Author Note
DISCUSSION THREAD:
BEST PRACTICES IN PASTORAL CRISIS CARE
Discussion Thread:
Best Practices in Pastoral Crisis Care
Ed Price
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ed
Price Email: eprice10@liberty.edu
Ed Price
School of Behavioral Sciences
Department of Community Care & Counseling
Liberty University
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DISCUSSION THREAD:
BEST PRACTICES IN PASTORAL CRISIS CARE
Best Practices in Pastoral Crisis Care
Combining the tools and gifts related to pastoral crisis care is a multi-faceted way to
approach ministry to others. Dr. George Everly defines pastoral crisis intervention as ‘the
integration of religious, spiritual and pastoral resources, with assessment and intervention related
to mental health (Pastoral Crisis Ministry, 2021). I really like the concept of psychological first
aid. Growing up as a Boy Scout, I learned the value of triage and treating a wound quickly.
Psychological first aid is to reduce stress caused by trauma and foster long and short-term
adaptive functioning (Models of Crisis Care, 2021).
As a Biblical counselor, it is incumbent upon me to bring the Gospel into each counseling
session. The ministry of our presence, as Biblical counselors, offers more hope than the words to
fill the silence (Crisis Counseling from a Biblical Perspective, 2021). A crisis is defined an
internal response to an external, hazardous event (Stone et al., 2004). Our job as pastoral
counselors is to best equip those we treat to deal with life on life’s terms. Also knowing that our
strategies are to be short-lived is a relief. Pastoral crisis counseling is designed to be brief and
focus on a single or recurrent problem that is traumatic (Introduction to Crisis Counseling, 2021).
The basics of my strategy and approach to Biblical counseling would first to be an
excellent listener. Understanding also that I am primary to the counseling relationship. The
human delivery system and the connection between counselor and counselee are critical for
connection to lead to healing. Another crucial part in the counselor’s philosophy, theory, and
worldview. The third part of the equation is the counselor’s knowledge and skill, (Thomas &
Sosin, 2017). It’s also important to incorporate assessment and testing to understand the nature
and extent of the problem more clearly for which assistance is sought (Johnson & Johnson,
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DISCUSSION THREAD:
BEST PRACTICES IN PASTORAL CRISIS CARE
In referencing counseling from a Biblical perspective, it’s easy to know from Scripture
that Jesus was an encourager. Jesus regularly and inclusively encouraged people around him
(Wright, 2014). In my role at the Rescue Mission where I serve, these last five years I have
become a deliberate encourager. Whether staff, resident, student, volunteer, donor, or vendor, all
I meet respond well to encouragement. I also learned a trait from former President Bill Clinton.
When I shake someone’s hand, I always use two hands to greet the person and typically use my
left hand to gently grab the wrist. Covid has put a light wrinkle in this practice but it all comes
back to encouragement. Honest, sincere encouragement provides a counselee with a hope and
desire to change (Wright, 2014).
The other strategies I use are a combined approach to addiction recovery. Combining
traditional 12-step recovery-based programs and consistently applying and ministering the
Gospel to counselees, we see a two and a half times the national average for decreased
recidivism related to relapse. No one walks into their guidance counselor in ninth grade and
declares, ‘When I grow up, I want to be an addict and alcoholic’. Through my work, I know the
deep trauma the people I serve have encountered and that is the most probable cause of their
addiction. Using this combined approach accelerates healing and allows for a vertical
relationship with the Father, our Father, to be restored. Once a counselees ‘higher power’ is
fixed on Jesus, recovery is more grounded and solid.
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DISCUSSION THREAD:
BEST PRACTICES IN PASTORAL CRISIS CARE
References
Crisis Counseling from a Biblical Perspective. (2021). Retrieved January 17, 2022, from
https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/205245/pages/watch-crisis-counseling-from-a-biblical-
perspective?module_item_id=19733717
Introduction to Crisis Counseling. (2021). Retrieved January 17, 2022, from
https://libertyuniversity.instructure.com/courses/205245/pages/watch-introduction-to-
crisis-counseling?module_item_id=19733712
Johnson, W. B., & Johnson, W. L. (2014). The minister's guide to psychological disorders and
treatments. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Models of Crisis Care. (2021). Retrieved January 17, 2022, from
https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/205245/pages/watch-models-of-crisis-care?
module_item_id=19733754
Pastoral Crisis Ministry. (2021). Retrieved January 17, 2022, from
https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/205245/pages/watch-pastoral-crisis-ministry?
module_item_id=19733758
Stone, H. W., Cross, D. R., Purvis, K. B., & Young, M. J. (2004). A study of church members
during times of crisis. Pastoral Psychology, 52(5), 405–421.
https://doi.org/10.1023/b:pasp.0000020688.71454.3d
Sosin, L., & Thomas, J. C. (2017). Therapeutic expedition: Equipping the Christian counselor for
the journey. Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning, Alternate Formats Library.
Wright, H. N. (2014). The Complete Guide to Crisis and Trauma Counseling: What to do and say
when it matters most! Bethany House Publishers.
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DISCUSSION THREAD:
BEST PRACTICES IN PASTORAL CRISIS CARE
Zondervan Bible Publishers. (1984). The Holy Bible, New International Version.
