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Meaning Making Forum 1
Tina Robinson
Liberty University School of Behavioral Sciences
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Ministry or Agency Based Context
I will be working as a Christian Counselor with my local church. My ministry within my
local church where I see members of the congregation and as needed, I help with schools
that have a crisis and students need help.
My choice as my care seeker is Bruce (Rice, 2018). He is a husband and father who came
upon an accident to find that his wife and daughter had been in a terrible accident. He is
dealing with the loss of the two.
Guiding Purpose Statement
My guiding purpose is to be Christ like so that I will be open and able to help the
counselee with whatever their needs are.
2 Corinthians 8:12 For if there is first willing mind, it is accepted according to what one
has, and not according to what he does not have (NKJV). As Christ I accept with a
willing mind to what I have and not to what I am without.
Rapport and Relational Alignment
When I first meet with a counselee the first thing, I do is build trust. When Bruce came to
me, I began with a trust building exercise. I want Bruce to know that I will be listening
with intent and make sure he feels comfortable.
Carbonell (2020) Uniquely You DISC assessment my “S/C” or “C/S” personality type
and Bruce being an “S” will be submissive, and humble spirit and quiet demeanor, I will
need to remember not to try and fix him. Helping him find closure in the tragedy of
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losing his wife and daughter; and finding a new purpose with the two sons, who still need
his guidance in their lives.
In my sessions with Bruce I need to make sure that each session he has the tools
necessary to find the answers to his questions. I know that he as any counselee would
want me to provide the answer. My job is to help him with guidance, so he reconciles the
answers himself. Each session should be clear and precise and planned (Carbonell (2008)
How to Solve the People Puzzle).
In each session we will recap each of the milestones made in the session and allow Bruce
to see his progress.
Phase One Distinctive Features
Goal: Bruce needs to find a way to come to terms about the death of his wife and
daughter. He needs to understand why such a tragedy has happened to his family. He
needs to understand what the spirit is guiding him to understand of the tragedy. SFPC
draws out counselee’s own life experience giving them a new way to view the spirit
(Kollar (2011) p.57).
Chief Aim: Petersen (2015) Technique #12 It helps talkers to know that their stories elicit
human response in you. If they engaged you, they are not alone (p. 118). I need to make
sure that I am fully invested by repeating what he is relaying to me. In doing so he knows
that he is being heard.
Clinton, Hawkins (2009) even if it seems Do not tell the person what he/she should do,
obvious to you. Remember the counselee is seeking God’s will not yours (p. 67).
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Role/Responsibility: Bruce has many responsibilities as a husband and father, and owner
of his own company. He is grieving the death of his wife and daughter and wanting
answers to why. So, using a trust building exercise I can gather information and find an
understanding to what he is trying to accomplish in our sessions (Kollar, 2011)
Nichols (2017) He may not rescue us out of suffering, but he promises to be with us
every step through it (p. 82).
Guiding Assumptions: Bruce needs to work through his grief and at the same time find a
reason to move forward and go on with his life. Bruce has found that using a trust
exercise in the beginning of our sessions has helped him open and realize that he has a lot
to be thankful for amongst the tragedy that has be fallen his family.
Phase One Marker
Bruce is worried about his family and the strain that the tragic and sudden death of his
wife and daughter have put on him and his two sons. His concern is that if he is not
strong, he will fail the two that need him the most. So, giving him the security that he can
trust me in our sessions to give him the guidance he needs. Bruce needs me to show him
that I am not there to fix him but guide him to find the answers within himself and God’s
guiding hand.
Food for Thought
Being a Christian Counselor, we need to know our limits and remember we are not there
to fix the counselee but offer biblical counseling and guidance. Understanding our limits
and our own tragedies are not put into or on the counselee is of utmost importance when
helping others.
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References
Carbonell, M. (n.d.). “Uniquely You DISC Assessment. Retrieved from https://uniquelyyou.org/
Carbonell, M. (2008). . Blue How to solve the people puzzle: Understanding personality patterns
Ridge, GA: Uniquely You Resources.
Kollar, C. A. (2011). Solution-focused pastoral counseling: An effective short-term approach
for getting people back on track (updated and exp. ed.). Grand Rapids, Mich.:
Zondervan.
Nichols, K. (2017). . Masterpiece: Seeing yourself as God's work of art changes everything
Lynchburg, VA.: Liberty University Press.
Petersen, J. (2015). Why don't we listen better? Communicating and connecting in
relationships (second ed.). Portland, OR: Petersen Publications.
Rice, D. (2018). A case study on crossroads: A story of forgiveness. Lynchburg, VA.: Liberty
University.
