The Soul: True Identity

What is true identity?

In an article, written by Dr. Jim Manganiello, titled “The Importance of Soul”, he discusses how a person’s well-being and overall health is associated to a person’s connection with his soul, which he describes as our real or essential identity that lies beyond our self-image-based surface identity.  Essentially, he encapsulates the soul as being the root of our identity.    

Manganiello states that if we merely focus on the surface of life and what he calls as our “family-based conditioned self-image”, we limit ourselves to live and act in accord with that identity verses living in accord with our souls.  That disconnection with one’s soul is demonstrated through “neurotic achievement”.  Manganiello describes this as one’s actions of seeking security and satisfaction through money, power, or any other superficial means.  Ultimately, this display of disconnection will lead to more stress and anxiety that results in one being more vulnerable to health problems and early death. 

You can find the article here

I believe that this is a valuable perspective and can be applied to Christian counseling. 

True Identity

Understanding that the “soul” or “true identity” of a person is defined in Christ, will help Christian counselors see past a person’s surface identity.  We will not be affective Christian counselors if we merely focus on changing a person’s “surface identity”.  Rather, in order to be affective Christian counselors, we must help people live in accord with their “true identity” that can only be found in Christ.  Anything else from that will only lead to false security and satisfaction. As Christian counselors, we are to guide our counselees to seek that security in Christ not in things of this world.          

Although we all have our identity in Christ, we were all given the freedom to choose to embrace it or to reject it.  If we so choose to reject it, instead of living freely, we will be bound to the limitations that we ourselves establish based on our surface identity. 

Living in accord with your identity in Christ will empower one to live with purpose, in certainty that his life has meaning because he was given a soul “your essential identity” that will persist beyond this world to be in union with God. 

Something We Can All Agree On (Hopefully)

The conversations in my head (yes, I talk to myself) since the last time we were together in class discussing the Bible, psychology, and Jay Adams, have not ceased.  I know each of us has our own thoughts and opinions about the Bible’s role in the arena of professional counseling.  Some may share the views of Adams.  Others can’t wait until Thursday’s exam is over so they can destroy this particular piece of literature.  When it comes to this subject, I believe it is important for each counselor-in-training to know what they believe and why they believe it.  I think all of us understand that this debate / argument will continue long after our own personal practice ceases to exist.  No matter what side of the fence we fall on in the debate, however, one thing we all can and should agree on is the importance of the spiritual well-being of the counselor.

All of us have multiple identities (no, I don’t mean split personalities).  You may be a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, a husband or a wife, a friend, a promising counselor or a practicing counselor. Whichever applies to you, your biggest and most important identity is as a child of God.  Your personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the stone in the water causing a rippling affect to all the other relationships and identities in your life.  All of us know how vital our training is when it comes to the counseling profession.  We know that people with serious problems, issues, and hurts will be coming to us for help and expecting us to fix them over a limited period of time.  I don’t know about you, but that scares and intimidates me (and people from West Virginia don’t scare easily).  We, as future counselors, have a tremendous responsibility to the counselee – and to ourselves, and to our families, and to God - to be spiritually healthy.  What might that look like?  God paints a perfect picture for us in Ephesians 6:10-18 – the Armor of God. Call me dramatic, but I fully believe that each session we have with a client serves as a unique battle.  As we prepare for each session / battle, we need to understand that being prepared is not limited to simply reviewing notes from the last session or doing research on the particular issue with which your client is dealing, although these are important, necessary, and responsible things to do. 

As I think about each counselee, I know my strength to help them is in the Lord and in His mighty power.  I am aware of how insufficient I am on my own, so I plan to put on the full armor of God, so that I can take my stand against Satan’s schemes – for my sake and for the sake of my counselee.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.   I will, as a responsible counselor therefore, put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes - when I feel discouraged, stressed, or ineffective, when I lose sight of why I felt called to counseling - I may be able to stand my ground, and after I have done everything - after I have studied, prayed, and used every resource I have to offer healing - to stand.  This is the biblical ground where we stand together as counselors - no matter which side of the fence we fall on.  

Cell Phones: An Extension of Self

In today's society cell phones are everywhere. A majority of this generation has a cell phone, and the role that cell phone plays in each person's life is usually a significant one. The cool thing about cell phones is that you can be in 4 places at once, having 4 separate conversations with 4 totally different people. (I picked 4 at random) Cell phones have evolved over the years so that they can be very personalized, and it is for that reason that a cell phone can be viewed as an extension of oneself.

Have you ever wondered why your parents get so upset with you when you bring your cell phone to the dinner table? Its because the way they view cell phones is so different than the way our generation does. To our parents, cell phones are an accessory, something that is not needed, but for a lot of us, we feel like a part of us is missing when we are not with our cell phones. We grew up in a technological age, and its for that reason we often times identify ourselves with our cell phones. We see our cell phones, as an extension of ourselves, without our phones we are incomplete, but doesn't that sound a bit funny?

In class we discuss the different part of our selves, the soul, spirit, heart, and the mind. The question I want to ask is, What part of ourselves do we put in our cell phones? Our cell phones are just tools, but for so many of us, a day without our cell phones causes much more stress than it should.