Struggles?

Everyone struggles with guilt, shame, worry, doubt, depression, anxiety, fear, or addiction.  What if you could exchange that life for one of freedom, joy, peace, and victory?  You interested?  

There is a common thread running through the lives of everyone: rejection.  Whether this rejection is open, subtle, verbal, physical, etc., everyone has been affected by rejection.  At GFI, we define rejection as “the absence of meaningful love.”  Dr. Solomon wrote, “Being rejected does not mean there is no love involved but that, for one reason or another, it is not fulfilling or edifying love.  The result of rejection is usually the impaired ability to give and receive love.”  So, rejection affects how we live life and how we interact with others. 

It is not just rejection that has shaped our lives but also identity.  Most people think of themselves by what they do, what others think or say about them, or how they believe themselves to be.  This false view of identity is based on things, money, people, power, accomplishments, or lack of them.

GFI counseling focuses on overcoming rejection and finding true Christ-centered identity through reckoning by faith the truths of Scripture.  We counsel people to see that our identity is based on who we are in Christ, and it is to be claimed by faith, not by works-ours or any other’s.  Dr. Solomon wrote, “We shed the trappings of the past by exchanging our fleshly identity for the Christ-life, by exchanging a life of defeat for a life of victory.”

Spirituotherapy

Our counseling model has been trademarked “Spirituotherapy.” In order to understand ourselves, we need to have a clear conception of how we are made up and how we function. Our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors derive from an identity that we may not have recognized, and our motivation for present actions and reactions is a function of that identity. Since we are, at the core, spiritual beings, it behooves us to know what our spiritual identity is and the influence that Spirit-given knowledge can have on our psychological and social functioning.

Spirituotherapy uses diagrams known as the wheel and the line. The wheel diagram is used to illustrate the difference between the self-life and Christ-life. All people have problems! In fact, Jesus Himself said, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:30). When troubles occur and self is in the center, then the trouble is viewed through a tornado of worry, fear, shame, doubt, feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacies. This destructive view leads us to react based on emotions and producing works of the flesh that leads to increased stress, depression, anxiety and even addiction. However, when Christ is our center, that same problem may occur but instead of looking at it through the lens of self, we look at it through the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5), the peace of Christ (Phil.4:6-7), and through the strength of Christ (Phil. 4:13).

Through this “exchange” view, there is a better response to the problem, and what springs forth is the Fruit of the Spirit. This Christ-view allows us to live victoriously as overcomers and not defeated by the problems of life.

The line diagram is used to depict our true, biblical, Christ-centered identity. This diagram shows how we have been placed in Christ, thus obtaining an eternal and victorious life in Christ. We were born into sin, but our old self (old man) was crucified on the cross, buried with Christ in the tomb, and we are raised as new creations in Christ!

Our counseling helps people to enter into something experientially that is already theirs positionally-the life of Christ. The difference it makes is that we cease trying to live for Him, to work for Him and to witness for Him in the energy of the flesh. Once we discover by revelation or, better, by illumination, that we have been crucified and raised to new life, we can now reckon this to be so and let Christ live and labor through us. This comes through daily surrender and trust.

Schedule a Counseling Session

You are welcome to inquire about Biblical counseling sessions:

Most counseling sessions last about one hour. Sessions are free but we welcome donations. (We do not charge fees or bill insurance. Suggested donations are $50 per session.) Along with counseling you will receive some resources that will continue to help you in your personal learning and growth. We encourage you to begin this process by ordering a copy of Handbook to Happiness by Dr. Charles Solomon (Tyndale House), which is available through GFI and elsewhere. Here is an article about this counseling model: The Doctor is IN.

Donations for counseling sessions can be made by calling GFI or online here. (Please specify the name of your Guide in the PayPal notes field.)

Download Counseling Documents:

Quotes from Dr. Solomon were taken from his book, “Handbook to Happiness” by Tyndale House.