Pastoral Counselors, Christian Counselors, Spiritual Directors... are they mental health professionals?

If you had any trouble answering, this page will explain.

Counseling is a rather vague word. In everyday language, we use it to cover everything from friendly advice-giving to professional psychotherapy. This vagueness can be a consumer trap. More and more sites are springing up that offer counseling, and sometimes its a little fuzzy exactly how much professional training and experience the sites proprietor has had.

When we turn to spirituality, things get even more fuzzy. For centuries, virtually all Christian clergy have practiced a form of caring traditionally called pastoral counseling. But does that mean that clergy are qualified to help you with complex emotional issues?

And what about spirituality? Increasingly, people are aware of a strong connection between spiritual and emotional health. But psychotherapists arent trained to help you with your spiritual journey - are they?

1. People who describe themselves as Christian Counselors may or may not have had professional training in psychology or mental health counseling. In their view, they dont need it. Christian Counselors believe that your emotional and life difficulties are the result of incorrect belief. Christian Counselors assert that if you re-order your life according to the principles in the Bible, your psychological problems will be solved. Christian Counselors are strongly oriented toward evangelical Christian values. If you are too, this might be a choice for you.
   
   American Nouthetic Psychology Association
   American Association of Christian Counselors

   Certified Pastoral Counselors, on the other hand, are professionally trained psychotherapists. On top of that, they also have a graduate degree in theology. This dual training enables them to address both your spiritual and emotional needs. Pastoral Counselors are certified by AAPC after lengthy training and experience. They do not impose any religious beliefs on you, but are trained to understand your spiritual journey as well as your emotional difficulties. Generally they are equally supportive to persons who are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, New Age, or any other spiritual tradition. If you want to work on your emotional and spiritual health as one, qualified Pastoral Counselors are a good choice. (Note: some clergy refer to themselves as Pastoral Counselors, but have no training in psychotherapy. To be sure you are connecting with someone who is a professionally trained psychotherapist, you need to look for a Pastoral Counselor who is a member of AAPC.)
   

   Example of a Pastoral Counseling website
   

   AAPC can refer you to a qualified Pastoral Counselor

   You might consider a Spiritual Director if you already have a psychotherapist, but would like to do some work on spirituality with a separate person. Spiritual direction is an ancient practice that grew out of the monastic tradition. Spiritual directors are trained to be companions to you on your spiritual journey. They do not impose beliefs on you, but will help you develop a spiritual path, by working with you on prayer, meditation, and study. Spiritual directors do not claim to be able to help you with psychological difficulties (unless they also happen to be trained psychotherapists); they would refer you to a psychotherapist for help with those issues.
   

   Example of a Spiritual Direction website
   

   Shalem, a spiritual direction training institute
   

   Spiritual Directors International

Comparison Chart: This chart describes the major differences between categories. Naturally, some individuals in each category are exceptions (there are some Christian Counselors with mental health credentials, for instance) but these descriptions serve the purpose of comparison.

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