Running head: HAWKINS & CLINTON
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Hawkins & Clinton Book
Liberty University
Hawkins & Clinton Book
HAWKINS & CLINTON
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Summary
During the last decades Christian Counselors have been evolving and preparing
themselves to resolve the diverse and complex needs of hurting people all over the world
(Hawkins & Clinton, 2015). The main distinction of Christian Counselors is that they are God’s
partners with the mission to listen to their clients with empathy, relieve their pain and help
them find the life-changing love of God.
Providentially, an increasing number of people (2/3 of Americans) want their faith to be
addressed and integrated in the therapeutic process. Accordingly, the holistic approach seeks to
assist clients’ biological, psychological, social, and spiritual needs (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015). In
order to use a holistic approach, a Christian Counselor is required to assess clients’ needs and
challenges, and adopt an all-inclusive approach towards their preferences to seek engagement
and develop a powerful working alliance.
Once clients and therapists agree to work together, the main goal is to shape clients’
souls (in all dimensions) and possess them pursuing the imitation of Christ empowered by the
Holy Spirit (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015). In order to achieve the above, a relationship with the
Trinity (Father, Son and the Holy Spirit) has to be established as a central principle of human
existence and healing tool of human pain and distress.
The responsibility of Christian Counselors is to represent their partner’s authority (God)
with wisdom, empathy, and respect allowing their clients the freedom of choice (Hawkins &
Clinton, 2015) respecting their vulnerability, their fears and faith.
Christian counseling is a noble but hard work field that needs preparation not just in the
academic arena but also a commitment of sacrifice, give, love and serve (Hawkins & Clinton,
2015).
Counseling is an interactive, collaborative process in which a caregiver and a care seeker
establish a relationship focused on the exploration and resolution of issues of importance in the
life of the care seeker (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015).
Analysis
The Integration Approach of Hawkins & Clinton (2015) is the method to solve the
multidimensional challenges influencing human nature’s behavior from the perspective of
psychology and Christianity, by using the Scriptures and the Trinity as a guide of knowledge and
source of empowerment.
The methodology represents a worldview integration where a holistic approach is
proposed. The uniqueness of the human spirit requires a skillful attention to every dimension
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(spiritual, cognitive, conscious, emotional, volitional, sin, physical, relational, and supernatural
system) that influences the core soul in order to promote heightened levels of spiritual,
psychological, physical, and relational health (Hawking & Clinton, 2015). The approach considers
that God is the Creator of all things and the source of wisdom and truth. The use of the
scriptures as a source of knowledge to develop a relationship with God and learn about his
unconditional love for us will allow us to find stability and happiness.
Hawkins & Clinton (2015) identifies spiritual issues as the root cause of all life’s
problems. Peoples’ sins brakes the relationship with God and their lives become hopeless and
bitter; their lives may become affected in different levels, and signs of depression, emptiness,
and other mental and physical health issues may commence.
In order to assist their clients Christian Counselors need to be well informed and keep
the pace with the advances in research, practice, and treatment (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015).
Christian Counselors represent Christ. It is for this reason that they must be prepared not just in
pastoral care but also in terms of counseling and psychotherapy so that they can conduct
counseling at the highest level. Christian counseling is a hard mission that includes many
challenges that need to be resolved in order to provide warmth, encouragement, and insight to
help clients find their path toward God (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015).
Application
Case: Female client, middle age with a medical diagnose of diabetes type I (insulin
dependent) without treatment, with financial and housing issues, seeks therapy services in a
Christian agency. Client stated that she feels lonely and empty without any motivation to be
alive.
As a Christian Counselor, I would introduce myself and highlight my academic and
pastoral preparation while explaining that as a Christian Counselor I am a partner with God on
faith. I would define my core of competencies – confronting, giving comfort, supporting,
advocating, and extending patience- and core of ethical (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015). During the
therapy I would use a holistic approach where all different dimensions of her humanity
(biological, psychological, social, and spiritual) will be addressed in order to possess her soul and
reestablish her communication with God.
The process of possessing her soul will require patience and the use of the scripture as a
guide in order to achieve spiritual growth. The method will develop the insight to identify the
choices available to her, while inspiring her to find the courage to make decisions and the
humility to admit her potential failures (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015).
I will have to carefully look at each dimension of my client’s soul in order to work
thoroughly to include all her needs. Client manifested that she feels lonely and empty, so the
focus should include working on her spiritual dimension in order to recover hope and heal her
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wounds (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015). The cognitive dimension can be addressed by helping her to
realize that her negative or destructive thoughts should not define her. As her therapist, I would
assist her to develop rational truth-based beliefs and the skills to empower her mind to discredit
irrational, lie-based beliefs (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015). Another concern of my client is that she
was recently diagnosed with diabetes type I, so I would explain to her that the human body is a
special gift from God, that she has to learn how to take care of it so that she can honor him
(Hawkins & Clinton, 2015). To satisfy her medical and financial issues (physical dimension) I
would refer my client to a doctor and a case management services agency respectively.
Having accomplished the possession of her soul she will then be free to offer herself up
to God, as a living sacrifice toward the imitation of Christ (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015).
References
Defining integration: Key concepts [PowerPoint slides] (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://learnliberty.edu/COUN 506. Week 1.
Hawkins, R., & Clinton, T. (2015). The new Christian counselor: A fresh biblical and
transformational approach. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers.
Spiritual formation models for counseling [PowerPoint slides] (n.d.) Retrieved from
http://learnliberty.edu/COUN 506. Week3
