Family Counseling Archives | Longview Christian Counseling

A Day in the Life of Family Counselors – What Faith-Based Mental Health Support Should Look Like

A Day in the Life of Family Counselors – What Faith-Based Mental Health Support Should Look Like

Grace Mavindidze2026-06-30T06:01:59+00:00June 30th, 2026|Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Faith and family are two of the strongest anchors in life. When either one feels hard, the impact can ripple through every part of a person’s world. Family counselors step into this space with compassion, wisdom, and practical tools to help restore peace. If you’re considering a career in faith-based counseling, understanding what a day in the life of a family counselor looks like can provide clarity and encouragement. We’ve prepared a great guide for you to have a glimpse into what this can and should look like with the right support system. Morning: Preparing the Heart and Mind A family counselor’s day needs to begin long before the first session. Many counselors start with prayer, Scripture reading, or quiet reflection to center themselves. This spiritual grounding is not just personal; it sets the tone for the work ahead. Families arrive carrying burdens, and a counselor’s ability to listen with patience and respond with wisdom depends on being spiritually prepared. Administrative tasks also fill the morning: reviewing case notes, preparing resources, and coordinating schedules. In a faith-based practice, counselors also get time to align therapeutic approaches with biblical principles, ensuring that the guidance they provide integrates both professional expertise and spiritual truth. Midday: Meeting Families Where They Are Sessions with families should always be the heart of the counselor’s work. Each meeting is different, shaped by the unique dynamics of the family. Some sessions focus on communication breakdowns between parents and children. Others address marital strain, grief, or the impact of external stressors like financial hardship or health challenges. Faith-based family counselors bring a distinctive perspective to these conversations. They don’t just address surface-level conflict; they help families explore deeper questions of purpose, forgiveness, and resilience. Prayer, Scripture, and spiritual encouragement may be woven into sessions alongside evidence-based therapeutic [...]

How to Advocate for Your Child’s Needs in School

Kate Motaung2024-11-27T12:54:28+00:00August 16th, 2024|Christian Counseling for Children, Christian Counseling For Teens, Family Counseling, Featured|

Parents and guardians play a crucial role in ensuring the success of their child, in life, and specifically, in school. If you have a child with a learning disability, psychiatric difficulty, or history of trauma, they may benefit from extra assistance at school, and you will need to advocate for your child's needs. As knowledge and awareness about children’s mental health increases, schools are improving at meeting the needs of these students, integrating and facilitating the best learning experience for them. However, parents may need to advocate for their child. What falls under the disability umbrella? Learning disabilities vary and can also be impacted by other conditions such as ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Children on the autism spectrum may have high intelligence in one area but struggle in others. This list outlines some of the more common learning disabilities. Dyslexia A learning disability that makes reading and decoding what was read difficult. Dyscalculia A learning disability that makes understanding numbers and math difficult. Dysgraphia A neurological condition that makes it difficult to write. Dyspraxia A neurological condition that affects fine and gross motor skills. Dysphasia/Aphasia A condition that makes speech and language difficult. Auditory processing disorder A condition that makes it difficult to hear differences in sounds. Visual processing disorder A condition in which the brain has difficulty interpreting visual information. Figuring out your child’s struggles so you can advocate for your child's needs may take time, requiring testing and a diagnosis by a speech or occupational therapist. You may need a referral from your child’s pediatrician to get a diagnosis. Once you have it, though, it will be easier to start the process of getting an IEP or 504 plan. What is an IEP and a 504 plan? A 504 plan is a list of [...]

How to Communicate Better with Teens

Kate Motaung2024-11-27T12:54:53+00:00June 12th, 2024|Christian Counseling For Teens, Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Teens can be tricky to communicate with at the best of times, especially when they are putting up walls and determining their boundaries. They need the space to find their identity and gain independence, but they also need support, love, and assurance from their parents, even if they can’t express that need. How do we communicate better and connect with our teens when it feels like so much space has come between us? Teenage needs Many teenagers focus on winning approval from peers and determining their values individually and independently from family expectations. This could mean that they start taking part in risky behaviors, which might include things like becoming sexually active and trying substances for the first time. Many parents fear losing control of their kids in this way and naturally worry about their teens’ future. To regain control, they might resort to lecturing, warning, grounding, and other disciplinary measures. Unfortunately, disciplinary measures like this tend to create more distance between teens and parents, leaving the teens in a more vulnerable state than before. Teens want to be seen as mature even when they don’t behave that way. They want their preferences paid attention to and their voices heard. They need someone who will try to understand them, from a place of curiosity and non-judgment. This can be a challenge for controlling parents who believe they are privileged to every bit of information regarding their kids. The truth is, as teens begin to age, things like privacy and space are healthy for their development. Communicate better by being curious, not critical Teenagers feel valued when you observe their world, but don’t try to fit yourself into it. Communicating with teens often means finding the balance between keeping a distance and holding them close. A productive approach will require [...]

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