ABSTRACT
In consideration of the previous two chapters within the “theology” pillar, a central theme in working with Christian clients with emotional disorders involves helping them to surrender to God’s providence (giving control to God) because of his trustworthy attributes (God is relational, personal, and transcendent). In the process, Christians can work towards cultivating a secure attachment to God, viewing God as a good object (from an object relations perspective). As Christian clients modify both their God concept and God image, they can begin to relate differently to rumination (dwelling on the past), worry (catastrophizing about the future), experiential avoidance (an unwillingness to accept unpleasant inner states), and uncertainty (struggling to accept the uncertainties and ambiguities of life). In applying the “common factors” domains of support, learning, and action (Lambert, 2013) to the Christian “theology” pillar, (a) support involves therapists modeling Christ’s love, (b) learning involves helping Christian clients to better understand and embrace God’s perfect attributes (even in the midst of pain), and (c) action involves deepening a safe, trusting relationship with him in order to follow Jesus along the roads of life and live out his teachings. Throughout the chapter, goals, interventions, techniques, and a case example are offered for clinicians working with Christian clients suffering from emotional disorders.
