Meseron Therapy and Christian Counselling: A Synergy

Abstract

Christian Counselling (CC) is the practice of talking with individuals, couples, and families to increase their understanding of emotional and religious conflicts and to help resolve problems using Christian religious injunctions and other related resources. Meseron Therapy (MT) was developed in accordance with the Nigerian belief in the power, potency and meaning of spoken words and its consequences. MT entails rejecting negativities and accepting the positives, with the techniques of MT reflecting a cognitive orientation. MT and CC approaches have several common grounds. The basic assumptions of MT such as the power of the spoken words to sensitize action, the ignition of man's inherent potential for change, replacement of a negative status quo with constructive actions and the view of man as a striving creature all have Biblical support. Also, MT's views on human nature and the causes of psychological disturbance agree with Christian teachings and beliefs. Application of Meseron therapeutic techniques and procedures to CC can be done by using Biblical teachings to enable clients sustain good health, encouraging the good use of endowments, assisting client in mental restructuring through motivation to strive, building and encouraging possibility thinking, enabling the clients to reject distractions from goal accomplishments and getting clients to say it right and synergize their thoughts, words and actions.