Psychology, Theology and the Spiritual Life in Christian Counseling Essay Example for Free

Psychology, Theology and the Spiritual Life in Christian Counseling Essay 1. This paper is a book review that will deal with the above work by McMinn and the nature of Christian counseling in general. The work is a whole is designed to be easily read, and reads very quickly at the price of sophistication. Its ultimate purpose is one of integration on wto levels: first, the integration of the â€Å"broken† person back into loving relationships, chiefly with God, who is a God of healing, and second, the immensely important integration of theology with the aims of counseling. Counseling without God is a far less complex affair than Christian counseling. The secular counselor can be safely utilitarian, whatever helps heal the person might be tried or advocated. However, with Christian counseling, the idea of integration is all important. Christians have a specific view of the personality that cannot be ignored in counseling. These ideas on the human personality is based around our inherent sinfulness and â€Å"brokenness. † (McMinn, 1996, 32). This is central, all of humanity is in need of counseling of some sort, but the final end of counseling, that of union with God in and by healthy relationships with other persons, provides far more difficult challenges than the more utilitarian secularist. Furthermore, the idea of the integration of the ego out of its sinful (yet natural) drive to self-sufficiency (cf. 35-40ff) is another specifically Christian idea when coupled with the important idea of Grace, the Grace that is, by its very function, a healing balm. Hence, the counselor must also know how to â€Å"give way† to grace, grace that is not in the control of the counselor. The notion of the â€Å"abuse of power† so important to the chapter on â€Å"Sin†is precisely not realizing the fact that the Christian counselor must act as a conduit of grace and not its â€Å"dispenser. † Thus, the counselor that does not realize this gap, the gap between the counselor and the will of God for the broken victim has failed in his duty. The grace for the believer is always present, and Christian counseling must have a sense that his duty is to help the victim find it. The basic thesis of the book is sound from a theological and a psychological point of view: the modern secular mentality stresses ego satisfaction and ones â€Å"control† over ones life. But this is little more than the institutionalization of original sin: this is the problem, not the solution. This desire, natural to fallen man, to be self-sufficient is the root of all psychological problems. Hence, the work takes this fundamental insight through the various ideas that develop in the process of counseling: prayer, scripture, forgiveness, etc. Each concerns itself with bringing the patient to a fuller understanding of the nature of his alienation, both from others an from God. 2. In the section on prayer, I was struck by several things, things that I recall myself going through. I was always taken aback by the attacks on prayer by both mainline psychology and society at large: why would one pray if God is all knowing? Of course this is not an easy question, and the church fathers dealt with it in some detail. I began to see prayer as being of 2 kinds: the intercessory prayer, or the literal meaning of prayer in the sense as â€Å"to ask. † This is not a part of Christian counseling to any great degree. But the second form of prayer, that of communion and oneness, is. The prayerful meditation of the ancient monks has healing properties even apart of belief. Prayer, as McMinn points out, reduces stress, creates a bond with the counselor, and places the problems of man in a theological context (66ff). The same might be said for his section on Scripture: is not Job an excellent case study for the Christian counselor? Is not David and his sins even better? (Cf. 100) It seems to me that the development of my own prayer life since being involved with counseling has more to do with dealing rather than asking. , In other words, it seems to me that pure prayer is not about asking for things: God knows what we need. Pure prayer is about dealing with that which God has given us in our own development. Suffering is no a bad thing with a prayerful attitude: it permits us to reject the world and its comforts, and to seek our rest in God alone. Christians involved in counseling should avoid, as my experience has shown, treating prayer as a means of â€Å"getting† things. This can lead to disappointment and a belief that God is merely a great cosmic vending machine that exists to grant wishes. I recall my older view that prayer was about â€Å"getting,† instead of â€Å"dealing. † Prayer as a means of communing with God in the midst of suffering is both a very Christian idea as well as a powerful tool in counseling Christians. 3. A major issue that arises from reading this book is the difficulty of the task. The author is writing for a popular audience, and hence, can not get into the deep psychology and theology necessary to make his this work. Theology is the highest of the sciences, and this is because the understanding of Christ as Logos gives both the efficient and final cause of creation, including our minds. The Logos is the being of all things so far as they exemplify a cosmic reason, an interconnectedness that makes nature understandable and law-abiding. But our problem arises, both as Christians and as counselors, when we are forced to deal with the affects of the fall: a nature that bears God’s energy (though not her person), but is only poorly reflected in our minds that have been darkened by sin. Christianity has been worried about this healing since St Gregory of Nyssa and Augustine, who have dealt with the church and the Christian life as primarily a psychological affair, an affair of the consciousness, but a consciousness whose own drives seek to obliterate God and his presence in the interests of self centeredness. The very nature of the book in question cannot get into these issues except in trite examples. The book needs to build upon Christ as Logos before any serious psychology can be done. Putting this differently, the point is that Christ is to be found in the human mind in that it bears traces, fingerprints of the creator, but the creator as the Son, the image of the Father. The cosmic reason found in all things. This is an ontological problem, one that needs to inform all Christian psychology. Th reality is that this book is far too simple, far to â€Å"easy† and cannot gt to th heart of the matter. 4. In terms of action, I want to take from McMinn’s section on Scripture. This is likely the most valuable part of the work, and Scripture, to say the least, is only rarely considered a bok of counseling or psychology. Yet, the scriptures are saturated with psychological insight. Hence, my action here is to begin bringing scriptural sources into counseling. Even with secular patients, the Bible, even if the patient does not necessarily believe its divine origin, still contains many positive and negative examples for people to consider. The sins of David, including murder, are helpful is showing the example of repentance and the fact that a spiritual giant like David can be so flawed. I might say the same of Noah, after his drunkenness. God can forgive anything. The prophets such as Jeremiah or Amos were all persecuted for their beliefs and complete refusal to compromise. For people to be treated harshly because of their faith is something Christ explicitly mentions as the lot of the Christian: scripture is about God’s presence amidst a world that does not recognize him, whether it be the establishment of Judah or the Jewish Pharisees. The Christian Will suffer–there is no getting out of that, it is built into the process of both living and counseling. Christ Himself is such an example. Therefore, in dealing with patients, the Scriptures will be the central component in counseling for the examples they contain: examples of righteous suffering, but suffering with a purpose. Suffering with a purpose is bearable, suffering for no reason is not,. There is not a major figure in the Scriptures that is not persecuted for one reason or another by a world that does not understand te godly life. For us as counselors, nothing can be more important, useful or inspiring.

The Death of Socrates :: Ancient Greece Greek History

The Death of Socrates "Crito, you and other people who claimed to be friends to Socrates are all useless! How could you have been so cowardly, or lazy, or stingy, as to allow you 'friend' to die? Surely, with a little courage, energy, and money, you could have saved him." Those are strong accusations coming from someone who obviously did not know Socrates as well as his other students or me. Although, I expected that people would react this way to my actions, or lack of actions, regarding Socrates death. For Socrates, being executed was the only option available to him. Of course we, his friends, could have helped him to escape, but what would that prove? It would only go against everything that Socrates has taught us. It would also defy everything that Socrates stood for in life. Escaping punishment, would have been an unjust and cowardly act for him. Disobeying the law would set a bad example for his fellow citizens. In addition, it would ruin his reputation for being just and following the laws of the government. Socrates believed that, although he was wrongfully accused, he was given a fair trial through the eyes of the law. The fact that he was given a fair trial means that he was given a fair punishment. If this punishment is not carried out, justice will not be served. Escaping punishment would cause a conflict between his teachings and his actions. This would eradicate the moral reputation that Socrates had built for himself throughout his life. The question he would have asked himself would have been, "What kind of example would I be setting if I dishonored my own teachings?" He saw his punishment as a contract between he and the government, and he firmly believed that agreements should not be broken. This is the same government that allowed him to live life as he chose, so why harm an institution that benefited him? The Death of Socrates :: Ancient Greece Greek History The Death of Socrates "Crito, you and other people who claimed to be friends to Socrates are all useless! How could you have been so cowardly, or lazy, or stingy, as to allow you 'friend' to die? Surely, with a little courage, energy, and money, you could have saved him." Those are strong accusations coming from someone who obviously did not know Socrates as well as his other students or me. Although, I expected that people would react this way to my actions, or lack of actions, regarding Socrates death. For Socrates, being executed was the only option available to him. Of course we, his friends, could have helped him to escape, but what would that prove? It would only go against everything that Socrates has taught us. It would also defy everything that Socrates stood for in life. Escaping punishment, would have been an unjust and cowardly act for him. Disobeying the law would set a bad example for his fellow citizens. In addition, it would ruin his reputation for being just and following the laws of the government. Socrates believed that, although he was wrongfully accused, he was given a fair trial through the eyes of the law. The fact that he was given a fair trial means that he was given a fair punishment. If this punishment is not carried out, justice will not be served. Escaping punishment would cause a conflict between his teachings and his actions. This would eradicate the moral reputation that Socrates had built for himself throughout his life. The question he would have asked himself would have been, "What kind of example would I be setting if I dishonored my own teachings?" He saw his punishment as a contract between he and the government, and he firmly believed that agreements should not be broken. This is the same government that allowed him to live life as he chose, so why harm an institution that benefited him?

Cafs Summary on Parenting and Caring

Parenting- the process of raising and nurturing children in a family Caring- the process of looking after the needs and wellbeing of another person due to their age, illness or disability Biological parents- the parent who has provided the genetic material, either sperm or an ovum, to create a foetus Pregnancy Planned- involves a strategic choice on when to parent. There are physical, emotional and economic impacts that result from this decision Unplanned- may result from poor knowledge about contraception, the fertility cycle or failure with contraception such as a condom tearing IVF and GIFT In-vitro fertilisation †¢Occurs outside the body †¢Drug treatment is used to stimulate the maturation and number of ova †¢Egg follicles are monitored through ultrasound †¢Eggs are collected under general anaesthetic †¢Fresh sperm sample is obtained †¢Egg and sperm is prepared and cultured, combined and then fertilisation takes place †¢Following microscopic examination, viable embryos are transferred back into the uterus †¢Once implanted, pregnancy has occurred †¢Spare eggs are frozen for the future †¢Success depends on age, viability of sperm and level of expertise Gamete intra-fallopian transfer Occurs inside female body †¢Drug treatment is used to stimulate the maturation and number of ova †¢Egg follicles are monitored via ultrasound †¢Eggs are collected under local anaesthetic †¢Eggs are combined with fresh sperm sample †¢They are returned to the fallopian tubes where fertilisation may occur †¢Once fer tilisation occurs, embryo implants in uterus and pregnancy is monitored †¢Fertilisation occurs inside the body †¢Much more successful Social parents- individuals with a parenting responsibility towards a child whom they do not share a genetic relationship with. Social implications are the positive and negative effects on an individual or group that occurs as a result of an action or choice made either by the individual, themself or by another person or group Legal implications are the positive and negative legal consequences or commitments that occurs as a result of an action or choice made b an individual or group FASS Fostering- an alternative living arrangement for children whose parents are temporarily unable to care for them in their family home Legal implications Children and young persons (care and protection Act) 1998 (NSW) †¢Any person fostering children who is not related to them msut have a license to foster issued by the Department of Family and Community Services †¢Foster carers must consult with the DCS about various parenting issues such as type of school the child will attend and faith practices †¢The foster cannot make medical decisions †¢The foster parents may be compensated for deliberate damage to chi ld Social implications Carers must encourage contact with the young person’s birth family and accept that he or she will probably return to their birth family †¢carers and their family may have mixed feelings about this especially if the young person has become part of their family †¢when allocating foster placements, families are sometimes split up as all children cannot be accommodated and stay together †¢foster children may been to have multiple placement changes such as schools and new siblings influencing their satisfaction of emotional, social and intellectual needs †¢30% of foster children have been abused by biological family, affecting how they meet new people as they feel angry and abandoned †¢problems between biological family and foster child may result in a restraining order by fostering family Adoption- the process by which the legal responsibility of parenting a child is given to a family mother than the than the biological family Legal implications Regulated by the legislation, including Adoption Act 2000 (NSW) and Family Law Act 1975 (cth) †¢All legal rights and responsibilities are transferred to the adoptive parents †¢Change in parenting is permanent; birth parents lose all rights to the child. However they may maintain the right of information and contact, if permitted by the Family Court †¢If the child is older than 12 they must consent the adoption. If the person is from an ATSI background, they must receive counselling about their customs and culture †¢Step parents must be married or in a de-facto relationship or a child whose lived with them for 2 years †¢Needs to be assurance from governing bodies such as DOCS that all aspects of the wellbeing of the child can be met Social implications Societies changing attitudes have resulted in fewer adoptions, the use of the contraceptive pill and development of birth technologies †¢Family relationships change, which can be significant as the child ages †¢The decision to tell a child they are adopted may be distressing †¢May cause different emotions for adopted child as they have the right to know their origins †¢The child must overcome feelings of being rejected by birth parents. May impact on sense of identity and self esteem †¢No knowledge of child’s medical history which can cause problems in diagnosing illness or most appropriate medical treatment †¢Family and community acceptance, example if the child looks different to parents the adoptive relationship is apparent †¢Child should have the opportunity to maintain cultural heritage †¢Acceptance of adoptive child if parents have biological children Step-parenting- when a man or woman marries or forms a de-facto relationship with a partner who has a child or children from a previous relationship Legal implications A step parent has no legal responsibilities towards the child †¢A step parent who has acted as a parent to a child for a long time, and is now being divorced from the biological parents, may have visitation rights if a judge decides its in the Childs best interest †¢In the event of the death of a step-parent the rights of the step child are different from those of a biological child in regard to inheritance, child support and making decisions †¢If a child is adopted by step-parents, rights to inheritance from biological parent are lost Social implications †¢Community perception holds that an intact original nuclear family is superior as blended or step may be seen as deficient †¢There is often a ower struggle between the child/ren and step parent, which may lead to issues for their relationship and the family †¢Conflict can occur between the children and step parent and between step children from both partners. Primary relationships and responsibilities can become blurred †¢Old family traditions may be changes. This can be difficult for all †¢Partne rs may have different visions of family life and parenting styles that need to be reviewed, discussed and adjusted †¢Poor relationships with step parents are recognised as a significant factor in causing young people to leave home and decrease in academic performance and self esteem and depression Surrogacy- an arrangement made between a couple who cannot have a baby and a woman who gets pregnant on the couple’s behalf. The child is handed to the couple after delivery Legal implications †¢It is legally a grey area as it is neither prohibited nor encouraged †¢Very specific criteria needs to be established for both parties based on an honour agreement that is not legally binding †¢Payment cannot be made †¢Adoption process needs to be successfully undertaken †¢Egg and sperm must be from commissioning couple †¢Commercial couple must be able to prove medical reasons as to why they can’t biologically conceive and that they’ve been trying to conceive for 3 years with unprotected intercourse, and still cant conceive Social implications The surrogate mother may have an ongoing attachment to the baby after birth †¢Emotional pain may be experienced by the surrogate mother and her family by giving up the child †¢If the surrogate mother goes back on the agreement, there may be disappointment and animosity between parties †¢Community acceptance may be mixed as surrogacy isn’t a widely accepted practice †¢Surrogacy is very costly and may affect the social parents economic status †¢Surrogacy is a long, exhaustive process †¢Social parents may change their mind, leaving the baby with the surrogate mother whom may not have adequate resources or family support †¢The woman’s body is not an object, it’s a form of prostitution †¢It’s unethical and unmoral Carer relationships Carers are people who look after the needs and wellbeing of another person due to their age, illness and/or disability. Carers may be paid or unpaid. Many circumstances may lead to a person requiring care. Some circumstances are planned and may have been anticipated. Example: a planned pregnancy, adoption or fostering, grand parenting, looking after an ageing parent. Unplanned circumstances are unexpected and thus afford a few preparations in the short term such as: a unplanned pregnancy, grand parenting, a health problem such as operation failures, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, AIDS, multiple sclerosis or cancer, an accident, birth abnormalities and unexpected age deterioration. Some of the implications of caring will relate to management of: was there time to prepare or not? What is the expected financial expenditure>> how will it impact on the satisfaction of needs and overall wellbeing? What will be, and who will take on, the roles and responsibilities associated with caring? Voluntary They are unpaid. They are usually family members such as parents, partners, brothers, sisters, friends or children. They provide care and support to children or adults who have disability, mental health problems, chronic condition or a temporary illness. Some are eligible for government benefits, while others are employed in their usual job and undertake caring responsibilities after work and on weekends. The burden of caring can affect the satisfaction on physical, intellectual, social and emotional needs. Paid They take on the role of caring as a form of employment and therefore receive financial payment. Type of paid carerDescription Family day careProvides home-based care up to five children in a family setting Nanny Provides home-based care to children in their family home Doctor Provides medical advice, treatment and assistance to those in care Foster carerIs licensed to provide care in their own family home Teacher Has a duty of care and primarily encourages learning skills, knowledge and behaviours; plays a valuable tole in socialisation Nurse Provides medical assistance in community centres, homes, hospitals and nursing homes Palliative carerProvides assistance to people who are terminally ill, as well as support to family members

What Is Customer Service Satisfaction - 1345 Words

I – Introduction: The research and production done for this analytical essay has been created for the course, Business 1040, conducted by Prof. Basil Chelemes. Due to my occupation, I have chosen to research issues in regards to customer service satisfaction. Modern technology has created a new economic environment, in which requires different practices of delivering customer service. Specifically speaking of the Internet and online shopping. I will begin to analyze and indicate issues research for how, where, and why they take place. Concluding with possible solutions, in regards to customer satisfaction, to the rapidly changing business world. II – Defining Customer Service Satisfaction Exactly, what is customer service†¦show more content†¦Emotional consistency involves trust and the development of positive mutual emotions between customers and suppliers. It is critical to ensure consistent positive interactions for future loyal customers. Communication consistency involves all promises made, and all promises kept. Ensuring communication through promotions and advertisements involves consistently meeting the expectations of terms, in order to maintain a strong customer base and their loyalty (Pulido, Stone, Strevel). Most importantly, consistently meeting the customer’s needs in business to consumer interaction is critical in regards to Customer Satisfaction. A company must always consider the customer’s needs and want’s, no matter the circumstances. If delivering service or product to a customer is your way of earning a profit, it must be done ethically. Enthusiasm and confidence in the brand is important in any service situati on. Whether it is personal interaction, cellular communication, or online purchasing. Business and customer service interaction have played a huge part in the great world we live in today. The opportunity for success in business wouldn’t be available if companies did not recognize the importance of treating customers’ right. Customer’s do not purchase from or support companies who do not deliver good service. There are many factors that can provoke poor Customer Satisfaction. The evolution of