Interventions that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy 1
Interventions that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy
JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW 2
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SUMMARY
Interventions that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy 2
In this article Intervention That Apply Scripture In Psychotherapy by Fernando Garzon,
the author discusses many challenges that therapists faced when using scriptures as a
treatment in Christian counseling. The author used numerous interventions that consist of
looking at psychodynamic, psychoeducational, theoeducational, cognitive, behavioral, and
affective experiential models when studying scripture in the treatment of counseling (Garzon,
2005). The author uses the case study of a Caucasian male name George that have been
struggling with depression. George is considered himself as a "Loser" based on the dissatisfying
of his profession and dysfunctional of childhood memories that is causing him to be an abusive
alcoholic father that was miserable from his disorder.
These issues have been a reoccurring event for George from a teenager until now as a
30-year-old man. George has found some comfort, since becoming a Christian but still deals
with the distress of feeling hopeless. Garzon (2005) describes how George aspects of his
Christian faith is the foundation of his relief. Spiritual intervention is used to show treatment
that can be used to incorporate scripture into various situations George is faced with
throughout therapy. The author develops the case of George to illustrate how to utilize
scriptures to address spiritual growth and development and quit prayers to have a direct impact
on George general emotional and behavioral problems.
According to Garzon (2005), Psychoeducational interventions may include educating
George concerning experiencing his emotions, the proper assertiveness, limit-setting. The
theoeducational intervention, the author, uses a concern that helps George understand the
fallen nature of God and the mistaken view of love that George cultured from the relation with
his abusive father. Behavioral interventions were used from the anxiety indicators from
problems he had falling sleep. Garzon stated that George was taught using a technique that
consisted of repeating "The Lord is my shepherd" with the combined the deep-breathing
exercises could help George reduce his anxiety symptoms. Cognitive intervention includes
applying scriptures from the cognitive perspectives and using Rational Emotive Behavioral
Interventions that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy 3
Therapy (REBT) that develops reason and logic as primary strategies to change core irrationals
beliefs. REBT consisted of activating events, irrational beliefs, consequent emotions and
disputation beliefs and rating of fundamental beliefs following the disputation.
Grazon concludes the case study of George by providing an inner healing prayer that
seeks to facilitate the treatment for the emotional roller coaster that George has been dealing
with. The therapist encouraged George to use his smelling, hearing and physically feeling that
the imaginary put himself in the scripture that is being described in the bible. The therapist used
the book of Luke when Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there
who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not
straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are
set free from your infirmity." 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened
up and praised God (NIV). Garzon stated that George felt the exercise helped him, and he no
longer felt the self-esteem issues of a loser.
INTERACT
In this article, Intervention That Apply Scripture In Psychotherapy by Fernando Garzon
was fascinating reading. I believe I was interested in this article because I deal with offenders on
a daily basis that suffers from similar issues that George suffered from. For many years I have
utilized scriptures in my personal and professional life when trying to deal with or cope with
issues in my life. I believe that in scriptures it can be useful treatment methods, I have seen
scriptures give me guidance or help me with closure.
Reading how Georges' therapist help him with his self-esteem issues brought me great
joy especially, knowing all he went through in his life. It was incredible how inner healing prayer
works; I had never thought of using this method in my counseling methods. I have been
counseling people and being an active learner for many people. I have strong desire to help
Interventions that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy 4
others and to assist individuals with the challenges and issues they faced. I have learned many
things from this article that can help me with different methods of becoming a better counselor.
Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors, there is safety.
(Proverbs 11:14).
APPLY
Applying what I have learned from the article. As a pastor, I have had experience dealing
with many different people from various backgrounds and different economic statuses. I have
had to counsel a person that was grieving the loss of their loved one. Recently, I have been
faced with a problem that has been challenging to advise a client that has just lost his mother.
This situation is especially difficult because he has been someone that I have watched grow up
in the church. His mother was well known amongst the congregation and was a faithful member
of the church. She always participated in the main events that the church had and made a
positive impact on many people. Because this situation hits home for me; one day she was
working in the pool pit and then the next we have her funeral service at the church. I am sure
this significant loss has impacted her family in a major way. Someone that I have noticed that
has mainly taken this loss hard is her son. I recently recommended that he come to see me for
some counseling sessions.
During our first few counseling sessions, our conversations would reflect on his feelings
towards the death of his mother. He would display signs of depression and anxiety; he also
expressed that he often uses drugs to cope with these issues. Because I know he has grown up
in the church I was more comfortable using my spiritual knowledge over my professional
counseling to help him through his problems. I started our counseling sessions off each time
with a brief prayer before we get into our intervention. I focus on the parable in the Bible from
the book of John where Martha and Mary were looking for Jesus because their brother had died
John 11:25-26 - Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will
Interventions that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy 5
live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you
believe this?"
I took this approach of counseling my client through a moving story in the Bible from the
text. After I had explained to my client the perception behind the resurrection of Lazarus, he
displayed genuine emotion towards becoming more personal with the Lord. I had also explained
to him that our Lord and Savior can relieve us from the greatest sicknesses that we can ever
imagine and that if he wants to become 100 % healed from his issues. He has to give his
problem to the Lord, and things will never be the same again, but God will give him the strength
to cope with the loss of his mother. He then expressed to me he felt a sense of relief about his
mother's death after our numerous counseling sessions, he is now attending church more and is
using the bible as a tool to get through other tough times that he may encounter.
References
Garzon, Fernando L., "Interventions that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy" (2005).
Faculty Publications and Presentations
NIV Bible
