CCC 27-3

CLINICAL PRACTICE

including the relationship between counselor and client and the Triune God. Factors related to the client’s God image should be identified and ex plicated in relation to the counseling goal. According to Counted (2015), believers form internal God images and develop God concepts that could be positive or negative. Positive intel lectual concepts (God is the creator), emotional images (Jesus loves me), and social expectations (God is the pillar of my strength wherever I go) may positively impact the interaction with a Christian counselor. However, this aspect needs to be explicated when a rupture in the counseling relationship occurs, leading to a deadlock. In the same vein, negative concepts or images of God (e.g., “God is totally distant,” “God does not care,” “God is cruel”) could negative ly impact the counseling relation ship, which could constitute one of the factors that lead to an impasse. This aspect also has to be explored and explicated. The goals of counseling should be revisited, and each party should define what progress and success mean (Werbart et al., 2022). Unre alistic goals should be explored and replaced by more realistic goals. For example, the expectation that prayer and fasting would result in finding a high-paying job within a very short period of time would be unrealistic. When it does not happen, feelings of disappointment should be expressed in relation to the impasse. The relevance of negative God im ages and concepts to the perceived distance in the counseling relation ship should be examined. When neg ative God images and concepts are paired with unrealistic goals, it could lead to unfulfilled needs and expec tations of closeness and connection. Second, unwelcome wishes and feelings in both parties should be ex plored. These feelings could include anger, guilt, shame, vulnerability, disappointment, frustration, tired ness, and being overwhelmed by the situation.

In Christian counseling, feelings of guilt, shame, or vulnerability could contribute to these symptoms and lead to an impasse. In order to resolve the deadlock, the causes of the impasse should be explored in terms of the interpersonal context and relationship with God. Instead of seeing it solely as a sign of resistance to change, counselors should also explore their own reactions and biases. They must set aside time to reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and behavior toward the client and become aware of their biases and potential judgmental attitudes toward certain clients. From a traditional psychoanalytical perspective of transference and countertransference in counseling, it is essential that counselors adopt a reflective stance on their reactions and contributions to the impasse. If an impasse is not addressed, clients will prematurely leave counseling. Strategies to Overcome Impasse Identifying and acknowledging an impasse or stalemate situation is the first step in overcoming the deadlock. The impasse has to be explored in terms of the goals of counseling, the interpersonal relationship between client and counselor, the relationship of both parties and God, and relevant Christian beliefs. A thorough and honest exploration is necessary for finding a solution to the impasse and progressing toward the goals of Christian counseling. Exploration of Impasse First, open-ended questions could be asked to determine the factors con tributing to the impasse. These factors should be shared by both parties and reflected upon. Each party has to describe their perspective of how the factors contributed to the impasse. The counseling relationship should be explored,

14 Christian Counseling Connection