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Christian Counseling as a Spiritual Narrative Walking with Schizophrenic Patients

  • Journal of Counseling and Gospel
  • Abbr : Jocag
  • 2024, 32(2), pp.129-154
  • DOI : 10.17841/jocag.2024.32.2.129
  • Publisher : Korean Evangelical Counseling Society
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology > Pastoral Counseling
  • Received : June 6, 2024
  • Accepted : July 11, 2024
  • Published : July 30, 2024

Ha, Jae Sung 1

1고신대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Schizophrenia is one of the representative psychotic illnesses plagued among one percent of the whole population. Its symptoms include delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations, word salad, lack of emotion or avolition. Schizophrenic patients may experience many difficulties in maintaining daily lives including personal relationships with important people due to abnormal senses. Causes of the illness are genetic and are of brain dysfunction, so its primary treatment comes with medical and pharmaceutical care. On the other hand, spirit possession assimilates schizophrenia in many symptoms e.g., hallucinations and ethereal senses, but it may disappear soon with Christian spiritual interventions such as fervent prayers and spiritual confrontations with the evil spirits. However, distinguishing spirit possession from schizophrenia requires both medical understanding and spiritual discernment. In addition to the medical treatment, talk therapy is crucial in helping the patients maintain their healthy identity and dignity as a human being through building an empathetic relationship. Christian counselors are expected to show Christian hospitality for those patients and provide spiritual resources such as both Christ's redemptive losses in incarnation. Jesus can be their real comforter by being an alter ego who suffered deeper and gave them the assurance of salvation and eternal life, which allows them to continue their personal narratives regardless of their weaker identity.

Citation status

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