Biblical Counseling Training for Lay Counselors

Session 04 - Depression, Anxiety, And Anger (NIV based)

Depression:

GENERAL ANALYSIS (simplified):

A person with depression has:
- - a bleak outlook of their situation;

- - a non-acceptance of their situation;

- - dissatisfaction / frustration / anger with their situation.

BIBLICAL TREATMENT APPROACH:

The person with depression needs to:
- - accept what God has allowed for their life, not rebel against what God has allowed / ordained / caused for them;

- - lower their expectations of what they want or think they should have in their life - so far God has not given them what they want and He may not in the future; - James 4:1 "What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?  2. You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.";

- - learn from their situation and let it motivate them to make the best of it that they can; adjust to it - God has things for us to learn / do / become in the midst of trials and tribulations; - James 1:2. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3. because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.";

- - correct any faulty conclusions / beliefs / perceptions;

- - trust in God's sovereignty; - 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 -- v.9 "..."My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."..."; - 1 Peter 2:21-24 the example of Christ -- to entrust ourselves to the Father.
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Anxiety:

GENERAL ANALYSIS (simplified):

A person with anxiety has:
- - apprehensive uneasiness, fear, or doubt of an impending or anticipated ill;

- - thought processes dominated by an ongoing recycling of mental hypothesizing through an anticipated adverse scenario - in other words, envisioning in their mind over-and-over the painfulness they expect will unavoidably happen to them or others.

BIBLICAL TREATMENT APPROACH:

Essentially, use the same biblical treatment approach as with depression.

The person with anxiety needs to:
- - trust in God and His abilities / providence / care / sovereignty / wisdom to get them through the situation; - 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

- - accept that which is truly inevitable;

- - prepare and plan an appropriate response but then relax and deal with it when it comes; after that, move on with what comes next in life; adapt and adopt; ask God for help / strength / wisdom, etc. to cope.
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Anger:

GENERAL ANALYSIS (simplified):

A person with anger:
- - has a strong negative emotional reaction against something;

- - is demanding control over a situation, such as: justice, revenge, retribution, correction, punishment, etc.

BIBLICAL TREATMENT APPROACH:

Essentially, use the same biblical treatment approach as with depression.

The person with anger needs to:
- - accept that God has allowed this to happen, not rebel against that which God has allowed / ordained / caused to happen; the reason(s) why God has allowed this to happen may not be evident;

- - forgive completely, which includes:

- - - - holding nothing against the offender;

- - - - accept the injustice and suffering;

- - - - relinquish the offender and the offense to God to deal with as He so chooses (letting God be in control);

- - - - giving up all rights to retribution and correction;

- - - - expecting that the offense may recur;

- - - - not taking matters into their own hands;

- - - - bearing with the offense and the offender; - Colossians 3:13. "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.";

- - - - if possible, appropriate, or wise, returning kindness and compassion to the offender; - Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."; - Ephesians 4:31 "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger..."

- - repeatedly extend forgiveness immediately if the offense recurs; - Matthew 18:21-22 keep forgiving; - Ephesians 4:26 "...Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,..."

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Works Cited:
Bible. “The Holy Bible: New International Version.” The Bible Library CD‑ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.
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Copyrights:
Scriptures taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Copyright © 2016 Mel W. Coddington, and permission is hereby granted that this document may be used, copied, and distributed non-commercially to non-profit organizations, individuals, churches, ministries, and schools worldwide, provided the copies are distributed at no charge and retain this sources documentation as supplied herein. This document is not for sale, resale, or for use as a gift or premium to be offered in connection with solicitations or contributions.
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File name: BiblicalCounselingTraining-Session04.___ (.htm, .doc, .pdf)
Translation used: NIV, quoted or referred to in various places within the lesson
Source: www.BelieverAssist.com
Updated: January 29, 2016