FEBRUARY 2010
LETTER
 Dear Friends,
Based on the scientific
research, we have maintained for years that psychotherapy had achieved
what is called "functional autonomy." Functional autonomy occurs when
a practice or procedure continues after the evidence for its support is
gone. We have reported scientific evidence which indicates that,
when psychotherapy (counseling psychology) appears to work, the most
important factors for change are the counselee and the counselor, almost
irrespective of the approach used. One text says that the single most
important factor in change is the counselee and that has to do with
personal motivation and desire for change. The text goes on to say that
it is the relationship that the counselor brings to the counseling that
is secondarily important, nearly regardless of the approach used. The
text also adds the placebo effect, which has to do with the counselee
believing that the treatment is effective. Almost 85% of any
effectiveness in counseling is attributed to those factors. The
resulting 15% has to do with the techniques used; however, almost any
treatment approach can be used to contribute to this 15%.
In spite of all this,
psychotherapy, with its multitude of approaches, educational
requirements, licensure, and high fees, will continue on with more and
more people seeking and obtaining psychological treatment for their
problems of living. This is functional autonomy! It keeps on going in
spite of its meager helpfulness and also in spite of its 10% to 40% harm
rate.
We now maintain
that "biblical" counseling has also achieved functional autonomy.
In this case the biblical evidence for its support is gone. We have
demonstrated that in our books, most recently in Person to Person
Ministry: Soul Care in the Body of Christ. We repeatedly say that
the big, serious mistake made by those in the biblical counseling
movement occurred because of its adopting and using the problem-centered
approach from psychology. As we have repeatedly shown in our writings,
problem-centered "biblical" counseling inevitably leads to evil
speaking. In spite of this
major biblical flaw, "biblical" counseling, like psychotherapy, will
continue on as it, too, has achieved functional autonomy.
We continue to be
grateful to those of you who support our efforts to dethrone the
cultural idol of psychotherapy and its counterpart in the church—the
idol of unbiblical "biblical" counseling.
In Christ,
Martin and Deidre Bobgan |
| The Bobgans
have spoken on psychology and Christianity at numerous conferences and churches and on
radio and television. Together they have authored 18 books.
Deidre has also written Lord of the Dance: The Beauty of the Disciplined Life
(Harvest House; EastGate). Educational
Background * Martin: University of Minnesota, B. A., B. S., M. A.; University of
Colorado, Doctorate in Educational Psychology * Deidre: University of Minnesota, B. S.;
University of California, M. A. in English. |
PsychoHeresy Awareness Ministries
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