Counseling Services
As practicing pastoral counselors in a Christian environment, we are faced with the daily task of integrating modern psychotherapy and structured theological understanding. The use of short-term therapy, such as Brief Therapy and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, is becoming increasingly necessary with the advent of managed care and insurance fee reduction. Congregates are turning to their local church in even larger numbers due to these medical coverage changes. Trained professionals who desire to adhere to a religious orientation in therapy can no longer stay with the long-term, client oriented therapy such as Rogerian and Psychodynamic models. Short-term, directional therapy tools, such as Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, provide systematic approach to the client's presenting problem and also allows for integration into a Christian philosophy. Our goal is to provide the individual or family a clear direction to allow them to move toward a full life emotionally.
REBPT provides a tool of spiritual integration and accepted psychological practice. The theory states that humans are born with strong biological predispositions among which are the sex/love relationships and the need to live in some kind of family group. To meet these needs successfully, REBPT believes that humans will attempt to negotiate relationship with the use of their potential self-determination. The therapy centers on the belief that humans are disturbed not by things but by the views they take of them. The fallibility of the human is his ability to approach his or her environment with views that things are either harmful/disturbing or safe/undisturbing. These thought patterns are called the Rational or Irrational Beliefs. By successfully confronting these thought patterns (or view creation patterns) the client is able to better cope and not become disturbed. A Christian perspective on this thinking is reflected in 2 Corinthians 10:5 "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." The goal of the REBT therapist is to bring the views of life into a place in which the client may obtain the long-range maximized pleasure. The focus through Pastoral Counseling is to bring this goal into a place that is theologically focused on serving God. The confrontation of irrational belief is from a format of scripture, prayer, and Christ centered living.
New York Christian Counseling Center has performed a service to the New York Christian Community for over 15 years and continues to act as a prime referal sight for hundreds of clergy and religious organizations.