How to Choose a Christian Counselor
Aug 18th, 2009 by John James
If you are struggling with something in your life you may be interested in getting help from a qualified Christian counselor. But located the right counselor for you and your situation can sometimes be challenging and frustrating. Most of us aren’t aware of the counselors that are available in our local area.
Because for most of us scheduling an appointment with a counselor is not as easy as scheduling a checkup with the family doctor, knowing some effective ways of locating the right counselor can be extremely useful.
To help you in your search for a Christian counselor, we will provide some tips that will point you in the right direction.
1. Ask Your Pastor for a Referral
For those who attend church, the pastor can be a great resource. Many pastors offer counseling services to people of the congregation who may be in need. However, most pastors will not have the experience to deal with all situations. In these cases, the pastor may do what they are capable of, and refer other people to counselors in the area.
Your pastor may or may not be able to help you himself. If he is not able to help, chances are that he will have a local counselor in mind that would be a good fit for your situation. This is one of the best ways to find a counselor that you can trust and feel comfortable with.
By starting you search with your pastor you will be able to find out if your church has any resources that can be of help to you, and if not, you should at least be able to be pointed in the right direction.
2. Ask God for His Assistance with Finding a Counselor
Don’t forget to pray for God’s help in finding a great Christian counselor! Take a few minutes every day to ask God to lead you to the right person that can help you with the issues that you are facing.
3. Ask Your Friends and Family if They Know a Good Counselor
You may not even be aware that some of your friends or family have seen counselors, but many people have. If you feel comfortable approaching your friends and family for advice about finding a counselor, you may be able to get a good referral from someone you trust.
4. Search Online
If your search is not leading to any referrals from people that you know, the internet is also a great resource that can provide plenty of information. To find a counselor that is close to you, do a Google search for Christian counselor and include your state or town. This should lead you to at least a few pages that can help you. If you search for directories of counselors you will find several that allow you to search by zip code to find one in your area.
