Wisdom. Care. Hope.
Life can just be really hard sometimes.
In the middle of those painful struggles, let’s not be “Lone Rangers.” God has carefully created us to find added strength within strong and trusting relationships with Himself, and with others.
And even the Lone Ranger had help.
Are you considering counseling for the first time?
Take heart. That’s a sign of strength on your part, and not weakness. It’s self-centered pride that can keep us from reaching out for help, and that is a sign of weakness.
Don’t let your pride keep you from seeking helpful wisdom and strength from others.
PLEASE NOTE: We are a mandatory reporting organization and will immediately report cases of abuse to local law-enforcement.
Good relationships make us stronger.
Counseling is a unique, relational process that’s based in a trusting relationship with someone who has the wisdom to help.
- A GOOD COUNSELOR walks with you in compassion, providing insight into your motives, behaviors, and relationships.
- A GOOD COUNSELOR is a compassionate and wise friend who has the courage to help you see and evaluate your blind spots.
- A GOOD COUNSELOR will help you understand the desires and thoughts that may be causing your problems.
Does it seem unusual to you that someone would consider using a Bible to help someone?
But someone might ask, “Isn’t psychology more helpful?”
Yes, it IS true that a caring psychologist can be a help people in some ways, but biblical counseling actually provides much deeper insights into the human soul than psychology. The Bible provides the deepest explanations for human thinking and behavior, and provides the best solutions.
And we’ve found that anytime psychology is right about humankind and their thought patterns, that the Bible and Christians already knew that hundreds of years ago.
Read the interesting story of Dr. Jenn Chen in the following link and you’ll see:
Read this amazing story of a PSYCHOLOGIST who finally
help in biblical counseling, and not in psychology.
There’s more to our makeup than just a physical part (“a body with a brain”). There’s an invisible, spiritual aspect as well. The Bible will show you who you are, who God is, and teach you how we’re designed to relate to God and others.
It’s true that the Bible has been around for a long time, but you’ll be surprised at how relevant it is for today, and how it speaks to the problems of your life.
Counselor David Powlison PhD.* connects the Bible, counseling, and life together like this:
“As we look more closely at life, it becomes clearer and clearer that Scripture is about counseling: …explanations of behavior and emotion, interpretation of external sufferings and influences, definitions of workable solutions…these are all matters to which God speaks directly.”
QUESTION: What’s the most printed book of all time?
ANSWER: The Bible, probably around 5 billion copies. The second most printed book doesn’t even come close (some say it’s the book Don Quixote).
There’s a good reason that so many people over hundreds of years have wanted a copy of the Bible. It tells of Jesus who came to solve the biggest problem of mankind. The Bible provides the right answers to our deepest questions. It can help you with your problems, and answer your questions about your past, present, and future.
We’re not saying change comes easily, or without work on your part, but the answers you find will be right, and undeniably helpful.
The Counseling Center at Bay City provides wisdom, care, and hope…
W I S D O M
Wisdom is good understanding of a situation and the ability to provide solutions. Without wisdom counseling will always fail.
C A R E
Care is simply the display of kindness and concern for others in times of need. People usually won’t listen to someone who doesn’t care.
H O P E
Hope is an expectation of good things to come. Our counselors will provide a sense of hope. They will help you see that better days are coming.
Christian Counseling We Provide
- Marriage counseling
- Relationships counseling
- Premarital counseling
- Family counseling
- Parenting help
- Anxiety and depression
- Anger issues
- Sexual issues
- Sexual abuse (as a child or adult)
- Other
Your First Three Sessions
The first three meetings typically follow the pattern below. (Note: If you want just one appointment, please let us know.)
COUNSELING SESSION 1:
Initial ConsultationCOUNSELING SESSION 2:
Goals ReviewCOUNSELING SESSION 3:
Assessment & Solutions begins
Usually, beginning with the third session, your counseling will be customized to your specific difficulty.
The counseling process is flexible. Your Christian, biblical counselor will plan out each session, but that plan will be adapted as necessary during each session.
FAQs
Q: What’s the cost?
A: Our counseling is always free. From time to time, people choose to give a gift to our counseling center, but it is never requested or expected.
Q: Where are you located?
A: We’re at 1840 Bond Street, Green Bay, WI 54303. This is on the northwest side of Green Bay next to Helen Keller School, and just down the street from VanBoxtel RV Supermart.
Q: Where do I enter the building?
A: You’ll see a door in the middle of the building with the word “Offices” above it. On school days you’ll need to press a doorbell inside the entryway and the receptionist will buzz you in.
Q: How long does a typical session last?
A: We try to keep each session to 55 minutes, but it’s quite common for sessions to last longer.
Q: How long does the counseling process last?
A: Some people decide on having just one meeting to get some advice, and that’s OK with us, but depending on the severity of the problem, counseling usually lasts anywhere from two months to a year. Every person and situation is different; we’ll work at your pace. Your dedication to the hard work of change is almost always the key component in the speed of the changes you want to see. Please know that there’s nothing magical about “the counseling hour” or the counseling process. Counselors don’t have any magical “pixie dust” that fixes problems. You should expect to do some hard work, and if you don’t you probably won’t see much change.
Q: How often will we meet?
A: Most of our counselors prefer to meet once every week or two weeks. This will depend on your schedule, and on how many persons the counselor is seeing at the time.
Q: Can I drop in for an appointment?
A: Our counseling is by appointment only due to the scheduling limitations of our counselors.
Q: What is counseling like?
A: Imagine it like talking with a good friend who cares for you, but please know that parts of it may be hard. Some conversations may be uncomfortable, and there are no “easy-buttons” for the difficulties of life. Counseling should never feel like you’re there to talk to a guru. Again, it should feel like you’re talking to a good friend who has the wisdom to guide you.
Q: What should I expect in marriage counseling? Does it work?
A: Marriage counseling, and the associated personal change, is really hard work, but your marriage problems can be fixed if you’re willing to work on yourself rather than blaming your partner. Every marriage counseling relationship is like a fingerprint in that each is different, but marriage problems always originate in the same place: human desires. You must be able to answer this question: “What do I really want?” This approach simplifies counseling and cuts through a lot of fluff. Working through the Three Desires Self-Assessment always brings the real heart-level problems to the surface.
Q: What if I’m taking medications to help my problem?
A: Medications can be helpful in some situations, but there are some legitimate concerns also. Sometimes meds don’t help, and sometimes the results are simply the “placebo effect.” Sometimes the side-effects aren’t worth it.
There are other real concerns: do this Google search for more information.
PLEASE NOTE: It is unwise to discontinue a medication without a doctor’s guidance.
These two books may be helpful to you:
- Unhinged, The Trouble with Psychiatry—A Doctor’s Revelations about a Profession in Crisis, Daniel Carlat, M.D.
- Medication Madness: A Psychiatrist Exposes the Dangers of Mood-Altering Medications, Peter Breggin, M.D.
Here’s one of our concerns, and we’ll use anxiety and depression to illustrate: If a drug “fixes” your problem then you may never seek counseling or help to address the desires and thinking patterns that took you down that road in the first place. (NOTE: Anxiety and depression can result from medical problems, but more often than not, anxiety and depression are the result of self-centered desires, thoughts, and actions.)
PLEASE NOTE: If you’re struggling with anxiety and depression, you should consider getting a full medical check-up.
Q: Who will my counselor be?
A: After your initial consultation, the Director of Counseling will connect you with the counselor who is the best fit for you. At this time, our Director does about 60% of our counseling. We train our lay-counselors on-site to meet specific needs from a truly Christian perspective.
Q: Shouldn’t I consider psychology first?
A: A recent Psychology Today article (Psychology is Changing. This is What You Need to Know) stated that, “Clinical Psychology has been shifting paradigms away from a medical model for quite some time. As therapies continue to evolve, it appears axiomatic that the medical, categorical model for protocols is shifting toward an adaptive, evolutionary, and neurologically informed holistic paradigm.” One of the key ideas of this article is the suggestion that we should move away from the current strong focus on “mental-illness-as-a-disease.” This is something that Christian, biblical counselors have been saying for many years. This is not to say that a psychologist is never helpful, because a compassionate psychologist can help some people in some ways, but a major shortcoming is this: if they don’t understand The Bible, they will lack understanding in the deepest desires and intricacies of the human soul. Most people think psychologists have all the answers, but they don’t.
Q: You train your own counselors? That seems unusual. Is your training really going to be adequate?
A: Every Wednesday evening our counselors, and counselors-in-training, meet together for training and collaboration. To some, it may seem odd that a church-based counseling center would train counselors, but it actually makes perfect sense when you pause to consider.
These are people who already love people and want to care for others for all the right reasons. Please know that we take the care of people very seriously, and therefore have been able to help many people over the years. Click here for stories and reviews from those we’ve counseled.
Also know that we’re cautious when it comes to the types of problems that may require medical care and/or hospitalization. If you’re uncomfortable seeking counseling at a church, please consult with your own medical group or doctor to find help elsewhere.
8 Questions to Ask Your Potential Christian Counselor, Therapist, or Christian Psychologist
The Counseling Center at Bay City 