Nouthetical counseling is a phrase coined by Dr. Jay Adams after much study and experience providing therapy as a Christian minister. Although the Greek word ‘nouthetical’ has fallen out of use and has been replaced by the simpler term, ‘biblical’, Dr. Adams preferred the former word because he states in his book, Competent to Counsel, that, to him, there is not a good English translation for its meaning. Noutheteó is entry number 3560 in Strong’s concordance, and it means to admonish or exhort.
Original Word: νουθετέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: noutheteó
Phonetic Spelling: (noo-thet-eh’-o)
Definition: to admonish, exhort
Usage: I admonish, warn, counsel, exhort.
Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish [νουθετεῖν (nouthetein)] one another. ~Romans 15:14
Nouthetical counseling differs from secular counseling modalities because it seeks to speak the truth in love and to help guide the person back onto the right path of God which is made clear to us in the Bible. It also contradicts classic and modern theorists and theories about mental and psychiatric illness because it reminds us we are born sinful, that we are all sinners, that we need to repent for our sins, and that sin can cause physical and spiritual illness (and death). Instead of Sigmund Freud, we should look to the Apostle Paul for elucidation into a cause for illness; instead of Carl Rogers, we should read James the Just for how to help someone who is ailing; and instead of a clinical psychiatrist, we should call upon Jesus to heal those who are sick.
As a new nurse practitioner, it is incumbent on me to work within my Christian worldview while still adhering to the standards of practice for my licensure and certification. This is quite a challenging task because there is very little ‘God’ in western medicine. As I forge my way ahead in my new role as a healer of God, I must make a path that provides a safe passage for someone to be truly healed, and for God to receive the glory. This cannot just involve taking a history, doing a physical exam, and writing a prescription for a pharmaceutical drug. I realize that to truly follow my God-given calling, I must first and foremost create a sacred space for someone to relate their physical and mental health issues, confess any sins to me if need be, pray over them, anoint them with oil, and follow up frequently as to whether they were healed. I cannot do this over text, via telehealth, or in a sterile setting. To be a healer of The Way I must follow the examples of Jesus and the saints who came before me.
Thankfully, over the years with God’s leading, I have accumulated resources and knowledge that rely on Christian beliefs and ways. These include mindfulness, meditation, preparation, sanctification, confession, prayer, therapeutic listening, gentle rebuke, essential oils, speaking in tongues, miraculous healing, and traditions reminiscent of the early church. I have to find a way to fuse these with modern medicine, tests, referrals, and pharmaceuticals when needed, with the overarching goal of primum non nocere– first, do no harm.
What a mission God has entrusted to me, the healing of His people. I am so blessed. ❤
~Song of Mary~ 