LIBERTY UNIVERSITY JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Highlight the Steps to Becoming a Christian Counselor
A Paper Submitted to
the Faculty of the School of Divinity
in Candidacy for the Degree of
Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership (Ed. D) Department of Christian Leadership and
Church Ministries
By
Mary Gracias
Lynchburg, Virginia
10/2022
What Is a Christian Counselor?
Christians turn to their faith for solace and hope during dark times. Their faith can be a
source of strength, but that doesn’t mean that Christians can’t also suffer from mental health
disorders. In fact, according to Anthem of Hope, about 23% of pastors surveyed acknowledge
that they themselves have experienced a mental illness, such as depression or anxiety
disorders.1
Christians who are suffering from mental illness have options for reaching out for help.
Secular therapy is widely available, and welcomes people of all faiths as well as those of no
faith. Yet, for some Christians, it may sometimes be more helpful to find a counselor who
shares their own biblical beliefs and principles.
A Christian counselor is a professional counselor who is scientifically trained to use
evidence-based counseling techniques that are infused with God’s Word. Christian counseling
strives not only to help the individual overcome their mental health challenges, but also to help
them heal spiritually. Through Christian counseling, clients may feel empowered to strengthen
their relationship and communication with God, and to address their challenges through a
biblical lens.
Christian counselors tend to focus primarily on Christian clients, although they may
sometimes serve clients of different faiths, as well as atheists. When working with non-Christian
clients, it’s advisable for Christian counselors to reserve religious judgment and focus on secular
therapeutic techniques. Aside from the biblical lens of therapy, a Christian counselor can
generally expect to perform the same tasks as a secular counselor, such as the following:
Build a professional rapport with new clients
Evaluate the mental health and behavioral patterns of new clients, and discuss
therapeutic approaches and techniques while developing a treatment plan
Implement therapeutic techniques, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, to help clients
overcome challenges and turn negative behavioral patterns into positive ones
Work with clients’ family members, including spouses, parents or siblings to help them
understand their loved one’s difficulties and how best to be supportive
Refer clients to outside resources when necessary, such as inpatient addiction
treatment programs, if appropriate
In everything that a Christian counselor does, they must keep in mind the best interests
and needs of their clients. Therapeutic approaches and techniques must be adapted to meet
the client’s needs.
Some clients, for example, respond well to reading Bible verses together with their
Christian counselor and discussing how they might be applied to the client’s situation. Christian
counselors might also pray together with their clients and lead their clients in spiritual
meditation techniques.
How To Become a Christian Counselor
If the answer to the question, “What is a Christian counselor?” appeals to you, it’s time to
start planning your career pathway. If you’re still in high school, talk to your guidance counselor
about adding any available classes that would be relevant for your career goals. These might
include communications, human health/development and psychology.
This is also a good time to reaffirm your faith and grow closer to God. Look for ways of
becoming more active in your church and nurturing your knowledge of the Bible. Sign up for a
Bible study class, for example.
After high school, you will need to earn a bachelor’s degree in counseling. You’ll also need
to complete a master’s degree in order to qualify for licensure. You may be able to choose a
master’s degree that has a Christian counseling concentration, depending on the school you
choose.
You’ll also need to complete supervised clinical experience hours in one or more internship
positions. This will be followed by a state-issued licensing exam. Your state may have additional
requirements that you’ll need to meet before you can become licensed as a professional
counselor.
Earn Your Undergraduate Counseling Degree
After high school, the first step in the process of how to become a Christian counselor is to
earn a bachelor’s degree in counseling. A psychology degree would also be acceptable, but it’s
best to earn a counseling degree if you’re already certain that you’ll pursue this career path.
Expect four years of full-time study before earning your degree, although you may be able to
accelerate that timeline if you have Advanced Placement (AP) credits that are transferrable and
if you opt to take summer classes, if available.
Look for a counseling degree offered by an accredited school. Note that different states
may have different requirements for counseling licensure. It’s a smart idea to research the
requirements for the state where you plan to practice, and double-check that your chosen
degree program will enable you to meet those criteria.
At this point in your education, you might not necessarily have the option of choosing a
degree that is specifically focused on Christian counseling. However, you may have the option
of choosing a mental health specialization, such as a concentration in substance abuse and
addiction counseling. Now would be a good time to think about whether you’d like to specialize
in a particular area of counseling, such as addiction counseling, couples therapy or adolescent
counseling.
Each program will differ slightly, but in general, you can expect to study topics such as
the following:
Fundamental principles in the theoretical approaches of counseling, including
therapeutic models such as psychodynamic, Gestalt, person-centered, family systems and
cognitive behavioral therapy
Multicultural counseling and cultural competencies for diverse populations, with a look
at issues such as how social injustice affects mental wellness
Practical skills in case management and care coordination, such as recordkeeping, report
writing, treatment planning, client assessments and crisis interventions
Advanced counseling theories and applications, including postmodern theories, family
systems theory and rational emotive behavioral therapy
If you choose a degree with a concentration, such as addiction counseling, you can also
expect to take a deep dive into topics pertaining to your specialization. If you choose to attend
a private Christian university, you can expect spirituality and biblical principles to be integrated
into the coursework, even if there is no Christian-specific degree available at the undergraduate
level.
During your time as an undergraduate, it’s a good idea to explore part-time jobs and
internship opportunities in relevant healthcare settings. Although you won’t be able to counsel
clients just yet, an internship would enable you to get an inside look at the goings-on of a
mental health practice. You’ll also develop a sense of professionalism that will prove valuable in
any work setting, and that will certainly benefit you later on when you’re ready for your
graduate-level internship.
Earn Your Graduate Christian Counseling Degree
The next step in your journey to become a Christian counselor is to earn your master’s
degree. At this stage in your academic career, it’s more likely that you’ll have the option of
choosing a degree that is focused specifically on Christian counseling. You may even be able to
choose a Christian counseling degree with another specialization, such as a Master of Science in
Christian Counseling of Substance Use and Addictive Disorders.
Although it depends on your specific program and your enrollment schedule, you can
generally expect to need two years of full-time study to complete a graduate Christian
counseling degree. During that time, you’ll develop advanced competencies in client
assessment, treatment planning and faith-centered therapeutic interventions. Some of the
specific topics you may study can include the following:
Counseling processes and influencing factors, and counseling skills such as rapport
development, behavioral assessment, rehabilitative plan implementation and the termination
of the client-counselor relationship
Group counseling theories, dynamics, ethical standards and group leadership styles
Couples and family counseling theories, approaches and applications, with a look at the
structures and dynamics of families
Theories and strategies of trauma counseling and crisis intervention implementation
through the lens of various types of abuse and neglect, including spousal and child abuse
Theories and applications of biblical principles applied to the practices of the Christian
counselor
While working toward a Christian counseling degree, you may also study spiritual
formation with an eye toward promoting your own wellness as a professional counselor. You
may explore the integration of Scripture with counseling theories and practices, and you could
study relational health in light of God’s Word.
Complete Supervised Clinical Hours
As part of your master’s degree in Christian counseling, you’ll be required to complete a set
number of supervised clinical experience hours. You may be placed in one or two internship
positions, where you’ll work at a clinical site under the close supervision of a licensed
counselor. Your internships are not only a requirement for licensure, but also an excellent
opportunity to put what you’ve learned into practice.
You’ll document your clinical practice hours, which will include some direct client contact.
This may include both one-on-one and group counseling sessions. Be sure to listen carefully and
take notes when your supervisor offers feedback and guidance on your work.
The length of your internships will depend on your degree program and state
requirements. Depending on where you want to practice, you may need to arrange for
additional supervised clinical hours in order to meet your state’s requirements.
Pass a Licensing Exam
After completing all of the supervised clinical hours required by your state, you can expect
to take a state-issued licensing exam. It’s best to take the exam fairly soon after graduating with
your degree, because, as you’ll want your knowledge to be fresh in your mind. However, you
may also wish to delay taking the exam for a month or two, if possible, to give yourself time to
prepare.
Complete Continuing Education Hours Every Year
Different states often have a two-tiered approach when being licensed as counselor. The
first level having an associate degree and the second being in the professional level of
counseling. Once you earn your state counseling license, you should be qualified to pursue a job
as a Christian counselor, pending any other requirements established by your state board.
Many states have different requirements for professional or independent licensure. If you want
to be in a private practice, professional level of counseling is often required. However, make a
note of when your license will be up for renewal. You will likely be required to successfully
complete approved continuing education hours in order to renew your license.
Essential Skills and Characteristics of a Christian Counselor
There are many skills and characteristics that are essential for the Christian counseling
profession. These include the following:
A strong faith and a desire to help others of your faith
Communication skills
Interpersonal skills
Cultural competencies
Empathy, compassion and patience
It’s also essential for Christian counselors to establish and maintain a safe, judgment-free
environment, because clients need to feel comfortable sharing their innermost feelings with
their counselors.
Is There a Demand for Christian Counselors?
In the U.S., the agency charged with tracking employment data and predicting future
trends based on current statistics is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS does not
track employment data for Christian counselors, but it does offer statistics for other types of
counselors. These include all types of mental health counselors, including substance abuse and
behavioral disorder counselors.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 77,500 new jobs are estimated to open for
substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors from 2021 to 2031.2
Another option for Christian counseling professionals is to become a Christian career
counselor or a school counselor at a private Christian school. Although the BLS doesn’t offer
data for Christian-specific school counseling careers, the BLS states that job growth for school
and career counselors, in general, is expected to be about 8% from 2019 to 2029, accounting
for the addition of an estimated 26,800 jobs in the field.3
If you feel called to become a Christian counselor, you’ll find a home away from home at
Grand Canyon University. In addition to our multiple undergraduate counseling degrees, GCU is
pleased to offer the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an Emphasis in
Christian Counseling degree for aspiring mental health professionals who wish to integrate a
Christ-centered philosophy within their practice.
