Biblical Counseling Fundamentals

Warm Welcome

Create an atmosphere of genuine care and acceptance from the moment they arrive

• →Greet them by name with a warm smile
• →Offer refreshment (water, coffee, etc.)
• →Ensure the room is comfortable and private
• →Maintain appropriate eye contact
• →Use welcoming body language (open posture, forward lean)
• →Make them feel like they matter, not like a burden

Clear Structure Explanation

People feel safer when they know what to expect

• →Explain how the session will flow: "We'll talk about what brought you here, I'll ask some questions to understand your situation, and then we'll discuss next steps"
• →Clarify your role: "I'm here to listen, understand, and help you discover what God's Word says about your situation"
• →Set time boundaries: "We have about an hour together today"
• →Explain note-taking: "I take notes to remember important details and serve you better"

Confidentiality & Limits

Essential for building trust while maintaining legal and ethical responsibility

• →State clearly: "What you share here is confidential and private"
• →Explain exceptions clearly: "The only times I must break confidentiality are if you tell me you're planning to hurt yourself or someone else, or if you disclose abuse of a child or vulnerable adult. In those cases, I'm required by law to report to authorities"
• →For couples/family: "I won't share what one person tells me privately with others without permission"
• →Get verbal acknowledgment: "Do you understand these confidentiality guidelines?"

Thorough Listening

In the first session, listening is more important than teaching

• →Let them tell their story without interrupting
• →Ask clarifying questions: "Can you tell me more about that?" "When did this begin?" "What was happening in your life at that time?"
• →Reflect back what you hear: "So it sounds like you're feeling..."
• →Pay attention to both what is said and what isn't said
• →Notice emotions, body language, tone of voice
• →Take notes but maintain good eye contact
• →Validate their feelings: "That makes sense that you would feel that way"

Safety Assessment

Critical for identifying urgent concerns requiring immediate action

• →Ask directly about suicidal thoughts: "Have you had thoughts of hurting yourself?"
• →Assess risk: "Do you have a plan? Do you have access to means? Is anything stopping you from acting on these thoughts?"
• →Check for homicidal thoughts: "Have you had thoughts of hurting anyone else?"
• →Ask about abuse: "Are you currently in a situation where you're being hurt or threatened?"
• →Evaluate substance use: "Are you currently using drugs or alcohol? How much?"
• →If high risk is identified, address it immediately (call 911, contact emergency contact, create safety plan)

Spiritual Assessment

Understanding their spiritual state is essential for biblical counseling

• →Ask about salvation: "Can you tell me about your relationship with Jesus Christ?"
• →Clarify the gospel if needed: Don't assume they understand salvation
• →Assess church involvement: "Are you part of a local church? How involved are you?"
• →Understand spiritual practices: "What are your current spiritual disciplines? Prayer? Bible reading?"
• →Identify spiritual beliefs about the problem: "How do you see God in this situation?"
• →Note: Their spiritual state will significantly affect your counseling approach

Problem Assessment

Understand what brought them and what they're hoping for

• →Open-ended question: "What brings you to counseling today?"
• →Duration: "When did this problem begin? What was happening then?"
• →Severity: "On a scale of 1-10, how much is this affecting your daily life?"
• →Patterns: "When is it worse? When is it better? What triggers it?"
• →Previous attempts: "What have you tried so far? What helped? What didn't?"
• →Desired outcome: "What would you like to be different as a result of counseling?"
• →Family/medical history: "Has anyone in your family dealt with similar issues? Are you seeing a doctor?"

Hope & Encouragement

They must leave the first session with genuine hope

• →Acknowledge their courage: "It takes courage to come and seek help. I'm glad you're here."
• →Normalize their struggle: "Many people experience what you're going through. You're not alone."
• →Point to God's character: "God cares deeply about what you're facing. His Word has wisdom for this."
• →Offer realistic hope: "Change is possible, though it takes time and work. I've seen God bring healing in situations like yours."
• →Avoid false promises: Don't say "Everything will be fine" or "This will be easy"
• →Give them something to hold onto: A verse, a truth about God's character, or a specific encouragement

Clear Next Steps

End with clarity about what happens next

• →Schedule next session: "Can we meet again next week at this same time?"
• →Explain frequency: "We'll typically meet weekly for the first month, then assess"
• →Give homework if appropriate: "Between now and next session, I'd like you to... [read Scripture, journal, etc.]"
• →Provide contact info: "Here's my contact information. Feel free to reach out if you have questions or if there's a crisis"
• →Pray together: "Can I close our time by praying for you?"
• →Confirm understanding: "Do you have any questions about what we've discussed or what happens next?"

Step 1: Pray & Discern

Step 2: Get Leadership Buy-In

Step 3: Develop Mission & Structure

Step 4: Recruit & Train Counselors

Step 5: Establish Policies & Procedures

Step 6: Create Referral System

Step 7: Provide Space & Resources

Step 8: Launch & Communicate

Step 9: Supervise & Support

Step 10: Evaluate & Improve