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Is there any hope for this to work? |
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Yes! There is tremendous hope! We believe that God has given us all we need to know Him and to live in a way that is pleasing to Him. All of our difficulties may not evaporate and disappear. However, when a person willingly submits to God's instructions and clings to His promises, there is hope, help, and healing. There are answers for dealing with whatever you might be facing. |
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What kinds of problems or concerns do people have who come to you for help? |
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We see people with all kinds of problems, but the most common are those struggling in their marriages, with their children, with sexual sin, and/or with their emotions (e.g. depression, anger, anxiety). In all cases, we use the Bible, God's Sufficient Word, to answer the problems of life. If you have specific legal, medical, or financial questions, you should seek advice from professionals in those fields. Our counselors will not give medical, financial, or legal advice, although they would be happy to cooperate with such advisors and help you to consider their counsel in the light of relevant scriptural principles. |
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What are the practical differences between Biblical counseling and other counseling approaches? |
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There are many practical differences between Biblical, Integrated/Christian, and Psychological counseling. They are best seen in what we believe, and then subsequently, in the actual results. First, the Biblical counselor believes that the basic (root) problem of hurting people is sin, either committed by or against the person. Secondly, the purpose for Biblical counseling is for each person to know and become more like Jesus Christ. Lastly, God's Word, and not the counselor, counselee, or medication, is the primary change agent. |
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Are the counselors at B.C.C.O. qualified? |
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All of our counselors go through rigorous national and international training and certification programs in Biblical counseling. The first training and certification our counselors must complete is through the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC). The second is through the International Association of Biblical Counselors (IABC). These two organizations are the largest training and certifying organizations for Biblical counselors in the world. If a man or woman has not attained these two certifications (or is not in the process of completing certification), then he or she cannot counsel at B.B.C.O., no matter what other credentials he or she may have. Our counselors' credentials are always available upon request. |
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What can I expect from B.C.C.O. if I come? |
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First of all, you can expect that everything will be held in strict confidence, except where, in the counselor's judgment, there is a Biblical or legal requirement to involve others (e.g. criminal activity). Secondly, you can expect that our staff will care for you and treat you with respect. Thirdly, you can expect our staff to encourage you in your successes and exhort you to think and behave in a way that pleases Jesus Christ. Our first visit together will last about one and a half hours. All subsequent visits will last approximately one hour. |
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What does it cost? |
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The Biblical Counseling Center of Okanogan is a non-profit ministry under the umbrella of The Father's Ranch Ministries. Counselees are encouraged to make a donation to The Father's Ranch for each counseling session as their financial situation allows. This is important as it helps us to keep our doors open. However, no one will ever be turned away because of financial hardship. We encourage counselees who cannot make a contribution now to remember us when their financial situation improves. This allows us to continue to serve all those who are seeking the Lord's help in their time of need. Counselees may be asked to cover the price of books and/or materials assigned during the counseling process. These resources are usually very minimal, but again, we will never discontinue a counseling relationship because of a counselee's inability to pay these costs. All donations received from our counselees go directly to The Father's Ranch Ministries to further our counseling and training efforts. |
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What does B.C.C.O. expect from you? |
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We have three requests for you. First, we ask you to be honest and teachable. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to help you if you continually lie to us, or are not willing to receive instruction. Secondly, we ask you to do weekly homework assignments that will encourage lasting change. These assignments are not academically strenuous, but are used to reinforce and teach that which has been exposed in our time together. Thirdly, we ask you to give us a little time. Habits were not developed overnight, and new habits will take several weeks to develop as well. |
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When is counseling available? Where do we begin? |
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There are morning, afternoon, and evening appointments available. We cannot guarantee that your favorite time slot will be open, but we will do our best to accommodate the schedules of those seeking our help. You can call B.C.C.O. at (509) 486-8888 for counseling appointment times during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4:30 pm. |
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Biblical Counseling Center of Okanogan 
