111 | Faith and Hope: Providing Pastoral Care and Counseling to Alleviate Stress and Anxiety

The Bible illustrates and addresses the nature of anxiety and the call to live godly lives of hope and faith. How, then, should Christians deal with stress and anxiety in their lives, and how can ministry leaders and coaches bring God’s healing word to the subject? In this workshop, the differences between healthy and unhealthy anxiety will be explored, along with a study of biblical references and recent research on hope and the role of spiritual faith in the field of effective counseling. Insights and contributions from the historic church will be explored, with practical examples of pastoral care and counseling that provide guidance for Christian counselors. A number of biblically-based counseling approaches and strategies will be examined that address ways to help people who struggle with stress and anxiety. Discussion will focus on building faith and hope within the context of Christian counseling and how pastoral counselors, lay counselors, and coaches can incorporate these dimensions from a biblical perspective.