Coaching / Pastoral Counseling Model
Over the years, I have developed a holistic approach to coaching/pastoral counseling that I have found to be the most helpful to the most people. It involves attention to the following five areas–spiritual, emotional, mental, physical and social. Over the years, I have noticed that many people helping systems tend to be unbalanced in favor of one or two of these areas to the near exclusion of the rest. To illustrate, here is what this model might look like for an average guy struggling with the dilema we like to call “every man’s battle”:
(These are only examples and do not constitute an exhaustive list.)
- SPIRITUAL–Reconciliation with Christ, Recognizing and rebuking the activity of the enemy,etc.
- EMOTIONAL–Recognition of emotional needs, How to meet those needs in healthy ways, etc
- MENTAL–Educating oneself about the battle, Connecting the dots between successes and failures, etc.
- PHYSICAL–Sleep, Sugar, Caffeine, Exercise, Withdrawal, etc.
- SOCIAL–Reconciliation with loved ones, Accountability partners, Support groups, etc.
You can probably imagine from looking over these lists how it would be possible to over emphasize one area over another. My model attempts to give equal attention to each one. I have developed the following simple test to help you get started.
Where are you strengths and weaknesses?