for those counselors out there
There is a song out there by Casting Crowns called "The Voice of Truth".
It's premise is this: that all throughout our lives we are played upon by a host of voices calling out to us. Most of which are feeding us lies, but one of them isn't -- it is the Voice of Truth, Jesus, and He is telling us how to be free from bondage.
This is such a powerful message, because in counselling someone, first you identify the true problem. Behind every (or nearly every) problem a person has is a lie. They have bought into a lie, and in the process of buying have sold their freedom and placed themselves in bondage. The only way to freedom is to identify the lie and then hold it up to the standard of Truth.
As a counsellor, you seek to find the appropriate truth and apply it to their situation and then reason forwards from that truth.
This can be frustrating, because it is easier said than done. The counsellor can present the truth but ultimately the counsellee must do what the song says, "CHOOSE to LISTEN and BELIEVE the Voice of Truth."
thanks for thinking about it