Mind the Gap: Keeping the Gospel in Counseling

Counseling Skills and Tools

Counsel can drift into moralism (try harder) or therapy-speak (feel better) while the gospel goes unused. This course trains counselors to notice that drift in a counselee's story and in their own advice, and to correct it using the seven areas of gospel-focused care. Based on the T5 teaching on conforming versus transforming counsel.

1 hour

10 units

3 sections

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What You'll Work Through

Each unit is a conversation, not a page to read. The tutor asks you to explain, apply, and work with the material until it holds.

Chapter 1: Two Kinds of Counsel

Section 1.1: Conforming versus Transforming Counsel

Conforming counsel targets behavior and mood; transforming counsel targets the heart
Transforming counsel depends on five things conforming counsel neglects
Counsel can drift into two ditches: moralism (try harder) or therapy-speak (feel better)

Section 1.2: Spotting the Drift into Moralism and Therapy-Speak

Recognizing moralism as the 'try harder' drift toward conforming counsel
Recognizing therapy-speak as the 'feel better' drift that bypasses sin and the heart

Chapter 2: Finding the Gospel Gap

Section 2.1: The Gospel Gap and Lesser Loves

The gospel gap: spoken theology versus lived theology
Lesser loves: good desires that grow into ruling demands
Spotting the gospel gap and lesser loves in a counselee's story

Chapter 3: Closing the Gap with Gospel-Focused Care

Section 3.1: The Seven Areas of Gospel-Focused Care

Gospel Worldview and Gospel Hope/Comfort as two of the seven areas of gospel-focused care
Gospel Indicatives before Gospel Imperatives to avoid moralism