Cynthia Franklin and Rowena Fong, The Church Leader’s Counseling Resource Book: A Guide to Mental Health and Social Problems. Oxford University Press, USA, 2011.
Referenced in: Pastoral Counseling
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is an excellent guide to pastoral counseling in specific areas, especially in helping ministers know what they can and cannot do, and when to refer. It offers educational insight and practical approaches for dealing with the following areas, many of which are not dealt with adequately in any other ministry-based manuals:
- Eating disorders and addictions
- Kids with school and behavior problems
- Severe grief, depression, and anxiety
- Severe problems with mood swings, psychosis, and suicide
- Domestic violence, child abuse, and severe personality disorders
- Severe financial and social problems
- Elders and those with chronic health problems
- Managing family transitions and stress
- Church leaders who need help
The book also includes several appendices, including a list of self-help books on various issues and a glossary of mental health language.
From the Publisher
This all-in-one guide is designed to better equip clergy and the church leaders to meet their congregations’ needs in a spiritually grounded and scientifically sound manner. Succinct, easy-to-read chapters summarize all a pastor needs to know about a given problem area, including its signs or symptoms, questions to ask, effective helping skills, and, most importantly, when to refer to a mental health professional. Synthesizing what research says about treatment approaches for mental health issues, this user-friendly reference is filled with guidelines, case scenarios, key points to remember, resources for further help, advice on integrating scripture and theology with the best available research, and tips on partnering with others to provide the best possible care for each church member. Each chapter is designed for quick lookup by problem area, empowering church leaders to understand and help meet the challenges facing the children, adults, families, and communities that they serve.
About the Authors
Cynthia Franklin, Ph.D., is the Stiernberg/Spencer Family Professor in Mental Health at the University of Texas at Austin.
Rowena Fong, Ed.D., is the Ruby Lee Piester Centennial Professor in Services to Children and Families at the University of Texas at Austin.
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