Biblical Counseling FAQs

“Truth applied through relationship.” That’s one of the shortest definitions.

More specifically…

Biblical counseling is the personal application of God’s Word to everyday life. This ministry is rooted in Scripture in two main ways:

1. The core of our content is biblical. Our aim is to apply God’s truth to the problems and opportunities of your life in rich, precise ways. The Bible is full of timeless wisdom on the universal problems of human life. Relationships, emotions, addictions, sexuality, work, money - you name it. Certainly there is room for human wisdom, as the Bible does not claim to be comprehensive, yet it does hold the essential ingredients of growth and change. At the heart of our content is Jesus Christ, crucified and raised for the redemption of mankind.

2. We use biblical methods, modeled after the incarnational and relational ministry of Jesus. Our methods are not technical and clinical, but are rooted in things like friendship, discipleship, prayer and worship. We trust the Holy Spirit to work within ordinary conversations to do things beyond human skill and wisdom.

Counseling is $125 / meeting with need-based scholarships available based on factors such as household income and number of dependents. Discounts for regular or long-term counseling require a counseling partnership, which is a monthly commitment rather than a per-meeting payment.

You can schedule a meeting by filling out the form at the bottom of the page.

No, we do not accept insurance at this time. We raise funds from individuals and churches to underwrite need-based scholarships.

For more information about scholarships, be sure to note on your intake form you would like to be considered for a scholarship.

All of our counselors have Master’s degrees and have received seminary training in interpreting Scripture and applying it to daily life and its problems. Our counselors are trained in the content and methods of the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). Our counselors are all certified by the Association of Biblical Counselors. They also hold other various credentials, such as church ordination.

Although some of our counselors have additional training and/or state licensure, for purposes of their counseling at Shreveport Biblical Counseling, they solely practice biblical counseling. As such, they do not function as professional counselors or therapists as licensed by the state.

Most simply, biblical counseling is applied theology, and therapy is applied psychology.

Both biblical counseling and therapy address the problems of life in a relational context. So there is overlap and intersection of the two, yet as mentioned in the first question above, biblical counseling is a ministry whose content, methods, and goals are derived from the Bible, whereas therapy is a social service whose content, methods, and goals are derived from various psychologies.

At times, when help needed is beyond the scope or skill of our counselors, we will refer you to doctors, psychiatrists, and other counselors.

Expect a conversation across a coffee table with someone who wants to get to know you and find out how to help. Expect to be asked questions, to do more of the talking, and to be prayed for. And expect both to receive compassion and also to be challenged as we explore the grace and truth of Jesus and apply it to your life.

We believe change happens in the context of a relationship, which takes time to build. For some, this may only take a handful of meetings. Typically, those who experience the most growth and change come every two weeks for six months or more. There are some who continue to come for years, not to work on the problems that originally brought them in but for help living out their faith more fully in daily life. In the end, it is up to you.

Although our counselors are grounded in their particular denominations, at SBC we seek to be “merely” Christian, as CS Lewis said. That means we hold firmly to what we believe to be central truths and hold loosely to secondary or peripheral matters. We do this so that we can reach the kingdom of God, which does not belong to a single denomination.

Central truths to us are things like:

1. The relational God who exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As such, he pursues relationship with us, even at great costs to himself.

2. Man is fallen and by nature is in rebellion from God. Because of this, we cannot rescue ourselves from the sin and suffering that resulted from the Fall.

3. God sent his Son to redeem us from sin and its effects through his perfect life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection. This is the heart of the gospel.

4. Scripture is the perfect, sufficient guide for salvation. For the purposes of counseling, it is also the premier guide for navigating life in a fallen world. It is not an encyclopedia. And indeed, the task of application leaves room for man’s wisdom. Even so, it’s divine origin gives its wisdom and grace the a living, active power to change even the most complex and troubled lives.

5. The Holy Spirit is the change agent in the process of sanctification. Counselor and counselee alike are dependent on him as they pursue growth and change. Strictly speaking, he is the true and only Counselor, and our counselors are merely his assistants.

6. The church is central in God’s design and plan for transforming his people. We emphasize the importance of community in the process of sanctification. While not a requirement, we encourage church involvement during the process of change and especially when the season of counseling is over.

7. We are saved by grace through faith, meaning that salvation is a gift and not something we earn through obedience. Our work and obedience should flow from what he has already done for us.

8. Our hearts play a large role in our words, deeds, and emotions. What we love, worship, and pursue controls much of what we say, do, and feel - whether for good or ill.

9. God made us both body and soul - embodied souls. Because of that, our counselors keep in mind the body’s role in what we say, do, and feel. Social and cultural contexts are also considered.

10. God gives both special grace and common grace. Although biblical counseling is mainly rooted in God’s special grace that is revealed in his Word, we are open to his common grace anywhere it is given to us. Medical, social, and other sciences have wisdom to offer that is not opposed to God’s wisdom, although everything must be understood and refined in the light of Scripture.

You don’t have to be a Christian or believe in God to receive biblical counseling. We are very considerate of those who don’t believe or who have been hurt by the church in the past and will meet them where they are. As one biblical counselor says, “When you can’t say ‘we,’ you move slowly.”