We seem to be living in the age of anxiety. I have been involved in the Ministry of Pastoral Care and Counseling for a long time but I don't remember ever seeing so many people who are worried about something or many things.
In Graduate School I learned to do assessments. Before we can treat a Client for a problem we must first figure out the kind of problem it is. Once we have a 'Diagnosis" we can come up with an appropriate Treatment. If a person is suffering from anger we are supposed to come up with some kind of standard Treatment and make the Anger go away. If the Diagnosis shows the problem is Social Anxiety or Bi-Polar Disorder we go to the Psychological Medicine Cabinet and get another Expert Intervention and deliver it to the Client and they will be fixed.
The origin of this approach to Counseling is The Medical Model of treating physical illnesses applied to the Care of the Soul. (Psychology is "Study of the psyche or soul.) This came about because we wanted to get paid by insurance companies for our work and they only pay for medical Problems with a Diagnosis. In today's secular humanistic world where Professional Psychology and Psychiatry people no longer believe in a "soul or spirit" we are led to believe in the "Miracle of the Pills".
Historically Church Leaders and Christian Friends had the job of what has been called, "The Care and Cure of the Soul". They took care of the fears, anxieties, worries and traumas we had. Their tools were love, caring, prayer, meditation, retreats, laying on of hands, confession, repentance, forgiveness, worship and the sacraments. These are considered old fashioned and outdated by secular humanist Counselors and Pastors.
However, some of us still believe in these practices in addition to pills and medical treatment. In fact, research over the past fifty years indicates that the quality of interpersonal relationships with God, self and neighbors is more important to , growth and change than medicine or Psychological Treatments.
Sweeten Life Systems is developing a new focus to assist Parents of kids with a Special Need. Our approach to The Care and Cure of Souls is wholistic. We believe in bringing God's best in spiritual, emotional, medical and relational skills together to support people in need. Over the years we have discovered that Prayer and Meditation as well as Bible study, Worship and Caring fellowship are powerful positive interventions. Recent brain research is especially insightful about the positive ways Prayer and Meditation can relieve anxieties, depression and actually retrain the brain to overcome stressful lives.
Stay tuned for a wonderful new approach to Care and Cure of Souls that brings together all of God's good gifts. We are going to ask you to help us get the word out about this innovative and powerful new approach to bringing hope, peace and relational support to Parents and their families.
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