Dr. Highland is a graduate of numerous schools and a Ph.D graduate of Newburgh Theological Seminary, Class of 2008. She leads an effective Christian counseling practice in the Nashville, Tennessee area.
Essential Tools for Christian Counselors
Exploring tools needed by the competent Christian counselor: God-given tools such as discernment, personal tools such as listening and learned tools such as diagnosis and treatment plans.
Led by Patsy Highland, Ph.D., M.A., LPC, MHSP
Director of Counseling and lead Therapist with
Master Resources Counseling Center, Murfreesboro, TN.
Author of forth-coming book:
Marriage Counseling 101: Practical Guide for Ministers
Becoming a Christian Counselor
There are as many different kinds of counselors as there are psychological theories about human nature and how to help people. There are many committed Christians that are counselors. Why, then, do I choose to call myself a Christian counselor? It is not because I have a certain formula to promote or a specific set of rules to enforce. It is not because I am a “super Christian.”
I am a Christian counselor because first, I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus. In my life journey I have tried to be a Christian leader in college, a Christian teacher in the public school system and, believe it or not, a Christian wife to a pastor. But my identification as a Christian counselor is different. I chose to be a counselor as a second career choice, at an older and hopefully wiser age of life. I chose to learn all I could about psychology, counseling theories and how to practice counseling. I chose to fulfill all the requirements to be a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state where I live. The process for becoming licensed in Tennessee is earning a Masters Degree in Counseling with an internship in that process, 2 years of supervised counseling experience, and passing a national exam. I wanted to be well trained, credentialed and qualified. Embedded in this process was the motivation to serve Jesus and help people.
Today, as I see twenty or more persons each week and guide three other counselors in their work, I believe I am an agent of Jesus, a minister of Him and represent Him as I meet with hurting people. All of my experience as a Bible student and Christian leader is brought into those counseling sessions. I meet people where they are and help them move forward in life to a better life. I know God has prepared me for those moments and is present with me in my counseling room. His Spirit gives me discernment, instruction and confidence in each counseling session.
People come to our counseling center because they feel we will understand their background, because they seek help from more than human strength, and because they want a safe place where they can trust us to offer compassion and direction. Christian Counseling is meeting people where they are as Jesus did, seeking to understand them and their potential as Jesus did and helping them find the abundant life He offers.
Why People Seek a Christian Counselor
People regularly seek a Christian Counselor. The reason may be they want a counselor who will understand that their Christian faith is important in dealing with their problems. Others may believe that they can put more trust in a Christian counselor.
A Christian counselor is not just someone who is a Christian and can offer counsel. A Christian counselor is a person who is a Christian, who has prepared themselves educationally for the profession and who counsels also out of their understanding of the principles of Jesus and the Bible. A Christian counselor is not one who has just embraced Christian rules and seeks to impose them on others. Christian counselors seek to understand people as Jesus did, offer compassion and grace as Jesus did, and serve as an agent of Jesus to bring healing to people’s lives.
Many seek a Christian counselor because the area of counseling has such a wide variety of styles and approaches that people look for someone they feel that can trust. Others seek as Christian counselor instead of their pastor or Christian friend because they want the confidentiality that a Christian counselor offers. People may seek a Christian counselor because it offers the combination of a professionally trained counselor and a Christian minister.
Christian counselors offer counseling to persons that is off-site from the church, help from a counselor who has experience in dealing with a wide variety of personal issues and someone who has learned how to guide the process to healing. Christian counselors work from strict ethical standards and compassionate understanding of human nature. Christian counselors receive pay for services, often on a sliding scale, which does not leave the client feeling obligated or a charity case.
