Lay Counseling

by Siang-Yang Tan, Gary R. Collins (Foreword)

This is a handbook for the architects, the supporters, and all the various workers who make a lay counseling program work. In it one will find all the information needed to begin, to continue, and to revise the program one has chosen. Lay Counseling is not itself a program. It directs people to appropriate structures, plans, programs, and resources. It is a book that allows one to see the whole terrain of lay counseling, to make appropriate choices, and to begin or continue the process of building. Lay Counseling includes many useful resources such as appropriate forms and questionnaires as well as the most comprehensive survey of programs, literature, and resources that are currently available.

Genres: Christian, Psychology, Counselling

256 pages, Paperback

Published February 18, 1991

About the author

Siang-Yang Tan is director of the doctor of psychology program in the Graduate School of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary. His Ph.D. is from McGill University.

-from the back cover of Coping with Depression (1995)

Reviews

[Sharon Mariampillai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable read. It really helped me understand how to lead a ministry. This book is hard to get through because it is a textbook. I think all Christians would enjoy this book as it motivates you in the Christian faith, but if you are really into counseling or being a leader in the ministry. I hope that this author makes more books as I grow deeper into my faith. I recommend this book to Christians who want to go into counseling. It might give you great insights. Overall, a great read.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have thought about pursuing a career in Christian counseling so I thought that Lay Counseling would be a good read for an inquiring mind. I have to admit that this book was extremely hard to get through because it reads like a textbook but the information it contains is wonderful. Any church leader or Christian counselor would benefit greatly from this resource.

This book has everything from the need for a lay counseling ministry to all the details that goes along with building a lay counseling ministry and everything in between. We as Christians are called to help one another and this book is a wonderful reminder of how to "bear one another's burdens."

If counseling doesn't interest you I would not recommend this book but if it does I would highly recommend it. There is so much information it's almost overwhelming if you read it straight through but if you read it a little at a time and use it as a reference it is invaluable.

[Patrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author tried to create a biblical counseling model, which he claimed new and effective. It pretends to be something different from conventional counselling, even superior. You can’t call your research legitimate only because you used a scientific research method. The result can still be flawed. This is not a proper lay counselling book, phd paper at most.