Building Bridges: Biblical Counseling Activities for Children and Teens

Helping the Helpers

by Julie Lowe

Knowing how to approach children and teens in counseling can be a challenge. Learning to enter into their world and draw them out can sometimes feel impossible. But with Julie Lowe’s Building Bridges —a practical workbook of expressive activities to do with kids and teens in counseling—you will find the biblical tools you’re looking for. Anyone who has ever heard a child say, “I don’t know” in answer to a question about what they are thinking and feeling or about why they acted a certain way, will be thankful for these thoughtful, biblically wise, and creative ways to engage young people. Julie Lowe, drawing on decades of experience in counseling children has compiled helpful, practical ways to speak the gospel into children and teenager’s lives. By building bridges with young people, we can build bridges with them to the Lord. With over fifteen years of counseling experience and by working as a registered play therapist supervisor, Julie Lowe understands there is a need to speak truth and hope into the lives of children and teens in a hands-on, meaningful way. That’s why the activities and reproducible worksheets in  Building Bridges can be used over and over in multiple contexts. As part of CCEF’s Helping the Helper series, this workbook walks counselors, teachers, parents, and caregivers through the rationale for expressive activities, provides examples, and then shows counselors how to do it themselves. Upon the purchase of this product, customers will be given access to downloadable, colorized versions of each of the interactive charts and graphics, with the option of creating printable posters for their ministry. By pointing to the Lord through expressive mediums, counselors and youth workers will be able to reach kids and teens in a unique, biblical way.

Genres: Counselling, Parenting, Christian, Mental Health, Childrens

208 pages, Paperback

Published September 28, 2020

About the author

Julie Lowe is a faculty member at CCEF. She holds an MA in counseling from Biblical Theological Seminary. She is a licensed professional counselor with over 18 years of counseling experience. Julie is also a registered play therapist and has developed a play therapy office at CCEF to better serve families, teens, and children Julie and her husband, Greg, have six children and serve as foster and adoptive parents. She is the author of Childproof: Parenting by Faith Not Formula and has written minibooks and numerous articles for the Journal of Biblical Counseling.

Reviews

[Jennifer Trzeciak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow, this book is gold. The majority of the book is filled with practical activities to use with children to help them open up and learn to trust the counselor, as well as helping them express what is going on in their hearts and minds. I will reference this continually when ministering to kids/teens.

[Alan Rennê · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente material para o aconselhamento de crianças e adolescentes.

Em breve, pela editora Fiel.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

More like at 4.5, but really a solid resource. I think its probably best read after reading Julie’s other book “Childproof” as some of the material is a good summarizing of her material there. The “theory” portion is really helpful, but the strength of the book is in the included activities. Spending time reading through how to use the activities is worthwhile. I think only area that I wish was more developed was in using creativity to develop more activities. There’s definitely some helpful pointers, but a little more discussion on creativity and child development when developing resources would have put it at a “true” 5 star for me.

[Esther Bouchillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource for counseling kids and teens. Stuffed full of activities to build understanding and growth.

[James Schroeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book Building Bridges, Julie Lowe provides Biblical Counselors an an invaluable resource for counseling children and teens that is rooted in Biblical truth and the Gospel. Lowe uses the expression, building bridges as her main metaphor of speaking into children and teens needs, and world. She defines building bridges as life-giving, gospel-infused connections. The book is mainly directed towards Biblical and Christian counselors, but it applies professional counselors, families, and other caring adults with young people within their sphere of influence.

Lowe calls attention to the differences in counseling to children and teens as apposed to counseling adults. To effectively counsel children and teens, you must know them individually and how they are developmentally in order to contextualize the Gospel and meet them where they are. There is a constant refrain that is a necessary reminder for all counseling, that we are counseling the individual in front of us. In order to understand them, we must meet them where they are and enter their world. At times this message can seem redundant and overly repetitive within the beginning of the book.

Much of the book is comprised of practical examples and activities to meet children where they are and building bridges to their world. The various activities provide a way for children and teens to give voice to their thoughts and emotions. The examples are adaptable to your specific situation.

One of the problems I have found in counseling and parenting books for children is that they focus too much on toddlers and young children. Teens are at a vulnerable and confusing stage in their lives and require a specific approach. They are not little children anymore but they are not adults yet. Lowe provides helpful examples and strategies for counseling directly to teens. The book begins with how Lowe built a bridge to a young teen through music lyrics. By being willing to enter their world, we are better able to understand, and counsel the unique problems and situations teens face.

This is a great resource for Biblical and Christian Counselors but also applies to any adult seeking to relate better to children and teens. The advice is Biblically based and seeks to build a Gospel framework around children and teens lives. The various expressive activities make the book a resource that I will return to again and again.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review. The opinions I express are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the emphasis on doing the slow, intentional work of getting to know the child in front of you, rather than being quick to speak or make assumptions. She also emphasizes the need to involve parents in the counseling process (when it's safe to do so) and practically what that can look like. Additionally, I appreciated the variety of adaptable activities included throughout. As an LPC, Lowe is well-versed in developmental theories and models; as a believer, she is well-versed in the words of Scripture. Not a perfect book, but still an excellent resource. 5/5.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lowe has provided an excellent resource for biblical counsellors who work with children and teenagers. Recognising the need to reach out to young people, to get to know them well, and then skilfully bring the bible to bear in their lives, she details numerous suggestions and activities to assist with that goal. For a more detailed review see: https://musingsinadelaide.blogspot.co...

[Lisa Horne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Resource

Lowe offers a great resource for biblical counselors with this book. I love the way she formats it with counseling chapters at the start and then close with chapters with examples of how to draw out children. If one gets in a rut with the same routine and wants change, this would be good to review and find some other ways that might work, or take the closing encouragement and be creative on one’s own.

[Julie Havener · Rating 5 out of 5]

For counselors and parents this book is not only practical but it was a soul searching book too. Selflessness in talking with others is fundamental to listening and in beginning to help them. Julie has a long résumé when it comes to children and it is evident in her thoughtful ideas to draw out what is in the hearts and thoughts of others and begin to help them grow as individuals.

[Ryan Boomershine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good resource not only for Biblical counseling, but for lessons or devotions with kids and youth. We adapted two of them for our high school Winter Retreat.

[Dwain Minor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an excellent resource for counselors, parents, and others who want to build bridges and speak God’s Word into the life of a child.

[Jenny Klinefelter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book with great activities for counseling children or teens. Wonderful resource.

[Amanda Wild · Rating 5 out of 5]

So helpful & practical!

[Diana T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful manual and suitable for counselors and parents too!