Biblical Counseling Information / Consent to Counsel / Authorization to Request/Release Information
Our Mission –
We want to transform lives by the Word of God, in the Spirit of God, and through the Community of God. We seek for the counseling care you will receive to be Christ-Centered (Col 1:15-20), Biblically-Based with Truth and Grace (John 1:14), Spirit Led (John 6:63), Prayer-Saturated (Col 4:2), and Community-Oriented (Heb 10:24-25). We desire to help you meet the challenges of life in a way that will please and honor the Lord Jesus Christ and allow you to enjoy fully His love for you and His plans for your life.
Biblical Basis –
We believe that the Bible provides thorough guidance and instruction for a life that is pleasing to God. Therefore, our counseling is based on scriptural principles rather than those of secular psychology or psychiatry. Although some of the pastoral or lay counselors of Hickory Bible Church may be trained or licensed in other fields, such as medicine or psychology, they will not practice in that capacity but only as Biblical counselors under the authority of the Elders of HBC.
Seek Appropriate Counsel –
If you have significant legal, financial, medical or other technical questions, you should seek advice from an independent professional. Our ministry staff and lay counselors will be happy to cooperate with such advisors and help you to consider their counsel in the light of relevant scriptural principles. We are often asked about insurance as well. As we do not practice as licensed professionals, we do not make diagnoses nor do we submit insurance claims. There is no charge for corrective counseling so there is no need to be reimbursed or cover a charge. A counselee may wish, however, to submit a claim on their own for the charges for intensive counseling which is done by our staff when counseling exceeds a normal level of pastoral care.
Resolution of Conflicts –
On rare occasions, a conflict may develop between a counselor and a counselee. In order to make sure that any such conflicts are resolved in a biblical manner, we require all of our counselees to agree that any dispute that arises with a counselor or with Hickory Bible Church staff as a result of counseling will be settled by mediation under the leadership of HBC. We will make every effort to resolve conflict in a manner according to the principles of scripture.
Communication and Community –
At Hickory Bible Church we desire to grow in caring for those in our flock who are hurting. It is imperative to our mission and your long-term care that we stay in consistent and regular communication with the leadership of Hickory Bible Church (Lifegroup & Flock Leaders and Pastoral Staff) and/or the person you have designated/chosen as your advocate.
This document gives us permission to do Biblical Counseling, and permission to discuss the necessary information in regard to your situation with the appropriate and concerned parties in accordance with the confidentiality guidelines explained in the Confidentiality and Privilege Waiver, found on the final page of this Biblical Counseling Packet.
As part of our mission to train and equip others for soul care, we may have counselor(s)-in- training participate in the counseling with us. If that makes you uncomfortable, please let us know at the time you submit your application.
Having clarified the principles and policies of our counseling ministry, we welcome the opportunity to minister to you in the name of Christ. We desire to be used by God as He helps you to grow in spiritual maturity and prepares you for usefulness in His body. If these guidelines are acceptable to you, please sign below.
I have read, understood, and agree to the information above, entitled "Biblical Counseling Information / Consent to Counsel / Authorization to Request/Release Information."
Advocacy
The next step in Biblical Counseling involves bringing in an advocate to walk alongside of you during this time. Simply put, an advocate is someone who loves God, loves God's Word, and loves and cares about you. The addition of a trusted friend, Lifegroup member, or mentor has shown to increase the effectiveness of counseling significantly. They will walk alongside you through the counseling process and continue to help you after the counseling is over. Ideally the person is part of your day-to-day community, attends church at HBC, and can receive an endorsement from leaders at Hickory Bible Church. Before giving us information on who you will be contacting to serve as your advocate, please take some time to read through the following information to gain a better understanding of what we mean by advocacy.
The Vital Role of an Advocate
• It’s a privilege to be an advocate and stand in the gap for your friend or loved one during their time of need (Proverbs 17:17).
• One does not need extensive counseling training or schooling to be an advocate (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).
• Mutual ministry encourages growth in everyone involved (Hebrews 3:12-13).
• It’s God’s design to counsel in community (Galatians 6:1-2).
Responsibilities of an Advocate During Counseling
During the time as advocate, people will have a variety of opportunities to learn, grow and serve. Below are some specific ways in which we will ask the advocate to serve.
• Offer intercessory prayer (Romans 12:11-12, Jeremiah 33:3).
• Provide insights and perspective for the counselor (Proverbs 18:17).
• Witness to what God is doing (Mark 2:1-12, 2 Timothy 2:24-26).
• Help the counselee apply what they are learning in-between sessions (Galatians 6:1-2).
• Become a bridge for the counselee to get connected back into community (Hebrews 3:12-13).
• Decrease loneliness and isolation of the counselee (Proverbs 18:1, Hebrews 10:24-25).
• Stand as an ambassador for Biblical Soul Care (2 Corinthians 1:3-5 and 5:14-21).
Benefits to the Counselee
• Hope and help as a friend who walks through the valley.
• Continuity of counseling and help to the counselee throughout the weeks.
• Help communicate greater context, to bring to remembrance key issues and/or remind them of truth gained while in counseling.
• Freedom to be attentive without the need to capture every detail.
Benefits to the Advocate
• Deeper insight into the life of the person they love.
• Weekly direction for conversation and accountability.
• Opportunity to ask questions and receive insight.
• Opportunity to fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:1-2).
• Practical way to apply the “one another’s” of Scripture.
• Opportunity for further training / equipping.
• Personal growth in closing the gaps between knowing Scripture and living it.
Benefits to the Counselor
• Another perspective into life of the counselee.
• Built-in accountability for homework and application.
• Validation or clarification of heart issues.
• Help assimilating into the regular flow of discipleship at Hickory Bible Church.
Benefits to the Local Church
• A person is trained to support a body member in a short period of time.
• Creates a support network for Pastors and ministry leaders.
• Built-in accountability for the church’s counseling ministry.
• A testimony of love and commitment to one another and a watching world.
• Creates a culture of obedience to the 40+ “one another’s” of Scripture.
I have read, understood, and agree to the information below, entitled “Advocacy.”
1. Write your testimony. Include what your life was like before knowing Christ and how things changed after you accepted Christ.
2. Describe your spiritual journey. How has your walk with Christ been? How have you struggled? What victories have you seen?
Years of Age: 0-12
Confidentiality and Privilege Waiver
Information regarding a counselee will be handled with a high level of care. We will carefully protect information entrusted by a counselee to a counselor, through Biblical Counseling. However, in certain cases it may be of the best interest of the counselee and in the protection of others for a counselor to share information with appropriate persons (such as other counselors, life group leaders, flock leaders, elders, and/or pastoral staff.)
Additionally, if they are members of the church, counselees have submitted to elder discipline, which may require, as a last resort, to bring disciplinary matters before the members of Hickory Bible Church, requiring limited disclosure of essential information for the purposes of church discipline. (See Matthew 18:15-20).
Certain situations may arise where it would be necessary to share information with others outside of the church, including by not limited to mental health professionals, such as but not limited to: when there is a clear indication of harm to self or someone else; or when there is evidence or reasonable suspicion of abuse against a minor child, elderly person, person of disability, or dependent adult. Counselors will use careful discernment in determining how and when to share the information exchanged during Biblical Soul Care.
Counselors will make every effort to be sensitive to your situation and protect your confidentiality. Counselors prefer not to disclose any personal information to others, and will do so only if necessity arises. We will strive to help you resolve the difficult situations you are experiencing as discretely as possible. Please carefully read the acknowledgments and waiver, and sign below.
I acknowledge and understand that the counselor or counselors may disclose information I provide to other counselors, life group leaders, flock leaders, elders, pastoral staff, and/or appropriate governmental authorities as needed, including but not limited to responding to a legal summons and testifying in court proceedings.
I acknowledge and agree that Hickory Bible Church counselors, staff, and elders will not be held liable for any disclosure of information.
I agree to waive any claim to privilege. Based on this waiver I understand that the pastor/counselor has no legal grounds for withholding information, and that the pastor/counselor must disclose information obtained during Biblical Counseling upon proper request.
