Larry Crabb is an interesting case study within the Christian Counseling movement. Crabb's chronic fascination with the unseen forces at work in people not only prompted him to earn a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, but also eventually drove him into spiritual direction—deeper yet into the human soul. He turned his back on diagnostic counseling methods in order to care for people's souls in an unpredictable, unprofessional, fickle, and, in his opinion, most useful context: caring relationships. He now believes that there's no better psychotherapy than friendships fashioned after the everlasting friendship between Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. In this Christianity Today article, Crabb talks about his shift in focus and his passion for the soul of man.
I couldn't agree more about the importance of friendships fashioned after the friendship of the Trinity, and the healing that comes through it. Being part of community is part of that I think. It's a really beautiful thing, though sadly, it seems difficult to find now days in the church.
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