Criswell takes integrative approach to counseling

DALLAS—Medical doctor and psychiatrist David Livingstone Henderson believes there are three keys to the practice of biblical counseling: a biblical foundation of truth, a grounding in the sciences of human behavior—how mind and body function, and a growing compassion for the hurting and suffering.

For just over a year, Henderson has been the department chair of biblical counseling at Criswell College while also keeping a private practice in Dallas. Prior to joining the Criswell faculty, Henderson practiced psychiatry at the Meier Clinic in Dallas from July 2008 until March 2010. While there, he co-authored a book with best-selling author and clinic founder Paul Meier: “Finding Purpose Beyond our Pain: Uncover the hidden potential in life’s most common struggles” (Thomas Nelson).  

Henderson grew up in a strong family of faith. He was named after famed missionary and explorer David Livingstone, a legacy that somewhat influenced Henderson. Early in his life he recalls having preached open-air sermons in New York’s Time Square among other public places, and he was encouraged as a youth to become a pastor.  

Though his pastoral traits were strong, he had always dreamed of going into medicine and earned his doctor of medicine credentials before completing his general psychiatry residency in 2008. As a doctor, Henderson says he is able to help people with physical illness, but as a “Christian” psychiatrist, he is also able to serve people in all areas of ‘disease’—mental, emotional, physical and spiritual.

Henderson acknowledges that his faith was challenged during his psychiatric residency, causing him to grapple with what it means to be not just a psychiatrist, but a Christian psychiatrist.  

As an example of the difference, he said, “As a psychiatrist, my calling is to relieve suffering. But as a Christian, that is not my highest calling. Our highest calling is to live, serve, obey, and worship Christ and suffering enables us to grow in that.” Helping counseling students understand such issues from a biblical stance is one of Henderson’s priorities at Criswell.  

He said Criswell College began offering counseling coursework in the 1980s to train ministers, pastors, and missionaries on handling the emotional struggles people have. June Hunt, who founded the Plano-based national radio ministry known as Hope for the Heart, provided the funding for a full-time faculty member to chair the counseling program.

Criswell offers a master of arts in counseling as well as a bachelor of biblical studies in which students may choose to minor in counseling. According to the school’s catalog, the master’s program is “designed to prepare students for counseling individuals, couples, and families from a Christian worldview.”  

A non-licensure track requires 36 hours of coursework as compared to the 48-hour licensure track that prepares students for the exams necessary to become licensed professional counselors (LPC).

“Pursuing licensure gives you credibility to practice in a secular environment where opportunities to counsel and minister abound,” Henderson said. “Just like missionaries in the 10/40 window—you cannot go some places without having the credentials to validate your training. Most hospitals, clinics, treatment centers and other facilities require these credentials to work.” 

Licensure is granted in Texas by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and those seeking the LPC credential agree to a certain set of ethics, Henderson explained. As for establishing a Christian counseling practice, Henderson said if you are in private practice, there are no laws against advertising yourself as a Christian counselor. Where it may become a problem is if you work under the authority of a secular organization like a hospital, he said. 

Even so, the major ethical issue is “informed consent,” Henderson said, adding, “The client needs to understand what it is you plan to do with them in therapy—your goals, your focus, your style and techniques—and they must consent to it before you proceed.”

Explaining his approach, Henderson added, “If I am going to share Scripture with clients, I might say, ‘As a Christian, I believe there are some biblical principles that might help you with your problem. Would it be alright if I share them with you?’ If they say, ‘No,’ I could either try to force it on them—not even Jesus did this—I could refuse to treat them further, which would ruin any opportunity I might have to impact their lives, or I could meet them where they are, explore their resistance, and continue to gain their trust so that in the future they might be more open to what I have to say.”

Henderson believes the last solution is the most compassionate and caring option.

Under Henderson’s direction, Criswell’s program seeks to provide counseling students with three foundational layers as the basis for ministry.

The first layer is to develop a foundation of biblical truth for the Criswell students. 

“If you don’t have that underlying foundation, there are a lot of [counseling] theories that sound good and may actually work, but that discount the Word of God as ultimate truth,” he said. 

By being grounded in biblical principles, Criswell College encourages students to filter other theories and concepts through the authoritative truth of Scripture.

“The first and foremost piece of knowledge to impart [to students] is the fact that we are sinners, we need a Savior, and we need to be forgiven. We want to help students understand that, and understand how to impart that knowledge to others,” Henderson said in a chapel address archived at criswell.edu. 

Second, Henderson said that a solid understanding of human behavior in answering “why we do what we do” will enable students to excel in their ability to help others grow deeper relationships with Christ and with other people.  
“The brain is a physical organ just like a heart, and things can go wrong with it. Some emotional problems may not necessarily be a direct spiritual issue. When we counsel it is important to take that into account,” Henderson stated. 
He credits modern science with providing studies of the mind and body that can help explain why individuals act, think and feel in certain ways.

As a medical doctor and psychiatrist, Henderson said “some suffering comes from an underlying biological condition. We have medications that can help certain people improve their quality of life. We do our community a disservice if we ignore these potential tools in our efforts to restore mental health.”

At Criswell College counseling students are trained to recognize signs of possible biological disorders in order to refer them to the proper experts for further diagnosis. 

The third area of focus in preparing Criswell students to counsel biblically is one that Henderson confesses can be challenging, but one he believes is essential to a true helping ministry that shows compassion for those who are hurting and suffering. 

“It is easy to prescribe medications, psychological techniques, and yes, even Bible verses to those who are suffering. It is far more difficult to show compassion to those who are in pain, but that is what we are called to do. That is the mark of a true Christian counselor,” he said.

Incorporating all of these facets, Henderson refers to the Criswell program as an “integrative” approach to counseling.  
He said, “In an integrative approach, we believe that all Scripture is true, that all men are in need of a Savior, and that the Bible is the ultimate source for spiritual restoration. Science, however, is also God-given and we can learn a great deal about human behavior from studying commonalities in our thoughts, our emotions and our behaviors. We seek to integrate these in order to help hurting individuals find healing—physically, mentally and spiritually.” 

He said he believes there are many theories of counseling consistent with biblical truth to serve a Christian counselor well in reaching people.

Using this approach to biblical counseling, Henderson said the Christian therapist’s role is to walk with clients through their struggle, teach them to explore their thoughts, emotions and behaviors in order to gain better insight that will lead to lasting change.

Agreeing that true regeneration and sanctification cannot occur apart from the work of the client in partnership with the Holy Spirit, he also notes that “Many non-believers can use a decision of the will to change their behavior, thoughts, or the way they respond to their emotions. If you, as a Christian counselor, can help them to do this, they may be willing to listen to what you have to say about their spiritual conditions as well,” he added, recalling that Jesus often addressed the physical, day-to-day problems of people before dealing with more important eternal questions in their lives. 
“We have the opportunity to do the same if we will be patient and pray.”