Counseling Model

This infographic is a visual representation of a comprehensive biblical counseling model that integrates personal counseling with the local church body. It is designed to promote long-term transformation and discipleship. The various components work in harmony to ensure that counselees receive the help they need during counseling sessions and sustained care through their relationships within the church community. Let’s walk through this model in detail, starting from the 12 o’clock position and moving clockwise.

Counseling (12 o’clock)
This central element represents the formal counseling process, where the counselee meets one-on-one with a counselor. This personal counseling aims to guide the individual through their immediate challenges and teach them to apply biblical wisdom to their life situations. However, this isn’t a standalone element but part of a broader, church-integrated approach.

The emphasis here is that counseling isn’t a long-term dependency. Instead, it’s meant to train the counselee, equipping them with tools they can use after the counseling ends. You want your counselees to grow beyond needing continual counseling, so your humorously stated goal is, “I never want to see you again.” This worldview isn’t because you don’t care but because the objective is to move the counselee toward independence through reliance on the church community and biblical teaching.

Bring a Friend (1 o’clock)
In your counseling philosophy, bringing a friend (also referred to as the “Mentoring Paul” model) is a non-negotiable part of the process. This friend could be anyone from a spiritual leader (elder or small group leader) to a close Christian companion. Their role is to support the counselee outside of the formal counseling sessions.

By involving a friend, you multiply the impact of the counseling, ensuring the counselee has someone who can walk with them through life’s challenges after the formal counseling process has ended. This friend also becomes part of the process during the week, reinforcing biblical truths and helping the counselee apply what they’ve learned. Essentially, this is part of the church’s discipleship model—turning counseling into training for the counselee and their companion.

Micro-Sessions (2 o’clock)
In this context, micro-sessions refer to the bite-sized, ongoing resources you provide. These could be Life Over Coffee podcasts, articles, or videos that help the counselee understand biblical principles in more depth, reinforcing what was covered during the counseling session. These resources are easily accessible and designed to provide “free resources” that meet specific needs.

Homework (3 o’clock)
This element is another key component of your counseling approach. You assign homework tailored to the individual’s specific challenges, drawing from the Life Over Coffee resources as one option. The goal of homework is to help the counselee actively engage with what they’ve learned, apply biblical truths to their lives, and develop habits of self-reflection and study. The homework reinforces the content discussed in counseling and allows the counselee to see how God’s Word speaks directly to their situation.

Private Forums (4 o’clock)
Another layer of support is the Life Over Coffee private forums, which provide a space where counselees and counselors can ask questions and seek further advice. This means of grace adds an additional dimension of accountability and community, giving the counselee a place to seek biblical counsel even between sessions. It’s an ongoing resource that provides extra guidance as they face challenges.

Good Companions (6 o’clock)
Your counseling model centers on a biblical truth: “Good companions,” based on 1 Corinthians 15:33—“Bad company corrupts good morals.” The idea is that a person seeking transformation must surround themselves with wise and godly people who will speak truth into their lives, encourage them, and hold them accountable. These good companions are the lifeline that makes lasting change possible as the church body ministers to each other through small groups, friendships, and other avenues of fellowship.

Small Group (7 o’clock)
Here, the importance of small groups is highlighted. Small groups are where the counselee can live out what they’ve learned in counseling within a community. Small groups are a context for community life, where believers meet regularly to study God’s Word, pray for each other, and encourage one another. The small group is a safe and consistent place for the counselee to practice new habits, share their struggles, and receive ongoing spiritual care from others.

Church Meetings (8 o’clock)
The broader church meeting is an essential piece of the puzzle. It isn’t just about attending a Sunday service but about being actively engaged in the church’s life. By participating in corporate worship, hearing the Word preached, and sharing fellowship with the broader body of Christ, the counselee stays connected to the larger community, which provides support beyond their small group or counseling sessions.

Bible & Prayer (10 o’clock)
Spiritual engagement through Bible reading and prayer is the heart of transformation. Through these disciplines, the counselee learns to commune with God, seek His wisdom, and find strength through His Word. By engaging in regular Bible reading and prayer, the counselee deepens their relationship with God, which is crucial for any lasting change.

Serving (11 o’clock)
The final component of this model emphasizes serving others. As a person moves from self-centeredness to Christ-centeredness, one mark of true transformation is the desire to help others. Serving in the church or other areas shifts the counselee’s focus outward, showing that they are no longer consumed by their struggles but are now equipped and eager to care for others.

Once the counselee has moved from needing help to offering help, the formal counseling process can end, but the other aspects—small group, Bible study, prayer, and church involvement—remain in place. The counselee becomes a disciple-maker, someone who has not only been restored but who is now helping others be reconciled to Christ.

Case Study: Mable and Marge

Mable came to you for counseling because she was struggling with anxiety. The anxiety was affecting her daily life, and she felt trapped in her thoughts, unsure of how to break free. However, Mable didn’t come alone; she brought her friend Marge from her small group. Marge was a supportive friend who had been walking alongside Mable for some time and was eager to help her find peace. But Marge was unsure how to “counsel” Mable.

Throughout the counseling process, you worked with Mable on identifying the root issues of her anxiety, pointing her to God’s sovereignty and the peace that comes from trusting in Him. You provided her with tailored Life Over Coffee resources, assigning homework specific to her struggle with anxiety, which helped her to meditate on Scripture and apply biblical truths to her life.

Marge was a vital part of this process. She sat in on the counseling sessions and met with Mable during the week. They would discuss the homework, pray together, and share insights from their Bible readings. Marge’s encouragement helped Mable apply what she was learning and gave her the accountability she needed to stay on course.

Both Mable and Marge shared their journey with their small group leader, Biff, who then looped back to you to seek further advice on how the small group could continue supporting Mable in her journey. This process is where the church truly began to minister to Mable, offering her care and love beyond the counseling room.

Over time, Mable’s anxiety began to lessen as she learned to cast her cares on the Lord and surround herself with “good companions.” She and Marge continue to be close friends today, and their friendship has grown into a beautiful partnership in ministry. In fact, Mable has become a mentor to Marge, as she now encourages Marge in her walk with the Lord.

Mable’s transformation illustrates how biblical counseling, when combined with the ongoing care of the church community, leads to lasting change.

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Peace,
Rick