoral

counselor reshapes persons by assisting them with the ingrafting

of the word of God in the mind and the rehabituation of behaviors

in the pursuit of the master goal of the imitation of the Christ.

Feelings enrich our lives and help us knows where we and others

are in the pursuit of this goal.

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Persons live inside of Bodies. Our bodies are the vessels

with which we serve the Lord and others. They are the source of

great blessing but can also be the source of problems for care-

seekers who have developed addictions or ways of behaving that

detract from the achievement of the master goal. These behaviors

can be changed through the power of the Holy Spirit, commitment

to obeying the truth of the word of God and through redecisioning

for conformity. These commitments to acting from truth when

joined to the power of the Holy Spirit operating from the core

and commitment to communities of accountability provide the

foundation for the transformation of our bodies into vessels that

honor our God.

Persons are shaped significantly by the systems in which

they have been parented in and in which they live. Cultures,

churches, jobs, schools friends and family all contribute to the

shaping of the self. This shaping either facilitates or hinders

our efforts at achieving the master goal of the imitation of the

Christ. The impact of these systems will need to be examined.

Often significant work will be required to deal with the negative

shaping influences experienced in these systems. Dealing with

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those negative experiences in accordance with Biblical teachings

will be very important as we seek to put ourselves and others on

the path for achieving the master goal.

Supernatural systems also shape the self. God, the Holy

Spirit and angels are constantly at work in our world. Satan and

his demons are also constantly at work in our world. These

forces, good and evil, will be encountered as we engage care-

seekers in the pursuit of the imitation of the Christ. We must

learn and teach the art of dependence upon God and Spiritual

Warfare.

The Concentric Circles are designed to assist us with the

process of identifying all of the potential areas that contribute

to the shaping of the self that may represent areas of strength

or struggle for the persons we are seeking to assist with their

personal pursuit of the imitation of the Christ.

Developing a Comprehensive Pastoral Assessment of the Self.

If we aim at nothing in our Pastoral Counseling we will hit

it every time (Comprehensive Theory, slide 1). The Pastoral

Counselor has one overarching goal. The goal/his aim is the

imitation of the Christ (Eph. 5:1). He seeks to assist persons

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with the dehabituation of behaviors that detract from the

achievement of that goal and the habituation of behaviors that

serve the achievement of that Goal. In fulfilling this objective

the counselor is dependent upon the careseekers willingness to

obey the Word of God and receive the enabling instruction and

empowerment of the Holy Sprit. Much of the real work in personal

transformation takes place because of the power that is at work

in the inner world of the care-seeker─in his spirit and in his

soul.

Care of the soul can be understood as the support and

restoration of the well-being of a person in his or her depth and

totality, with particular concern for the inner life (Benner

2007, 14).

MOTIVATION

Motivation perhaps can best be understood as an energy to do

something which the person believes will lead to need

gratification. People develop ideas from interaction with a

false world system about what is required to meet their personal

needs of significance and security. Their beliefs then determine

the goals they live for (Crabb 1997, 85).

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HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Any biblical view of how personality develops must be

founded upon sin, separation from God, redemption, and new life.

That is, it must be founded upon God’s grace and sovereighn plan

for each individual (Kollar 1997, 55).

HEALTH AND HEALING

Healing is the process of applying preventive and remedial

practices to maintain good health. The Hebrews tended to think

of health primarily in terms of physical strength and well-being

(Youngblood 1995, 547). The people of Old Testament tended to

think of sickness as punishment for sin. But Jesus was firmly

convinced that His Father’s purpose for humankind was health,

wholeness, and salvation. He did not teach that disease was a

punishment sent by God. And Jesus was always concerned to heal

the sick in body, He also paid close attention the minds and the

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spirit of those who suffered.

Definition of Health

Dallas Willard emphases that the cause of the distressed

human condition, individual and social—and its only possible cure

is a spiritual one. Amid a flood of techniques for self-

fulfillment there is an epidemic of depression, suicide, personal

emptiness, and escapism through drugs and alcohol, cultic

obsession, consumerism, and sex and violence (Willard viii)

The three factors to determining health according to McMinn

are accurate awareness of self, accurate awareness of needs, and

involvement in healthy relationships. Healing involves efforts

to help someone overcome an impairment and move toward wholeness.

These curative efforts can involve physical healing as well as

spiritual healing, but the focus is always on the total person,

whole and holy (Benner 15).

Definition of Illness

Hart explained how illness can develop in individuals when

there is an unbalance between the sad messenger cortisol and the

happy messengers of: (a) serotonin; (b) dopamine; and (c)

noradrenaline that produce “overstress” (Hart, 22). Hart

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declared panic anxiety disorder is a condition which individuals

with Type-A personalities develop that may further develop into

agoraphobia if not treated early.

From a Christian perspective, Backus and Chapian believes

that there are religious folk who insist emotional trouble is

always due to unrepented sin and lack o faith. Other religious

people may locate the cause in the spirit, under the assumption

that infestation by evil spirits is inevitable, especially in

cases they do not understand such as dysolgic syndrome and

schizophrenia (Backus and Chapian, 178).

Anderson has an approach that views illness not as a problem

of the soul, but as a struggle in the supernatural systems,

specifically the demonic realm. Anderson views mental and

emotional health as being both psychological and spiritual.

Secular counselors and all too often Christian counselors as well

fail to see that “what the early church called demonic activity

we now understand to be mental illness” (Anderson, 2000, 20).

THE THERAPEUTIC PROCESS

Jay Adams’ presents a four step biblical process to change.

Through the sufficiency of Scripture, change is taught, which

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brings conviction, yields correction, and ultimately results in

disciplined training in discipleship. The four-step biblical

process that Adams puts forth is based on sound interpretations

of the Scriptures. His views are distinctively biblical and are

likely to be best applied by church leaders, clergy, Elders, and

Pastors. While some choose to integrate Psychology or Philosophy,

Adams thoroughly rejects the idea of integration. In his model,

all that is needed for counseling is found in the pages of

Scripture and anything outside the realm of Scripture should be

soundly rejected. "Strangely enough, many of the most prominent

defenders of biblical inerrancy and authority are the very

pastors who, in biblical counseling, treat the Scriptures as an

insufficient source, in need of supplementation from psychiatry

and psychology. Sad to say, they implicitly deny the Scriptures'

credentials for helping people change." (Adams, 21) 

Adams sees the need for change primarily as the result of

deficiency of instruction in biblical truth - a shortfall of

Christian discipleship. In this system, the true goal of

Christian counseling is sanctification through the power of the

Holy Spirit. Adams maintains that Scripture is the only thing

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necessary in counseling, insisting that psychology has no place

in counseling and that "...the counselor must neither add to nor

subtract from God's Word, but offer those needing help `the whole

counsel of God,' which Paul declared `beneficial' to the church

(Acts 20:20, 27) (Adams, 46)." 

The Counseling Structure/Strategy

(Session 1 -Attentive Listening ) Counselee talks;

Counselor actively listens for Counselee’s understanding of life

with the problem

(Session 1-2 – Diagnosing the problem ) Counselee Tacks and

sets the direction; Counselor Tests reality/do ability and

utilizes Kollar’s Tracking Options

(Session 2-3 – Determining the need for change) Counselee

and Counselor actively participate together in the pursuit of a

hope-filled common goal/solution.

(Final Sessions 4-5 – Create, communicate, and navigate

vision to achieve change) Counselee commits to a community of

accountability during pattern dehabituation & rehabituation

leading to changes directed at overarching goal; Counselor

reinforces commitment to change through supportive feedback and

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by arranging accountability through Pastoral Care and Small Group

Ministries of a local church. Referral decisions are made after

the final session.

Before the booked appointment time, reception has

called Bruce to remind him of his 10:00 a.m. counseling session

and to confirm receipt of his prescreening paperwork. The

receptionist assured Bruce that she had received his signed

acknowledgement of our statement of beliefs, ethical guidelines,

informed consent and confidentiality agreement and his completed

intake form. Bruce acknowledged confirmation.

EFFECTIVENESS

Progress is measured by observing the work of the Holy

Spirit as He begins to produce spiritual fruit in the life of the

counselee. The by-product of this spiritual growth will be

satisfaction and joy in Jesus (Kollar 1997, 61).

CONCLUSION

The goal of biblical counseling is to promote Christian

maturity, to help people enter into a richer experience of

worship and a more effective life of service. In broad terms,

Christian maturity is developed by (1) dealing with any immediate

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problem circumstances in a manner consistent with Scripture and

(2) developing an inward character which conforms to the

character (attitudes, beliefs, purposes) of Christ (Crabb 1997,

29-30).

APPENDIX – Key Assumptions Underlying Our Approach

1. All people are created in the image of God and, as his image

bearers, have infinite value and worth.

2. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans

3:23).

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3. For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only

Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but

have eternal life (Jn. 3:16, WEB).

4. The most effective pastoral counseling takes into account

the whole person: body, soul, and spirit.

5. Different approaches can be helpful with different kinds of

people struggling with different kinds of problems.

6. People have various strengths and resources to help them

solve their problems.

7. Small changes are all that are necessary. Small changes lead

to large changes. A change in one part of a system usually

leads to a change in other parts of the system.

8. Problems are solved; people are not cured.

9. Change is inevitable, growth is optional

- Competent Christian Counseling (2002), p.

351

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REFERENCES

Adams, J. E. (1986). How to help people change. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Anderson, N. T. (2000). The bondage breaker. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers.

Backus, W., & Chapian M. (2000). Telling yourself the truth. Minneapolis,MN: Bethany House Publishers.

Benner, David G. Strategic Pastoral Counseling: A Short-Term Structured Model. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2003.

Clinton, Tim, and Ron Hawkins. Biblical Counseling Quick Reference Guide: Personal and Emotional Issues. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2007.

Cloud, Henry. Nine Things You Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life. Nashville,TN: Thomas Nelson, 2004.

Crabb, Larry. Effective biblical counseling. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,

1977.

Greenberg, G.R. Solution-focused therapy. A Counseling model forbusy family physicians. Canadian Family Physician, 2001.

Hart, A. D. The anxiety cure. Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, 1999.

Hawkins, R. E. (2006a). Grid for tracking progress. Retrieved July 2, 2009 from http://www.liberty.edu.

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Hawkins, Ronald E. The Pastoral Counseling Scenario: Parts 1-4. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University, 2008.

Kollar, Charles A. Solution-Focused Pastoral Counseling: An Effective Short-TermApproach for Getting People Back on Track. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1997.

Petersen, James C. Why Don't We Listen Better? Communicating and Connecting in Relationships. Tigard, OR: Petersen Publications, 2007.

Towns, Elmer L. Theology for Today. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Group, 2002.

Uniquely_You_Report. Combining 7 Spiritual Gifts with 4 (DISC) Personality Types.Blue Ridge, GA, June 30, 2009.

Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of The Disciplines: Understanding HowGod Changes Lives. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1991.

Wilson, S. D. Hurt people hurt people. Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers, 2001.

Youngblood, Ronald F. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc., 1995.