In this chapter, Tan discusses the code of ethics specifically for Christian therapists. He mentions the major categories that therapists must focus on are attitudes, knowledge, and skills. Specifically, it is culture, self-awareness, spiritual development, communication, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment (Tan, 2022, p. 450). It seems like the Christian therapist should consistently keep in mind the client’s religious views and set therapeutic goals that are up to the client, without the therapist’s influence. The Christian therapist's unintentional motivation and passion for Christianity and assisting clients to grow spiritually can backfire if the therapist is not careful to influence the client. That being said, the therapist should always …show more content…
451). To further sum up the main idea, the number one golden rule is to love the client as yourself, sharing agape love (Tan, 2022, p. 452). This all comes back to the bible verse, “to love our neighbors as ourselves” (Mark 12:31) which is found repeatedly in the textbook to emphasize the connection and bond formed between therapist and client. Another way Christian therapists share this love is to avoid “disregarding” the time with the client by not having any distractions as the client should feel cared for and important (Tan, 2022, p. 451). Melissa Utz Ma, an LPCC (2019), stated that she talked to her supervisor about how much she loves her clients and her supervisor said, “Good. You have to love your clients. You simply have to”. Therapist Christine Hutchison (2016) tells us, “The therapy room is a practice room, and the thing we practice most consistently is the feeling and the skills of loving” (Utz-Ma, 2019). Utz-Ma then made a great statement, that agape love is what therapists use to dive deep into the client’s healing from trauma that may be difficult to endure with them at