Introduction
I have been a dietitian for over 22 years, and I have had my private practice since 2005. My main areas of specialty are family nutrition, sports nutrition, and prevention and treatment of disordered eating. Over the years, I have developed some niche specialties including Biblically-based nutrition counseling, food allergies, Type 1 Diabetes, and ultraendurance food coaching. As a Christian, I have always offered Biblical counseling to anyone who wanted it. I have received training in Biblical counseling from conferences and various Biblical counseling resources. Christians can provide Biblical counseling without this training, but it helps to identify specific passages in the Bible that relate to people’s struggles.
What is biblical based counseling and why was this type of approach developed?
Biblical counseling is providing help and support based on the truths found in the Bible. It is using the Bible as the primary guide for attitude and behavior change. It can help anyone who wants the advice, but it is only truly effective for Christians who have placed faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Biblical counseling has been used since Scripture has been in existence. Various training and resources have been developed more in the past few decades, and there are now certifications available for those who want to receive more in-depth training. As Christians, we believe that the Bible holds answers that are not found anywhere else in the world. The usefulness of the Bible as a source for life solutions flows out of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Scripture provides hope and guidance from God. There is great research supporting the use of Biblical counseling, and much of the evidence can be found in publications and journals. It is not generally accepted by scientific peer-reviewed journals, although the evidence is stronger than some widely accepted methods. The Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF) publishes the Journal of Biblical Counseling. There are also research articles in psychological journals supporting the use of spirituality in psychosocial counseling.
Is biblical based counseling appropriate for all religions or only certain ones?
Biblical counseling is only effective if the person receiving it is willing to follow what Scripture says. Again, this flows from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and a true heart worship of God. An individual must place faith in the atoning death of Jesus and trust in His resurrection power. Someone who believes this will then seek to follow Jesus every day as defined by his Word. Christians believe the Bible is the Word of God and therefore has authority to guide us in our daily lives. People who follow other religions are welcome to use Biblical counseling, but unless one seeks to follow Jesus Christ and believes the Bible is true, it will not be fully effective.
How do you determine if biblical counseling is appropriate for the patient?
Biblical counseling is always appropriate, but it is not always desired. Clients can choose if they want to hear Biblical truths or not. I ask all of my clients on the initial paperwork if they would like to receive Biblical counseling. It also states that they may change the selection at any time. As a dietitian, I provide Biblically based nutrition counseling to those who want it, meaning that I discuss principles found in the Bible during sessions. I also provide and recommend Biblically based resources, like books about disordered eating, anxiety, and fear.
Give us an example of previous patient where biblical-based counseling was effective
One young lady struggling with anorexia nervosa indicated she would like Biblically based counseling. She was following up with her doctor regularly and seeing a Christian therapist. She was also involved in a Bible study and talked with some close friends and youth leaders about her eating issues. I provided nutrition counseling including an eating structure with recommendations. We discussed balanced thinking and truths to combat disordered thoughts. I gave her handouts with Bible verses, and we talked about specific verses she could read and memorize that would help her at meal times. I referred her to books and podcasts that could help. I deferred full therapeutic counseling to her therapist and focused on food-related issues. I discussed all recommendations with the therapist. Over time she was able to eat well and the negative medical effects of her eating disorder resolved. This client used the truths found in the Bible to provide hope and to fight the lies of her eating disorder. She still had to work hard, but she was able to eat well and develop a better relationship with food. She achieved all of her goals in nutrition counseling and stayed active in her church community for accountability and support.
What success and drawbacks have you experienced with biblical-based counseling?
Biblically based nutrition counseling is the most effective help for Christians struggling with eating or any adjacent issues like excessive exercise and body image distortion. Christians aim to live a life pleasing to God because of love for Jesus. There is a desire to know how the Bible has solutions to life’s problems. Biblical counseling will be difficult if someone does not fully trust Jesus and therefore does not fully trust the Bible as God’s Word. I’ve had some clients who want Biblical counseling at first but later say that they don’t want Biblical perspectives anymore. I still provide nutrition counseling for them, but I no longer can discuss Bible verses or Biblical counseling resources that might help and support them. It is important as a healthcare professional to never force information on clients, Biblical or otherwise.
Where can one find resources to learn more about biblically-based counseling?
The best resource is the Bible itself. There are also many Biblical counseling organizations that provide information, education, training, and resources. Some that I have seen are the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC), the Biblical Counseling Center (BCC), the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship (IBCD), and the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF). ACBC has a podcast called Truth In Love that is helpful. A great book to start is Competent to Counsel, by Jay Adams. All of the listed organizations have courses and conferences. I attend an annual conference hosted by my church in Georgia.
Would you recommend RDs to have knowledge of this approach even if they are not religious themselves?
I recommend and encourage all RDs to understand what Biblical counseling is and how it is helpful. There are many Biblical counselors who have provided counseling services for those struggling with disordered eating. It is important that we respect Biblical counselors as part of the treatment team. I do not recommend trying to use Biblical counseling if you are not a Christian and do not believe in the full authority of the Bible yourself.
