FAQ's

What kinds of issues do you work with?

We counsel people with a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety (OCD, panic attacks, phobias, social anxiety, eating disorders, etc), trauma, addiction, and those who desire to improve poor relational patterns.  We have a burden for those who have experienced church hurt in the past and do not “force” Biblical solutions on those who don’t want them or who are struggling in their spiritual lives.   We believe God created us as spiritual beings but placed us in a physical body and in a fallen world, so we counsel holistically, with an awareness of physical and neurological issues in addition to spiritual ones, though with a stronger emphasis is on heart issues.  In other words, one person’s issues aren't the same as another's, and we seek to get a whole picture of body, mind, and soul struggles in order to offer the most effective help.

How is Biblical Counseling Different from Christian Counseling?

“In general, what is usually called “Christian counseling” is different from “Biblical counseling” in that Christian counseling often uses secular psychology while viewing the client and their situation from a Christian worldview. Depending on the counselor, they may or may not use the Bible or even pray in the sessions. This is not to say that a Christian counselor is not also a Biblical counselor, but often, Christian counselors are Christians who integrate secular psychology into their counseling. Biblical counselors counsel from Biblical theories and principles.” (From Association of Biblical Counselors)

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For us at So That We, this does not mean we never use psychological tools.  Sometimes psychological resources are developed through research and observation and can be consistent with a Biblical worldview when rightly interpreted and with discernment.  Other times, those findings are influenced by secular philosophies and worldviews to such an extent that they lead us away from a Biblical worldview. 

The confusion comes in how we define "integrate" in the statement above. On the one hand, when principles of psychology and Scripture are integrated without strong theological work, a self-focused, humanistic view of God, self, and others emerges.  On the other, we want to understand clinical diagnoses that clients come in with and help them work through their experiences of those diagnoses with Scriptural integrity in mind, remembering that the Bible holds ultimate authority for our lives and God is the ultimate healer of our brokenness.

Do you offer consultations?

Yes, we offer a free 20-minute consultation via phone or Zoom before beginning care.  You may choose simply to email depending on your level of comfort.  This allows you to briefly describe your issue and ask any questions you may have before entering a counseling process.  Some feel apprehensive about counseling or aren’t sure whether they will feel comfortable with a particular counselor, so a consultation may help ease this discomfort and give you more confidence going into an initial session.

Do you counsel people who aren't Christians?

Yes.  We are sensitive to the fact that people are in different places in life in regards to issues of faith, and never seek to judge, criticize, or push faith onto someone.  However, in the spirit of full disclosure we want our clients to know that while our staff members do have varying degrees of psychological training, our worldview is Biblical, so we don't utilize resources or elements of psychological worldview that are antithetical to Scripture.  Some clients see this as simply a therapeutic orientation- while one counselor may fall back on techniques of Adler or Jung, or on CBT or Reality Therapy training, our foundation is a Biblical worldview, and whether we use Scripture or Christian lingo with a client or not, that worldview informs our counsel and counseling decisions.