Police, paramedics and other emergency personnel raced to the World Trade
Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Shortly afterwards, counselors also
went to New York to try and help people cope with the disaster. Among the
professionals working at the scene were Christian counselors.
"Christian counselors needed to be there to help deal with the aftershock,"
says Tim Clinton. He is the director of member services for the American Association
of Christian Counselors (AACC).
The AACC has a counselor network set up so that they can send people to
help in crisis situations in any part of the country. "Whether it's a
terrorist event or a smaller scale death of a loved one, we can dispatch someone
to help," he says.
"Let's say, for example, a teenager is killed in a car wreck," says
Clinton. "A call is put into our main center asking for someone to help the
community with their grief. We go through our network, find a professional
counselor nearby and send them out."
Once the Christian counselors are at a crisis scene, they begin to help
the survivors cope. "It involves talking to people, and getting involved with
the pastor and tying together networks for the people," says Clinton. "It's
more than just talking, though. Clinical methods are involved."
Helping people deal with tragedy means that the counselors are close to
the ordeal themselves. "It's heartbreaking to see what good people are
going through," says Clinton. "You are hurting right along with these people."
Even if Christian counselors aren't working at crisis scenes but are,
for example, in family and marriage counseling, they do come into people's
lives at difficult times. "You deal with a lot of negative issues."
But despite all the hard work and stress involved in the profession, it
can be immensely rewarding. "Being a Christian, it's very rewarding to
share your faith in a therapeutic sense," says Clinton. "You're helping
give someone a better focus and a larger goal in life."
John Auxier is the director of a master of counseling program. He says
he also finds immense rewards in being able to help people.
"In terms of working, this allows you to integrate the world of psychology
and the world of faith. Spirituality is an important dimension to the human
experience."
He says that although many secular counselors are available to help deal
with problems, some people feel more comfortable speaking with a Christian
counselor. They feel that the whole of their problems are being dealt with,
rather than just certain aspects.
"Some people are hesitant to seek counseling in the secular environment,"
says Auxier. "The resources available don't call upon their spiritual
side."
This desire to speak with like-minded people has created a need for Christian
counselors. "For people who prefer to talk about their spiritual side, there
is a need for Christian counselors," he adds.
"A Christian counselor faces the same challenges that any other professional
counselor faces," says Auxier. "The problems people face aren't unique
to those with Christian convictions."
However, introducing Christian ideas to people not immediately open to
the idea can sometimes be problematic. "A lot of times, you can be counseling
someone who isn't Christian," says Clinton. "You can get negative feedback
if you don't try to interact at a level that people feel comfortable
with."
Marrying Christian ideas with modern psychology can also be a struggle.
"The biggest challenge I have faced and struggled with is incorporating Christian
viewpoints with a lot of secular psychology," says Nancy Thompson. She is
a Christian counselor in Washington.
"I had a strong Christian training which was very good," she says. But
she says that in this line of work, it's just as important to understand
psychological disorders.
"It's a challenge to be well-founded in a faith and have a good grasp
on psychological problems. You have to be able to approach all different parts
of a problem."
While Thompson has a solid understanding of Christian principles, she is
studying to learn more about psychology. "I'm studying some secular approaches.
There is a need to have a solid spiritual background which you can incorporate
with other knowledge."
By intertwining both ideas, Thompson believes she is best able to help
people within a Christian context.
"I enjoy being able to share my faith," she says. "I can help people mature
spiritually."