Archive - Abuse

  Nouthetic Counseling

 

     Nouthetic Counseling is a term derived from the Greek word: noutheo, having the idea of confrontation. Jay Adams coined this term back in the 1970's to describe the type of counseling he was teaching/advocating. He maintains that it is entirely biblical, as compared to so many techniques which are subjective or non-confrontational.

 

     Nouthetic Counseling is not combative. It simply means we challenge people with their sin, expecting them to do something about it. Rogerians believe each human being has within themselves what it takes to solve their own problems. The counselor merely has to ask the right questions. A rogerian counselor likes to ask, 'so what do you think you should do?'

 

The Freudian counselor is looking for sexual problems and ascribing everything to the unconscious mind while others pick and choose various excuses upon which to hang the source of man's problems. No one but the biblical counselor seems willing to make the person with the problem responsible for their condition. And it is the nouthetic counselor who is keeping their nose to the 'wheel' until they see the need to resolve it biblically.

 

A nouthetic counselor relies on 'homework' to guide and to guage. Counseling is not a process whereby a person gets simply to 'dump' his problems on a willing ear. Quite the opposite is true. The one with the problem is the one who is expected to do the 'work.' The counselor is able to guide people through homework assignments. He/she is also able to guage the level of commitment by whether or not they do the homework and what level of effort is being expended.

 

Those involved in counseling always run the risk of 'caring' more than the one with the problem! This is counterproductive on just about every level.

Generally 'Christian Psychologists' are NOT nouthetic.

Many 'Biblical Counselors' are NOT nouthetic.

Anyone doing 'therapy' is NOT nouthetic. Of course they aren't biblical either.

And it's probably true that some who claim to be nouthetic aren't.

 

ALTERNATIVES advocates a truly biblical approach to resolving life's problems. When utilizing the Word of God it stands to reason we would be nouthetic. Jesus was. Paul was.

 

The goal of biblical counseling is to get a person to face themselves in light of what the Bible says. Once they understand what God has determined to be the right attitude, action, etc., the ball is in their court. Their responsibility is to REPENT of whatever they were doing in favor of what God says. They need to apply the biblical behavior, in the power of the Holy Spirit [which means they are saved] and for the glory of God.

 

If they are unwilling or unable to do this, counseling stops. The emphasis becomes evangelistic. Many who think they are saved today, aren't! Some who are saved have become so calloused they can't relate to God. In both cases we must work to confront them with a more basic sin in their lives: unbelief.

 

The unsaved are guilty of unbelief and are, in the words of Jesus, 'condemned already' [Jn. 3:18]  Those saved, but callous toward spiritual things, are guilty of unbelief and must repent. The nouthetic approach is the only method God gives us for reaching those who do not believe.