Counseling Religion

No one is immune from life’s difficulties, yet many people are reluctant to talk about mental health or seek professional help when they are struggling. People of faith who are battling issues such as anxiety, depression, life changes, stress, or relationship problems may suffer in silence, believing things will get better if only their faith was stronger, they prayed more, or they had more self-discipline. The stigma about needing to seek help is all too real. But seeking professional help isn’t a sign of weakness.

Living in the 21st century is like swimming in a sea of sensuality. With no possibility of insulating themselves from sexual temptation, countless numbers of Christian men are drowning in this bottomless ocean of lust. Many men have tried everything they can to find the freedom they are longing for...So why do so few find it? In At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry, Steve Gallagher masterfully exposes the real roots of sexual addiction, clearly marks the path to a victorious life, and conclusively affirms the authority of God's word through personal testimony.

Our emotions are complex. Some of us seem able to ignore our feelings, while others feel controlled by them. But most of us would admit that we don’t always know what to do with how we feel. The Bible teaches us that our emotions are an indispensable part of what makes us human―and play a crucial role in our relationships with God and others. Exploring how God designed emotions for our good, this book shows us how to properly engage with our emotions.

This complete and unabridged edition of Spurgeon's great work will make it possible for today's generation to appreciate Spurgeon's combination of discerning wit and refreshingly practical advice. Included in the 28 chapters of this classic volume are lectures such as: The Call to Ministry, The Preacher's Private Prayer, On the Choice of a Text, On the Voice, The Holy Spirit in Connection with Our Ministry, The Blind Eye and the Deaf Ear, On Conversion as Our Aim, and Illustrations in Preaching.

Do you struggle with anxiety or know someone who does? Pierce Taylor Hibbs shows that we've been approaching our anxiety the wrong way. It's not a terror to avoid, but a tool in God's hands. The author draws on his own experience in living with an anxiety disorder to present descriptions, discussion, and concrete resources for fellow anxiety sufferers. It's time for us to focus on the spiritual purposes God has for our anxiety. It's time for us to revel in the amazing truth that the best part of being struck down is realizing that we will never be destroyed, not with God on our side.

We lead our spiritual lives in relationship with others. A faithful community gives us opportunities for worship, sharing burdens, confessing faults, offering forgiveness, and celebrating life. Wherever he went, Henri Nouwen created such communities, and within them, he offered spiritual direction. Available as an audiobook for the first time ever, Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith is part of “The Nouwen Trilogy.” These convenient audio sessions let you adopt Nouwen as your personal spiritual director.

Christian Singles: Beware Prowling Wolves Are you a single Christian, praying to meet the spouse God has for you? Has someone who almost seems too good to be true already come into your life? Written with your heavenly Father's protective heart for the innocent, this Bible Study is especially for you. No matter what that suitor says or how much you long to marry, before you say I do: R E A D T H I S B O O K . Maybe you've been intentional about finding the right relationship. You want someone who shares your faith. Perhaps you're searching Christian Dating websites. But horror stories of ...

Depression - whether circumstantial and fleeting or persistent and long term - impacts most people at some point in their lives. Puritan Pastor Richard Baxter spent most of his ministry caring for depressed and discouraged souls, and his timeless counsel still speaks to us today. In this book, psychiatrist Michael S. Lundy and theologian J. I. Packer present Baxter’s writings in order to comfort, instruct, and strengthen all who struggle with depression.

Adolescence now lasts longer than ever before. And as world-renowned expert on adolescent psychology Dr. Laurence Steinberg argues, this makes these years the key period in determining individuals’ life outcomes, demanding that we change the way we parent, educate, and understand young people.

In Free to Thrive, Josh McDowell and Ben Bennett blend hard-won wisdom and youthful energy to present biblical, time-tested, and research-supported principles for overcoming hurts, struggles, and hindrances to a whole life - a life of spiritual, emotional, and relational wholeness instead of brokenness - the kind of life you were born to live.

If you choose to stay in your marriage, you have options other than punishing, tolerating, or ignoring your spouse; extraordinary growth awaits a woman willing to deal with the pain of her husband's struggles with sexual purity. Even if your spouse will not participate in a program for healing, you can change your own life in powerful and permanent ways. Shattered Vows is inspired by Debra Laaser's own journey through betrayal, her extensive work with hundreds of hurting women as a licensed marriage and family therapist, and her healed marriage after her husband's infidelity.

Author and marriage and family therapist Nicole Zasowski knows what it's like to suffer a blow that makes it difficult to look to the future. Despite the struggle, she found the courage to celebrate, and discovered that God is as present in our joy as He is in our pain. Yes, God's purpose for us is worked out in our struggles. But what if it is also worked out in our dreams and our delighted joy? With a psychological and spiritual case for celebrating, Nicole challenges you to let go of the habit of practicing disappointment and fully embrace joy.

Are you distracted by racing or anxious thoughts? Distressed by intrusive or irrational thoughts? Struggling with sinful or untrue thoughts? You may feel trapped in your own head, but God and his Word have given you many different ways to find freedom. In this practical and sympathetic guidebook, biblical counselor Esther Smith provides twelve powerful strategies that are targeted to different thought struggles. Each chapter is filled with a variety of exercises so that you can begin to change your thoughts right away and live at peace.

Many pastors feel ill-equipped to handle the challenges that arise when a couple is going through marital difficulties. If you are or have been in this situation before, this book shows church leaders how to counsel married couples from both a logical and biblical perspective. Author and pastor Jonathan Holmes offers you a practical guide to get started with the first sessions and then offers specific guidance on nine of the most common topics that come up in marriage counseling.

"Lord, do you not care if we perish?" That's what the frightened disciples shouted to Jesus as he slept in the stern of a storm-tossed boat. In the midst of suffering and uncertainty, we're all prone to think that God has forgotten us, he doesn't care, or he's powerless to do anything. In Christ and Calamity, Harold L. Senkbeil speaks pastorally to our suffering and uncertainty.

This overview of the theme of weakness in the Bible offers listeners practical encouragement and hope as they learn to view their frailties as part of God's plan and purpose for their lives.

Mending the Soul, newly revised and updated, provides a well-researched biblical and scientific understanding of the complexity of abuse, its effects, and an integrated path to healing.

Carlos Whittaker equips you with practical steps to destroying the roots of your deep-seated habits so you can get rid of what's holding you back and embrace true freedom in Christ. Are you tired of trying to live for Christ - only to fail time and time again with the same old behaviors? Do you pray for guidance, ask for deliverance, and vow to do better, yet fail to progress? Throughout Kill the Spider, Carlos walks you through the key aspects of killing the spiders in your own life.

Our bodies are designed to heal. But while our skinned knees easily heal, it can sometimes feel like our emotional and relational wounds are left gaping open, broken beyond repair. If our bodies instinctively know how to heal physical injuries, could they also help us understand how to restore painful emotional and relational ruptures? Physician Jennie McLaurin and scientist Cymbeline T. Culiat present Designed to Heal: a fascinating look at how the restorative processes of the body can model patterns we may adapt to heal the acute and chronic wounds of our social bodies.

Pete and Geri Scazzero developed The Emotionally Healthy (EH) Relationships Course over a 21-year period to directly address core biblical principles to guide you and others into an experience of discipleship that will deeply change your life. In the EH Relationships Course, everyone will learn eight practical relationship skills to develop mature, loving relationships with others.