Intake and Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning

TRINITY COLLEGE OF THE BIBLE THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY
TRINITY COLLEGE OF THE BIBLE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT PLANNING
A TERM PAPER
SUBMITTED
TO PROFESSORS INGRID P. BUCH-WAGLER AND JOHNATHAN PRITCHETT
INDEPENDENT STUDY COURSE
BY
CARLOS AUGUSTO CALDAS
WYOMING, MICHIGAN
JUNE 2019

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ASSIGNMENT #2: THE NEW CLIENT: INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT, DIAGNOSIS, AND
TREATMENT PLANNING (80%)
Part I: Intake and Assessment of the New Client
Christian counseling is also often referred to as biblical counseling1. Christian
psychology combines the principles of psychology with faith for the improvisation of mental
health and relationships. According to this therapy, scriptures are combined with biblical
teachings for dealing with life’s challenges. In the midst of the troubling life events, resilient and
strong faith can aid in forming course in life’s path. The role of spirituality has gone beyond
religious belief and includes making a connection with the Higher Powers. The counseling is
undertaken with the belief that something better and bigger exists compared to oneself. This
bigger and better force is known to influence and control happenings on the Earth. While the
intake of clients in such counseling, it is not important to belong
The goal of Christian counseling is the identification of behaviors which are inconsistent
with God's teachings such that they can become more acceptable. Such consistency is brought
about even against the will of the client. When an individual undertakes a spiritual journey then
inevitably he/she will experience hardships and challenges along the way. This universal
experience is true for everyone. In being sync with one's spiritual health, one can receive
guidance from their faith. Such guidance enables handling a tough situation with empathy, love,
self-acceptance, and forgiveness. The root of Christian counseling initiates with biblical
accounts. Jay E. Adams was the first person who initiated the Biblical Counseling Movement for
1 Brian C. Post, Nathaniel G. Wade, and Marilyn A. Cornish, ‘Religion and spirituality in group
counseling: Beliefs and preferences of university counseling center clients.’ Group Dynamics:
Theory, Research, and Practice, 18, no. 1 (2014): 53

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treatment of mental health conditions according to the faith-based approach2. A Christian
counselor while doing intake and assessment of new client faces several issues and require skills
and needs a set of goals to be accomplished. The current analysis has been drawn from own
counseling experience as a Christian Counselor. Christian counselors sole goal is in undertaking
and using faith-based principles along with psychological instruction. The goal is to enable
better management and resolution of issues in individual lives. As a Christian Counselor and a
mental health professional, it not only concerns to assess, diagnose and treatment of mental
illness, rather clients need to be taught coping skills. This would enable the client to better adjust
to changes occurring in their lives.
Issues that a Christian counselor more likely to face includes feeling incompetent when
the client's do not want to get counseled. May Christian counselors lack control over their
clients' experiences and attitude3. This often leads to feeling helplessness, incompetency or being
poorly prepared. Moreover, a high demanding job such as counseling requires perspective by
releasing self from responsibility and results to change lives. Pastors that counsel their
parishioners need to pay close attention towards experiences. Christian counselor needs to
believe that God is the change agent and not them. This assists them in cases when client's they
are counseling do not make quick progress. Christian counselors need to internally pray for
guidance with respect for helping their counselees. They cannot solely rely upon their own
intuition, training, and experience.
The second pertinent issues faced by a Christian counselor is caring about hours.
Christian counselors often fail to leave the client’s problems at their offices. Most of them walk
2 Julie Q. Morrison, Stacy M. Clutter, Elaine M. Pritchett, and Alan Demmitt, ‘Perceptions of
clients and counseling professionals regarding spirituality in counseling.’ Counseling and Values,
53, no. 3 (2009): 183-194
3 Marie Morrison and William A. Borgen, ‘How Christian spiritual and religious beliefs help and
hinder counselors' empathy toward clients.’ Counseling and Values, 55, no. 1 (2010): 25-45