About
What is the CFI model of Christian counseling?
Christian Family Institute serves all people without judgment, regardless of faith, denomination, religion, worldview, race, nationality, lifestyle, or age.
Our counselors are Christians, grounded and mature in their faith, and many are leaders in their local church community. Our counselors come from a wide range of denominations and theological backgrounds. We all affirm a basic non-denominational Christian Statement of Christian Faith. We seek to be examples of Christ’s love for all people.
Christian Family Institute subscribes to a “Christian Professional Integration Model.” Our therapists hold graduate degrees in psychology, counseling, social work, or marriage and family therapy. Some have degrees in theology or the Bible. All are licensed by the State of Oklahoma, which requires a graduate degree, no less than two years of practice under supervision, and passing a comprehensive licensing exam.
We seek to remain current with the latest scientific knowledge from the behavioral sciences. We utilize approaches that are consistent with our Biblical faith and the proven information from science. All of our staff seek continuing education and share that learning with our fellow staff members.
As a Family Institute, we integrate a “systems” approach, which takes into consideration the importance of our relationships and how we are influenced by and influence one another. Relationships can be a source of great positive influence or cause pain and suffering. When possible, we support healthy relationship growth and healing.
Just as ministers are called to the ministry, Christian counselors are called to the ministry of counseling. The scripture indicates that each Christian is given spiritual gifts for the purpose of ministry to the Body of Christ (I Cor. 12:7). For Christian counselors, spiritual gifts will be manifested in the style of counseling that the counselor provides.
Human beings function and malfunction as a result of a complex and seamless interaction between biological, psychological, social, and spiritual forces. Malfunction in any one of these areas produces a ripple effect. If a person has a cavity in one tooth, the pain may radiate to many surrounding areas. So also do symptoms spread in any of the bio-psycho-social-spiritual dimensions.
As Christian counselors we depend on the Holy Spirit as well as our training in these disciplines in order to be effective in helping people with their concerns.
