JOURNAL REVIEW 2 1
Intervention that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy
Michael Paul Jackson
School of Behavioral Science, Liberty University
Author Note
Michael Paul Jackson
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Michael Paul Jackson.
Email: mpjackson1@liberty.edu
Summary
JOURNAL REVIEW 2 2
The journal article by Fernando Garzon, Intervention that Apply Scripture in
Psychotherapy by Fernando Garzon details on the usage of Scripture in and during
counseling/psychotherapy. The Word of God is the key aspect, but Garzon makes it a finer
point as he integrates other education fundamentals. These fundamentals are the-education,
cognitive and behavioral approaches as well as psychoeducation. When a therapist or
counselor uses scripture n therapy it refines the awareness of a client not only to see the good
and bad of situations and things, but to also realize they have strengths as well as weaknesses.
Through this process it takes a particular background of a client and tailors it to each client in a
most haphazard way not to inflict a non-positive outlook or approach. Through reading this
article the author takes using scripture in therapy and uses it in an implicit and explicit way
within Christian therapy. In using the psychoeducational approach, it focuses on teaching a skill
or making clarification of information in the thoughts about one’s self that is inaccurate (Garzon,
2005). This article uses a case study by the name of George who has experiences of multiple
personality functions within himself (Garzon, 2005). Christian Counseling is having a fine
steppingstone when using scripture in specific situations dealing with client’s needs. A Rational
Emotive (REBT) is covered and makes note that it focuses on writing an incident down and
what the client’s belief is and in focusing within scripture making a dispute within what is
covered. The REBT will go into the recollection of the dispute and rate it after disputed (Garzon,
2005). Within Christian Counseling you look at the religious beliefs of the client with the
permission and consent of the client in which is in therapy.
Divinely Inspired Creativity is what scripture involves in Christian counseling. The focus
of scripture brings into focus what to be a divine positive move within a person’s life. The article
describes the affective experiential approach its used as a deep inner healing prayer that’s
focused on pain and you take it to Christ in prayer which gives a healing to the pain that’s been
caused (Garzon, 2005). After this approach scripture is used to making an alignment with what
has been experience and if you see in this article it discusses “Living Scriptures” (Garzon,
JOURNAL REVIEW 2 3
2005). When we look at the case study George, he does like most in this approach and take on
the overt, which is a oppress approach. Garzon (2005) speaks of the positive and negatives as
countertransference. Countertransference is used to make an explanation of a therapist toward
a client in a very atypical and unaware approach. This is a way just like in the case study
George’s feelings it is a way to restrict the two different lives of client and therapist it helps to
keep the counseling in a more center way even with the countertransference. In therapy a
counselor has ethical obligations and accountability not to push their religious beliefs onto the
client unless usually the client brings the religious topic up first. Using spirituality in counseling is
only for enhancement of a client and has not benefit towards the counselor, so if a client has no
religious belief and the counselor is religious this is where ethical accountability is in play. When
using the Spiritual Intervention is a focus of positivity in counseling but is not necessarily for
every client.
Using the implicit approach may shut the client down and will become unwilling to speak
openly and freely about the concerns or issues which can cause more harm than good. This
could be where refining is to take place and use the explicit integration in counseling. This is
used only with consent from the client and you can incorporate the Scripture into the therapy for
the client. Either way the therapist can always pray in silence and show their devotion and love
but never impose it upon the client unless consent is given. Using the behavior and cognitive
approach can help clients be calmer and more relaxed if they have high anxiety. Breathing
techniques is part of the behavioral approach in the case of George he likes reciting Psalms 23
which helps him relax (Garzon, 2005). Discussed above the REBT is known as the Rational
Emotive Behavior Therapy Approach and the Beckin Techniques which are discussed in this
article in depth (Garzon, 2005). Cognitive approach is using logic and reason to make a
reasoning change in the clients thinking and when you use Scripture it can change or be used to
lower the impact of negative thoughts and put in place healthy thoughts. When the article
describes George needing or having to have more balanced thoughts this is considered the
JOURNAL REVIEW 2 4
Seven column technique. George analyzed his direction from negative thoughts and feelings by
the therapist using scripture and prayer in a positive approach. This change the complete
direction of therapy.
The counselor invites George to have a more balance live with Christ and tis is known as
the affective experiential technique. This helps God to show a healing through the client’s
personal experience. George sees himself in a positive light through the Scripture from the
approach that the therapist has taken in therapy. Christian Counselors faces a lot of
complications when dealing with non-Christians, the way to focus is prayer and then looks within
to the client’s emotions and feelings which lets the therapist see the main core issue (Garzon,
2005). Scripture in Christian Counseling help Christian therapist to utilize strategies from
scripture to make a more positive awareness inside a psychotherapy session.
Reflection
As I read through this article, I seen that Christian Counselors if working
everyday may not see but one client that will be like George. The Christian Counselor must
reflect on what is best for the client and leave personal opinion out of the core issues, but never
give up his/her values or love for Christ over a client. But counseling has a fine point and ethical
standards and accountability has a fine line and never can be crossed with any clients with
consent or approval. In the field of Christian Counseling it’s a calling from Christ to work with the
many individuals that walk in and out of a clinic each and every day and not be able to share
your love of God and the wonderful scripture that can be uplifting and change lives much like in
Georges case. Many clients has to have extensive counseling therefore if non-Christian are the
unconfirmed a Christian counselor has as a client then prayer has to be the key and hopefullly a
consent will be placed on the clients heart an then the key components of being a Christian
Counselor can take place. A great way to start the day is to pray for your clients and if you have
one that is set on your heart o pray more deeply for then that is a greater love for not only being
a Christian counselor, but for the greatness of your clients. The job of Christian counselor shows
JOURNAL REVIEW 2 5
that a person who has this job has a great compassion for not only Scripture, God, but also
clients who may or may not know God as their Lord and Savior. With Christian Counseling
sometimes the process is slower with some clients than others, but allow God to move and then
hopefully as a therapist you will be able to incorporate the strategies set forth and illustrated by
Garzon and this will allow the relationship to mature into a more valued mindset for both the
client and therapist.
Applying
As I read through this article it is very apparent that when working with secular and non-
secular clients in today’s society can be a challenge and seem overwhelming at times, but there
is rewards to be gained. I can always remember my grandmother told me never give up on
anyone and never walk away from any situation because you never know who may need you at
that time. This is true for Christian counselors because non-Christians can be challenging but in
counseling who can say that changing a person’s life is not the greatest accomplishment than
anything you could ever do for a person. But before I ever go into a session in my profession as
a substance abuse counselor I always pray before meeting a new client and before I release a
client from counseling. Many people ask me why pray before? You pray before because you
never know what challenges await you as a counselor with new clients because as a substance
abuse counselor recovery is not easy to accomplish. Why pray before releasing a client is
because the client may appear ready, but who really know what is building up in their internal
desires. As I remember my older neighbor use to say Everything that glitters is not gold. So,
what we see on the outside of any one client may not be what is underneath the shine and
glimmer. When in a session with a client I am very aware of eye contact, bony language, and
movements. The key to my technique is to let the client talk and then I ask questions to fill in all
the empty spots that in a first meeting most clients forget due to anxiety. In most cases with
myself I like to incorporate psychoeducation and cognitive approaches. Why are these
important, both in Christian counseling and substance abuse counseling the key is behavioral
JOURNAL REVIEW 2 6
change? Most changes take place in our thinking and I always place myself in each client’s
shoes and try to lean over into their reality. As a Christian Counselor that would be how I would
approach helping the conforming and nonconforming. And if clients never consented to
scripture, I would always pray for a way to get the message of positivity through to them much
as George gained in the article which brought him to Christ. Using cognitive with
psychoeducation is because when you involve the family in therapy especially with younger
client significant change can happen, but also it can also push clients away this is where a fine
line has to be made with the consent from the client. In all counseling family support will bring
families to understand what the client is going through and can bring back the bond and
boundaries that once was before the client began facing turmoil in their lie or within themselves
in a mental capacity. If at any time implicit or elicit integration is used this would be a time that I
would ask the client if prayer could be invoked into the session, but I would make sure that the
client understood that it would not be forced to him but it would be a prayer for God to look over
our session and to make the connection between client and counselor much better than it is. In
the closing I would like to use the inner healing prayer which is Intune with the affective
experiential approach. This could be the point where the client begins to think and sees that
God is real, to focus on how God views them as human and child of God and not for the mental
state or state of mind that they are in. God judges no one by their struggles. The final message I
would have for them is to always view themselves a magnified image of God and to always
allow themselves to feel the presence of God’s Love and to always Glorify his name if and when
they can. As stated, this depends on if they are Christian or non-Christian.
Reference
