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Empathy and Confrontation in Christian Counseling

  • Journal of Counseling and Gospel
  • Abbr : Jocag
  • 2005, 4(), pp.132-154
  • Publisher : Korean Evangelical Counseling Society
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology > Pastoral Counseling
  • Received : March 30, 2005
  • Accepted : May 10, 2005

Kim, Soo Youn 1

1아세아연합신학대학교

ABSTRACT

The uniqueness of christian counseling is discussed in terms of skills and process. The counseling skills such as empathetic mirroring and confrontation are posed as antithesis. It is argued, however, that their common function consists in opening blind eyes or awareness. The balance between them is tuned by the counseling process which develops in the midst of counselee's blindness. The dynamics of spiritual blindness are described in terms of sin's deceitfulness and the defense against God for self-sufficiency and autonomy. The counselor's questions asked from God's perspective and the citing the Bible as God's Words are suggested as powerful mirroring as well as confrontation skills. It functions as a searchlight in exploring the counselee's heart, which contributes to opening eyes. What to see as a result of opening eyes is dealt with as the theme critical for establishing the identity of christian counseling. For further study it is suggested the implication of weighing interpretation against confrontation, and vice versa.

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