Agape Counseling Center Articles

Cognitive Therapy Pt. 1

May 21, 2008

Ken Wilson

The term cognitive comes from the word cognition and it means, "the process of knowing in the broadest sense, including perception, memory, judgment, etc." It is a therapy that looks to the mind (and its thought processes) as the main motivator of human behavior. The main contributors to this therapy process are Albert Ellis (1962) and A.T. Beck (1979). Although neither man is recognized as a Christian, and neither looked to the Bible as a final authority, the results of their research developed into a methodology that, in most aspects, uniquely coincides with the biblical model and mandate for human behavior.

Any form of successful counseling requires a healing atmosphere that generates hope and growth in counselees. Although most Christian counselors assume emotional problems are not necessarily spiritual problems, and many who study the integration of psychology and Christianity support such a conclusion. To assume spiritual health must come before emotional health denies that physical, social, and psychological factors contribute to emotional problems. Furthermore, most Christian counselors do not assume emotional health is always necessary for spiritual health. Some people appear to have vital relationships with God despite their ongoing battles with depression, anxiety, or relationship difficulties.

Some Christian counselors focus on childhood experiences; others look for present behaviors. Some pray with their counselees; others do not. Some assign Scripture verses to be memorized; others believe homework is too invasive or threatening as a therapeutic intervention. But despite the diversity of approaches, there are common emphases on emotional and spiritual wholeness in most forms of Christian counseling. Christian counseling then, merges well with cognitive therapy techniques, producing the benefits of spiritual and emotional health.

Like cognitive therapy, Christian healing has traditionally required skills of metacognition. Metacognition is the ability to think about thinking - to understand and control one's thought processes (2 Cor. 10:5). As counselees progress in cognitive therapy, they become adept at metacognition, recognizing inflexible and destructive thoughts and replacing them with adaptive ones. Those looking for spiritual help are often directed to passages of Scripture that require metacognition. This common methodology provides a sense of safety for many Christians as they begin cognitive therapy - safety that promotes a healing, therapeutic atmosphere.

Consider the following example of familiar Scripture passages emphasizing metacognition. "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve, what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2). The idea of renewing our minds requires us to understand our thoughts and feelings and examine them critically in the light of Scripture and reality.

Cognitive therapy assumes emotions stem from personal beliefs about events in the world. Thus accurate, critical, biblical thinking is the key to changing unwanted feelings.

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