How to Become a Christian Counselor

To become a Christian counselor, you must proceed through various discrete steps. The process is critical to understand as variations can exist from state to state. The steps to become a Christian psychologist or counselor include:

Step 1 – Research Bible Colleges & Courses

The first order of business for soon-to-be Christian counselors is to find applicable schools. Locating accredited bible colleges or Christian affiliated schools will require you to analyze which schools fit your goals and academic orientation. To help kickstart this process, our team recommends reading our college admissions guide and resource guide to getting into your top college.

Efficiently find accredited bible colleges and degrees in counseling by using the resources on this page or by using our proprietary matching portal or online degree matching tools. Each provide students with key data such as cost, degree programs, admission requirements, financial aid trends, and student services.

Step 2 – Apply to College Programs

After collecting admissions information from your top colleges, you will need to apply to schools with Christian counseling degree programs. Your college application must be complete and uniquely describe you as an individual. Make sure to discuss your extracurricular activities, work experiences, and passion to help others to stand out from other qualified applicants.

Step 3 – Complete Christian Counseling Degrees

After deciding on your top college, you attend the schools orientation and register for classes in the Christian counseling or Christian psychology track. Bachelor degree programs in biblical counseling are typically 4-year degree programs while masters Christian counseling degrees are an additional 2-3 years and PhD degree programs are yet another 4-6 years of matriculation after meeting all lower-level requirements.

Step 4 – Graduate, Exams, Certification, & Work

Upon graduating from an accredited college or university with a degree in Christian counseling or Christian psychology, you will need to likely obtain around two years of supervised clinical work experience as dictated by your state of residence. After meeting the required hours of work experience for your state, you will be eligible to sit for any state-based examination. Once you have successfully passed your state examination, you can apply for licensure to work directly with clients and patients.

Top Courses and Degrees in Christian Counseling

There are a number of degree options in the Christian counseling and Christian psychologist domain for you to consider. The degree program best for you will depend on your career aspirations and job prospects unique to you. As stated above, earning a quality degree in counseling is only the beginning of the journey. The degree is simply a starting point in your counseling journey. Degree programs must be followed by continual learning and certifications. An overview of the degree and certificate programs in biblical counseling are listed below:

Certificate Programs for Christian Counselors

The bulk of certificate programs in Christian counseling are designed to add areas of specialization to your toolbox. As an example, if you already have a qualifying degree in mental health counseling and would like to work in a school setting helping students, you may need to obtain a certificate in school counseling prior to applying for jobs. Certificates allow professional counselors to upskill or prepare for vocational changes through educational means.

Christian Counseling Bachelor’s Degrees

Online bachelor's degrees in Christian counseling are 4-year degree programs and can be found in a schools course catalog as a Bachelor of Science (BS) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) depending on the emphasis of the program and curriculum. Courses in the bachelor degree program will typically include classes with a Christian perspective in general psychology, developmental psychology, behavior modification, multicultural counseling, abnormal psychology, and Christian psychology.

Master Christian Counseling Program

An online masters degree in Christian counseling is a one to two-year program conferred as a Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MS) depending on the program contents and curricular emphasis of the program. Online master degrees will eventually surpass the popularity of the campus degree counseling program based on our latest research. An affordable online master degree is appealing for high school students and working professionals.

Classes at the masters degree level help students delve deeper into the research, science, and psychological aspects of a traditional counselors from a Christian perspective. Onside or online masters degree-level classes may include upper-level courses in research methods and statistics in psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, and an approved thesis project.

Students will need to prepare to meeting licensure requirements during matriculation or after degree completion prior to practicing in the counseling field.

PhD Christian Counseling Degrees

The doctorate degree Christian counseling is conferred as a Doctor of Education (EdD) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) depending on the colleges curricular design. In either case, the PhD and EdD degrees are known as a terminal degreeas no degrees exist beyond the doctorate level.

Students will take a variety of upper-level classes within an area of specialty that may include classes such as: treatment of addictive behaviors, abnormal psychology, statistics and research, family development, marriage counseling, trauma counseling, pastoral counseling, growth and development, crisis counseling, and a board-approved dissertation.

Doctorate level degree programs will take four to six-years to complete with the planning, research, writing, and dissertation defense consuming a substantive portion of the program.

Biblical Counseling Requirements

Individuals seeking this career path will typically complete seminary and pursue a master's level education to further their education. As part of the education requirements for counselors, individuals will work under the supervision of qualified professionals in order to obtain the necessary number of practical hours to complete a given program. Individuals will learn to provide various forms of counseling and assistance as part of their work and study, eventually earning credentials and obtaining the licensure necessary to work as a professional.

A curriculum may include:

• Psychology
• Principles of Counseling Psychology
• Counseling Methods
• Marriage Counseling
• Clinical Psychology
• Theology
• Family Therapy
• Ministry

Christian Counseling Graduate Careers

There are a number of areas of specialization a graduate can consider as a career in Christian counseling or Christian psychology. The list below represents a cross-section of different areas of emphasis and types of Christian counseling students may employ. The top areas of specialization for counselors with specific Christian training include:

• Rehabilitation Counseling: Rehabilitation counselors helps clients with a mental, emotional, and physical disabilities to help them achieve their personal and professional goals on a path towards independence.
• Mental Health Counseling: Christian counselors working in the mental health sector employ a variety of techniques and mechanisms to help others cope with a variety of clinical and pathological issues. As one of the fastest growing segments in counseling, a mental health counseling graduate will continue to gain popularity as training efficacy takes shape.
• Substance Abuse Counseling: A substance abuse counselor work to help patients grapple with drug, alcohol, gambling, food, or sex addictions. Through counseling, patients can establish healthy patterns of behavior and help to avoid relapse.
• Marriage & Family Counseling: Christian family counseling and marriage counselors graduate will engage with families and couples for a variety of reasons to ensure harmony, effective communication, or parenting advice consistent with the Christian faith.
• Career and Guidance Counseling: A Christian career counselor or Christian guidance counselor graduate will help students cope with the demands of school, self-esteem issues, bullying, disabilities, social anxiety, academic issues, and conflict at home.
• Debt Counseling: A Christian counselor focused on finances work to improve or modify behavior and attitudes towards money. Time will frequently be spent discussing debt and the emotional effects of debt.
• Child Development Counseling: A Christian counselor or Christian psychologist focused on the healthy development of children can be another popular specialty. A counseling graduate is professionals work to understand personal and environmental variables to best support children and their overall development.
• Music & Art Therapy Counseling: Both music therapy counseling and art therapy counseling graduates can be employed as an area of specialization within Christian counseling. Professional counselors can leverage the multitude of benefits associated with art and/or music to enhance overall well-being, reduce stress, and allow clients to freely express themselves through art.
• Grief Counseling: A grief counselor trained in the Christian faith will help individuals and families cope with grief and loss of many types. Grief counselors are a calming presence, great listeners, and chart a path towards effectively coping with grief.

National Christian Counseling

A counseling program from a Christian perspective begins with biblical doctrine. Students with a Christian belief system learn specific counseling techniques from accredited schools to earn a counseling degree via targeted courses from Christian schools. Counseling others is valuable in and of itself as assisting others is what many of us attempt to do outside of counseling or biblical dogma. A graduate from targeted counseling schools can earn a valuable degree and learn to become effective Christian counselors.

Christian Counseling Program

The counseling degree is just the start of a counseling career as a Christian believer. In fact, a college graduate for a counselor is simply the beginning. Biblical scholars and secular counselors can graduate from similar degree programs from the same schools with differing career paths. A professional counselor will take academic teachings from schools they attended and ply their degree in varying counseling domains after they graduate. Christian counselors will continue to take professional courses after they graduate. State and local regulations may dictate a few continuing education courses or an additional degree in counseling to fulfill counselor requirements. Schools within each state or county adapt degree content to meet the counseling minimums for a counselor to successfully practice supportive counseling Christian activities.

Programs for Christian Counselors

Certification and degree requirements will change as schools modify Christian philosophy is integrated deeply into a counseling trade. Expect changes in mental health counseling, child development counseling, grief counseling, and substance abuse counseling. We also expect the roles of a Christian professional counselor to evolve for an art therapy counselor, music therapy counselor, guidance counselor, marriage counselor, career counselor, and rehabilitation counselor.

In person counseling will be partially replaced with online counseling and schools will flex degree programs to meet this changing demand for graduate students. Christian curriculum and Christian schools have continued to thrive during the pandemic as the need has escalated for Christian believers and those that prescribe to non Christian teachings. Graduate students from these programs have degree options to pursue graduate degree paths from Christian schools as well as degree options from secular schools.

Online Christian Counseling Jobs

Individuals studying in the field will generally work out of local churches, organizations or ministries as part of the services provided by that location. Individuals may serve as youth ministers, pastors, ministers, or provide other religious leadership as part of their duties or work solely to provide counseling. In addition, we have seen a surge in online Christian focused counseling jobs to help serve community members more effectively. The online counseling programs share many of the same attributes with in-person counseling without the physical transportation demands.

Individuals will have to obtain licensing from their given state, which generally requires work hours, testing and the payment of fees. Additionally, renewal of such licenses may be required on a regular basis.

Christian Counseling Salary & Job Outlook

Individuals in this field earn on average about $51,000 annually. The salary typically includes services provided by the individual and may increase depending on other roles the individual may take within an organization or location. Such salaries generally reflect local cost of living, and as a result may increase for individuals working in more expensive or populous areas.

Christian Counseling Programs: Resources

Individuals interested in this field may also consider careers in urban ministry, women's ministry, theology, or youth ministry. The American Association of Christian Counseling (AACC) and the Association of Biblical Counseling (ABC) are national organizations that may be beneficial to research further. Associations help provide education, insights, tools, and resources for professional counselors who eschew Christian philosophies across the country.