PINCH POINTS OF PASTORAL COUNSELING
A Leadership Forum
October 1, 1989
How many pastoral counselors does it take to change a light bulb?
Only one, but the light bulb really has to want to change.
Okay, it's an old joke. But how many pastoral counselors does it take to illumine the subject of counseling in the church context? Four, if they are as experienced as the group LEADERSHIP gathered to discuss the common dangers, frustrations, and joys of counseling as pastors. The four, who gathered from two coasts, four states, and three counseling roles, are:
-Edward Danks, pastor of Noroton Presbyterian Church in Darien, Connecticut;
-Gary Gulbranson, pastor of Glen Ellyn (Illinois) Bible Church;
-Archibald Hart, dean of the School of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California;
-Wayne Willis, director of pastoral care for Alliant Health System in Louisville, Kentucky.
LEADERSHIP senior associate editor Jim Berkley moderated the discussion.
Leadership: What are the most common issues people are bringing you these days?
Edward Danks: My most frequent counseling concern is highly skilled, driven-and unemployed-men. Being without work devastates them. The prevalence of two other problems has surprised me. One is cancer. It's epidemic. When someone experiences that, you know you're in for a two- to three-year struggle, and you wonder just how many more of these can you carry. The other problem is apprehension, guilt, frustration over the care of elderly parents.
Archibald Hart: There's a marked increase in anxiety, panic disorders, depression. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that in any given month, 15 percent of the population suffers from substance abuse or mental disorders. A large percentage of those people must be in the church.
Gary Gulbranson: I've noticed the media ...
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