DESCRIPTION

At one time, Virgnia Todd Holeman confesses, she thought being biblically literate was all she needed and had little interest in what real theologians talked about. But in the context of counseling she found that clients often pressed her for more than she had gained through practical training and knowledge of the best theories and techniques available for counseling. They asked hard theological questions often related to their suffering, experiencing a kind of "theological disequilibrium . . . which left them discouraged, disoriented and often distraught." Eventually Holeman was led to a serious study of theology that opened the door of how the discipline of theological reflection relates to counseling practice. In this volume Holeman shows how deep and clear theological reflection can make a major difference. Not only can it shape who we are, it can also bring into greater alignment our theological commitments, our therapeutic practices and our professional ethics. All the while it can have the most practical effect on our challenges of conducting counseling sessions. Written with counseling students, pastoral counselors and licensed mental health professionals in mind, this book is aimed to help readers become as well-formed theologically as they are clinically trained.