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48 Case Studies 06: Counseling the Un-counsel-able

Case Study Counseling the Un-counsel-able

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Mable presented herself as an ideal counselee: open, honest, and seemingly eager for change. In your first session, she shared her struggles with remarkable transparency, leaving no detail uncovered. Her vulnerability moved you, and her apparent willingness to receive correction quickly filled you with hope for genuine transformation.

Life Over Coffee · 48 Case Studies: 6 Counseling the Un-Counsel-Able

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However, as the weeks progress, a troubling pattern emerges. Each session circles back to the same exhaustive list of complaints. Despite your biblical counsel and her verbal acknowledgment of its value, no meaningful progress is evident. It becomes clear that Mable has idolized her suffering, finding comfort in the attention and sympathy garnered from recounting her problems to you.

As her counselor, your initial compassion begins to erode. Frustration, cynicism, and even anger creep in, overshadowing your desire to minister effectively. Instead of seeing Mable as a soul in need of truth and grace, you start viewing her as a burden. Your patience diminishes as the repetitive cycle continues, and you sense that your hope in God’s transformative power in her life is being replaced by a desire to confront her directly and disengage from the relationship altogether.

This case raises critical questions about how to navigate a counselor’s heart response and maintain faithfulness in ministering to the unresponsive counselee.

Case Study Questions

  1. What could be going on in the heart of the counselor?
  2. How would you counsel the counselor about the lack of compassion for Mable?
  3. How would you practically walk the counselor through this sin problem?

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