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LifeLine Crisis and Counseling Centers offer a free small group strategy that enables people to face life's struggles and move toward freedom and wholeness in Christ.
In these small group Christian settings, participants are asked to confront personal problems with assistance from peers and group facilitators, as well as provide and solicit constructive feedback regarding destructive behavior. We have found through experience that these small groups are highly effective in helping individuals discover and address the origins of their addictions.
Our focus is on single or recurrent problems that are overwhelming or traumatic. If a trauma or crisis is not resolved in a healthy Christian manner, the experience can lead to devastating social and medical problems. It is our goal to provide education, guidance and support. Our small group model is not a substitute for individuals who need and are not receiving intensive or long term psychiatric care. Our counseling model may involve outreach, work with in a community and is not limited to small group settings.
Creating necessary Christian structure.
It is our belief that in crisis intervention and counseling it is crucial to provide a Christian small group setting. The participants should be able to express, explore, examine and become active in ways that help insure the crisis is not prolonged. Each individual in crisis must discover the necessary activities and routines in life that can be used during times of distress that provide comfort and support. These do not include alcohol, medications or other drugs.
1. Education.
Most people can experience life long success provided they have the support, guidance and resources they need. The very heart of loving Christian counseling is to face our issues knowing that God is with us. In most cases, a crisis involves normal reactions, which are understandable, to an abnormal situation. We provide Christian information, activities and structure that will help participants recover and move past their current crisis. More importantly, Christian crisis counseling and discipleship will insure that more problems are not created in the participants life and the lives of others. Confrontation through information and discussion may be an important part of small group sessions.
2. Observation and awareness.
A counseling need in life can be the result of low self-awareness or not recognizing the impact our behavior has on others as well as the impact it has on ourself. Increasing awareness can lead to choices that promote recovery and wellness. An individual cannot recover if they cannot see their intrinsic value as God’s beloved child. In some cases, family dynamics can contribute to unresolved addiction issues.
3. Discovering and using our God given potential.
Every counseling moment represents an opportunity for personal growth in Christ. It is also an opportunity to help the participant discover their highest potential and true self. While small group support is important, it does not take the place of a relationship with God.
4. Recognizing and understanding.
It is the fundamental intention of all Christian counseling to help individuals discover who they are in Christ that they posses the resources and abilities to lead a successful life of victory. During any Christian counseling, it is important to recognize or discover our true and deepest intention is to see the individual restored to the life God first intended.
5. Challenging irrational beliefs and unrealistic expectations.
Few people, during times of crisis and tempatation have the necessary skills to fully examine what they are thinking. Our thoughts, especially the ones we don't examine, contribute a great deal to how we feel and what we do next in response to our feelings. The small group format is the ideal setting to explore and confront any preconceived ideas.
6. Breaking vicious cycles and addictive behavior.
Many crisis moments are the result of vicious cycles or addictions. For example, drug and alcohol use can not only destroy our life, but it will confuse how we actually feel about our self, others and the world around us. Perhaps the most egregious lie of drug use in that it is a means of escape, when it only increase the bondage.
7. Create Aftercare and Support.
During a crisis moment, it is often helpful to form brief relationships with others in order to gain support. Crisis counseling and intervention are very helpful and necessary. Unhealthy dependencies are long term and create increasing dependency rather than independency. As in everything our ultimate goal is to build dependence on the Lord so that individual may lead independent lives.
8. Facing fear and emotional pain.
A counseling moment can be a time of fear or sadness. How we respond is important. When we face the darkness in our lives we must first understand that we are not alone-The Lord is with us, always. We discover that we can survive anything as long as we look to Him. In time we discover that our pain will fade. Facing emotional pain is the most healthy response. When people suffer, it is important to help them feel less alone in the world. It is important to help people in crisis solve the problems in their life. People in emotional pain need to be empowered and supported. They must come to the realization that their ultimate security lies in their Christian identity.
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(866) 511-3951