Christian Counseling Careers

Christian Counseling Career Overview

Though Christian counseling and secular counseling both seek to help people overcome their problems, find meaning and joy in life, and to help them become healthy individuals, they differ greatly. Christian counseling differs from secular counseling in that Christian counseling uses the Bible as a compass. Biblical counseling uses the Bible as a final authority to discover those areas in which a Christian may be disobedient to the principles and commands of Scripture.

• Christian counselors teach their clients how to follow God’s will to the best of their abilities.
• Christian counselors use the Bible as a standard against which they measure and evaluate their own objectives and their clients’ objectives and lifestyles.
• As opposed to secular counseling, Christian counseling does try to convey to counselees that there is a right way to live their lives and that the right way is found in the Bible.
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Christian Counseling Training & Education

There are many schools which offer certificates and degrees in Christian Counseling and related studies. For counselors who are interested in combining their faith and spiritual beliefs with their counseling practice, a certificate in Christian Counseling is a great start.

In a traditional Christian Counseling program, students might begin with general psychology and Christian counseling, and then move on to a specialization or two. Higher division courses usually incorporate counseling theory, marriage counseling, child and adolescent counseling, and adult development counseling.

At the Master’s level, students usually pursue in-depth studies of death and dying, substance abuse counseling, ethics and counseling law, world religions and then complete a master level thesis. A Christian Counseling degree prepares graduates for a variety of employment opportunities as Directors of Worship, Youth Pastors and Youth Counselors, Pastoral Assistant, and more.

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Christian Counseling Career & Salary

Christian counselors combine their faith with their work, and it can be a very different approach to counseling for mental health professionals. Christian counselors usually earn about the same salary as someone who practices general counseling. This salary ranges from about $25,000 to over $70,000. A certificate in Christian Counseling is the first step to this career, and it allows professional counselors to become more specialized.

Many counselors feel faith should be deeply rooted into the mental health care patients receive. It is important to know that counselors with a certificate in Christian counseling are still able to work in the field as a non-religious based counselor, but this certificate also opens up opportunity to cater to those patients who believe in the Christian faith. Christian counselors can work in a wide variety of settings, but the most common are churches and other non-profit religious organizations.

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Career Fields/Specializations

Christian Counselor Career

Christian counselors combine their faith with their work, and it can be a very different approach to counseling for mental health professionals. Many counselors feel that faith should be incorporated into patients’ mental health care. Christian counselors abide by many of the standard mental health and counseling principles, but they also use the Bible as the final authority, as a standard against which the beliefs and behaviors of their counselees are evaluated. A certificate in Christian Counseling allows professional counselors to become more specialized.

It is important to know that counselors with a certificate in Christian counseling are still able to work in the field as a non-religious based counselor, but this certificate also opens up opportunity to cater to those patients who believe in the Christian faith. Christian counselors can work in a wide variety of settings, but the most common are churches and other non-profit religious organizations.

Youth Group Leader Career

Youth Group Leaders work with young people, usually in a religious setting of some sort. Youth Leaders usually have a true desire to serve young people by helping them experience God's love for them as well as their community’s desire to invite them into their Church’s life and mission.

Youth Ministry Coordinators are usually evangelizers who passionately live and preach the Gospel. Youth Group Leaders serve as mentors, guides, examples, teachers, companions, and friends to their charges. Some of the many activities that Youth Group Leaders perform are leading church sermons and Bible studies for young people, arranging retreats and social activities and counseling young people.

Youth Group Leaders are always active in their church and they usually attain a certificate or degree in Youth Ministry or Youth Group Leadership, as well as a degree in theology or religious studies.

Christian Group Counselor Career

Christian Counselors feel that faith should be incorporated into patients’ mental health care. Instead of working with one or two individuals, as Christian Counselors do, Christian Group Counselors work with larger groups.

Christian counselors abide by many of the standard mental health and counseling principles, but they also use the Bible as the final authority, as a standard against which the beliefs and behaviors of their counselees are evaluated. A certificate in Christian Counseling allows professional counselors to become more specialized.

It is important to know that counselors with a certificate in Christian counseling are still able to work in the field as a non-religious based counselor, but this certificate caters specifically to those patients who believe in the Christian faith. Christian counselors can work in a wide variety of settings, but the most common are churches and other non-profit religious organizations.

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