Relationship Issues

Andrew’s Story, Part 1: A Missing Piece

Andrew had it all. Just about.Having just graduated from college, he looked forward to the transition from intern to employee. He had found a nice house to rent, actively participated in the ministry of his church, and was excited to see what life had in store for him.Everything seemed to be going right, except for the fact that he didn’t have any friends.

Andrew had been very focused on his studies in college and didn’t have time to make close friends. He also felt excluded at his church, where most people didn’t welcome his occasional doubts and uncomfortable questions. Instead they offered him shallow answers that did not really resolve his questions but rather left him feeling restless.He really needed a connection with people who understood him.

Can you relate to Andrew in any way? Is there something that hinders you from developing healthy relationships with other people? If so, then you’ve come to the right place! Spokane Christian Counseling can help you to understand why you struggle in this area, then offer practical tools to help you find and maintain the relationships you desire.

Discovering the barriers and hurdles to healthy relationships is the first step. There are many reasons that relationship issues can occur.Here are a few of the more common ones:

• Personal problems
• Past wounds
• Addictions
• Family of origin issues
• Low self-esteem
• Health concerns

This list is not exhaustive, as people wrestle with relationship issues for many reasons. Often it’s a simple matter of fear. In other cases, people raise walls between themselves and those around them because they have been hurt before. Whatever your own reasons may be, our counselors are here to help you work through your problems so that you can enjoy healthy relationships.

The Aims of Christian Counseling for Relationship Issues

How can Christian relationship counseling help you? If one of your goals is to develop solid, lasting relationships, this includes a number of facets:

• Learning how to build healthy relationships.
• Discovering how to find good friends and,conversely, how to be a good friend.
• Learning ways to nurture healthy family relationships.
• Discovering barriers in your life that are preventing you from forming close relationships.
• Finding healing for inner wounds and fears.
• Building a stronger connection with who you are in and with Christ.

Our lives are composed of a large number of relationships with friends, family, co-workers, spouses or romantic interests, fellow church members, God, and even with ourselves. No matter which of these or any other relationships you struggle with, let us help you by offering warm and sympathetic Christian relationship counseling.

Andrew’s Story, Part 2: Sound Advice

Of the handful of people Andrew really felt connected to, he was closest to his older brother, who regrettably lived some 1,200 miles away. During one of their weekly calls, his brother mentioned how concerned he was about the fact that Andrew was a loner who had always had trouble making friends. His brother was a family therapist, so he could offer some ideas about why that was. He recommended that Andrew consider Christian relationship counseling in order to find help from counselors who could offer a more objective view of his relationship issues than his own brother could.

At Spokane Christian Counseling, our desire is to see you develop satisfying relationships with friends and family and most of all, with the Lord Jesus Christ. To that end, we will help you work toward engaging in Christian fellowship, and building solid friendships, healthy family relationships, and fulfilling romantic relationships.

The Importance of Christian Fellowship

What comes to mind when you think of “fellowship”? Hopefully, you think of something more than just coffee-hour at church. Fellowship is the gathering together of like-minded people who strengthen and support each other spiritually as members of Christ’s universal Church.

Getting to know other believers over a meal and conversing about common interests is fine, but it’s also important to engage in solid Christ-centered discussion. The goal is to surround yourself with those who will build you up in the faith, rather than bringing you down. If you are new to the Spokane area and are looking for a solid church that will help you grow in your walk with God, we may be able to point you in the right direction.

Forming Solid Friendships

It can be difficult to form lasting, quality friendships, and you may be tempted to settle for less. However, superficial friendships will not prove satisfying. A good friend is honest, compassionate, there for you, and will ultimately accept you and build you up in the faith.

If you are unsure how to start building these kinds of friendships, we can help. We can help you discover the right kind of people with whom you can build lasting relationships and we can provide you with the tools to help maintain those relationships.

Raising Up Christian Families

While your home ought to be a place of peace, love, and safety, you may be feeling that it is not everything that it should be. You may be experiencing a lack of closeness to your loved ones, some sort of sharp conflict, or perhaps feel that your home needs more of the love of Christ.

At Spokane Christian Counseling, we can show you how to identify and overcome the barriers to achieving the kind of home life you desire. We will closely examine the way your family operates, finding ways to encourage the strengths and overcome the weaknesses.

Christian Dating

Many people are concerned about dating. Even with the best of intentions, it can be difficult to know what a relationship with Christ at the center is supposed to look like. Maybe, despite your best efforts,you’ve not been having success in this endeavor – but have you been able to identify why?

Do you have personal quirks that cause you to hold people at a distance? Are unsure what you want a relationship to look like? Do you wonder how to have dating relationships without opening yourself up to hurt or compromising your faith, morals, and Christian worldview? If any of these things are true of you, know that we are here to help you find the way through counseling and Biblical principles.

Andrew’s Story Part 3: Self Discovery

Andrew had always thought that relationship counseling was for people who have bad relationships, not no relationships.Hesitant as he was,Andrew decided to take his brother’s advice.Several sessions later, Andrew was glad he had listened to him.Christian counseling taught Andrew that there were reasons that he didn’t have close friendships, and those reasons were more related to his own inner defenses than a simple lack of time to put into relationship building.He and his brother had been raised in a dysfunctional home that was, at times, abusive, shaping Andrew into a person who did not easily trust others.He’d never realized that his cynicism about people’s motives caused him to invent reasons not to invest in deep relationships with them.He made the decision to put more time and effort into forming relationships at his church.To his surprise, he discovered that when he exerted the effort it was returned, and he began making real friendships.He even meta girl that he decided to pursue. Andrew could see many new experiences in his future and lots of great people with whom he could travel down the road of life.

Whatever your relationship issue, Spokane Christian Counseling can help you work through it.

How is Christian counseling different from secular counseling?

Christian counseling differs from secular counseling in that it seeks to help build healthy relationships by addressing the whole person, including the spiritual aspect. What secular counseling considers “normal” or “healthy” frequently does not align with a Christian worldview. Through faith in Christ and a foundation built on God’s Word, we offer a holistic approach to relationship counseling.

What type of Christian counselor do I need?

You will want to find a counselor who understands how relationships form, how they affect us, and how our behaviors and past relationships can and do affect the way we interact with others. You will also want someone with whom you feel comfortable. We encourage you to browse our online counselor profiles in order to find a counselor who best suits your needs.

Do I need marriage counseling or family counseling?

The answer to this question will depend on your particular needs. For some, individual counseling is enough to produce the results they are seeking.For others, family involvement is necessary. If you are unsure, your counselor can help you decide what is best during your initial session. Sometimes it is even helpful to augment marriage or family counseling with individual counseling.

If you have grown weary of unfulfilling relationships, distance from loved ones, or loneliness, seek help today.

To learn more about Christian counseling for relationship issues or to schedule your risk-free initial session, we welcome you to give us a call at (509) 209-8961 or contact us online.