Biblical Counseling & Psychology

Comparing and Contrasting the Bible and Psychology

Psychology – Study of Behavior

(Psychologist – studies man kind’s behavior; Psychiatrist-studies medicine and mankind’s behavior)

The Bible= God written word and revelation to man about how is to have a beahave and relate to God and man

Fundamental Questions to Answer in Counseling

Why do I do what I do?

What should I be like?

What is wrong with me?

How do I change?

These are questions that each of us must and do answer in our lives. The answers to these will be the basis for our study of Biblical counseling and psychology in this lesson.

There are many modern theories of Behavior that try to explain why we do the things. Here are just a few:

Neurobiological - our behavior is just a physical process

Behavioral – Responses of a human being that be observed when stimuli are introduced.

Cognitive – Mental processes such as perception, memory and information gathering

Psychoanalytical – Unconscious Process

Phenomenological – Subjective experience

How are counselors supposed to remember all of this? : A manual of course!

The Diagnostic Static Manual is designed to discuss psychotically disorders in order to help counselors; family and lay people ascertain and treat these numerous psychological disorders.

This brief chart is taken from the DSM 4^th Edition and is shown in order to show how the Bible is the ultimate source for all the answers concerning in the inner workings of man

Psychology	Criteria	The Bible
MANKIND	The Focus	GOD/JESUS CHRIST
THEORIES	Why I do What I do	GOD’S CREATION/MY SIN
DSM-IV TR*	What I should be Like	BEING CONFORMED TO CHRIST’S IMAGE
DSM-IV TR	What’s wrong with me	SIN/REBELLION AGAINST GOD
THEORIES	How I change	REPENT/OBEY GOD’S COMMANDS
EVOLUTIONARY	My physical body	CREATED BY GOD

A brief case study to analyze

Consider Melvin’s story- he’s a 47-year-old male who is married with two children. He lived his whole life in fear of failure. In the past he has had suffered from severe panic attacks as well of anxiety. Though he feel that he is over them for the most part the past experiences have left him feeling socially detached and like he just doe not fit into really any social groups. Melvin tries to cover up this detachment by always joking around in order to gain some acceptance from the group though he would love to understand and develop close relationships like he once had.

Explain how one might handle counseling Melvin from the following perspectives: Neurobiological, Behavioral, Cognitive, Psychoanalytical, Phenomenological, and Biblical counseling.

The answers are not hard simply think about what each subject covers and think about how you would talk to Melvin and help him overcome his fears

Read 2 Timothy 3:1-17. As you read this passage, note what Paul says to Timothy about why what is happening is happening and what he should do about it.