Running Head: THEORY CRITIQUE: CRABB AND HAWKINS

Theory Critique: Crabb and Hawkins Lynn M. Hendsbee Liberty University

COUN 507, Section D, Summer 2011 Subterm D End of Class Date: August 19, 2011 Professor: Clayton Smith Submission Date: July 10, 2011

THEORY CRITIQUE: CRABB AND HAWKINS Theory Critique: Crabb and Hawkins

Crabb, L. (1977). Effective Biblical Counseling: A Model for Helping Caring Christians Become Capable Counselors. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. Hawkins, R. (2011). Week One, Lecture One: Strategy for Intervention. Retrieved July 8, 2011 from Liberty University: http://www.bb7.liberty.edu/courses/1/COUN507

Summary of Content Larry Crabb introduces four approaches to integrating the Bible and counseling. The first is Separate but Equal, which suggests using either the Bible for spiritual matters, or professional psychology for psychological problems, but no integration of the two. The second Tossed Salad approach is most common among Christian professionals, combining insights of Scripture with wisdom of psychology into an effective biblical psychotherapy. The ultra-conservative Nothing Buttery approach ignores psychology completely and maintains that God can handle all problems, including psychological ones. The fourth approach, Spoiling the Egyptians, is a compromise between the overreaction of Nothing Buttery and the carelessness of Tossed Salad, and integrates only those components of psychology that are consistent with Scripture and biblical principles (Crabb, 1977). Crabb (1977) explains that human beings are divided into two parts: the body belonging to the physical side and the spirit and soul to the personal. He further dissects the personality structure into the conscious mind, the unconscious mind, the heart or hidden personal life, the will, and emotions. He maintains that the difference between unbelievers and believers is that unbelievers wills are directed toward self-seeking behavior, which leads to blocked compassion, and believers wills are dictated by biblical behavior, leading to compassion. This difference is

THEORY CRITIQUE: CRABB AND HAWKINS the source of how problems develop based on basic human needs of real significance and security (p. 119). To conceptualize how problems develop, Crabb suggests looking at three categories: unreachable goals resulting in feelings of guilt or self-derogation; external circumstances blocking the goal resulting in resentment; and fear of failure resulting in feelings of anxiety (Crabb, 1997). Crabbs model of counseling is founded on transformation of the mind and begins with first identifying problem feelings, secondly identifying problem behavior, third identifying problem thinking, fourth to change faulty assumptions with biblical thinking, secure the commitment in the fifth stage followed by plan and carry out biblical behavior in stage 6, and finally to identify spirit controlled feelings in stage 7 (Crabb, 1997, ch. 9).

Hawkins (2010) diagrams the human personality using concentric circles beginning with the innermost core Self where the human spirit and the Image of God abide. The soul is the second layer, consisting of a persons thinking, volition, conscience, feeling, and emotion, housed by the body and influenced by temporal systems and supernatural systems. Hawkins asserts that ones individual development is dramatically impacted within the context of the relationships between systems that form his or her environment, and that events and influences within the systems effect how one thinks, feels, and acts. Hawkins model for tracking the counseling process (2010) is marked by four phases beginning with the client talking and counselor listening to seek understanding. In Phase 2, the client proposes with counselor testing, similar to Crabbs (1997) problem identification. A plan of action is implemented in Phase 3, followed by a commitment both to change and to ongoing accountability in the fourth phase.

THEORY CRITIQUE: CRABB AND HAWKINS Problem identification depends on individual client needs and can stem from any one of the systems outlined in his concentric circle model (Hawkins, 2010). In Hawkins model of the counseling process, caregiver and careseeker together arrive at a common goal based on a problem in any of the following areas: spiritual core, thinking, feeling, volition, body, or

systems, either temporal or supernatural. Seeking biblical truth for victory is Hawkins answer to whatever the problem might be, leading to changes directed at the overarching goal of becoming the imitation of Christ (Ephesians 5:1), as he adheres to Crabbs (1997) Spoiling the Egyptians model of integrating the Bible and counseling (Hawkins, 2010). Evaluation of Strengths and Weaknesses Crabb (19997) and Hawkins (2010) both do well to identify the anatomy of a human being within systems, but Crabb does a better job at elaborating as to the true source of peoples problems: a threatened or diminished sense of personal worth. Crabbs premise is that two inputs are required for an acceptance of oneself as a whole, real person: significance (purpose, importance, meaningfulness, impact) and security (unconditional love that is consistently expressed and permanent acceptance). Hawkins, on the other hand, maintains that personal problems can result from any given system within a persons environment. Therefore, Crabb seems to attribute more of an internal locust of control for personal problems, while Hawkins is more external. Hawkins (2010) four phase outline for tracking the counseling process seemed vague and unclear, while Crabbs (1997) simple seven stage model was well-defined and rather exhaustive. Both authors admit to adhering to Crabbs Spoiling the Egyptians model of integration, which, in my opinion, leans toward biases in their models and omits content that would be beneficial for people who identify more with another model of integration defined by

THEORY CRITIQUE: CRABB AND HAWKINS

Crabb (1997). Both mens counseling processes look to the Holy Spirit and Gods Word to affect change in the lives of their clients, and they both agree that Christian maturity is the central goal of biblical counseling. Personal Reflection and Application Although I appreciated Hawkins (2010) identification of problems within the context of systems, I identified more with Crabbs (1997) premise that every problem arises from a threat to personal self-worth. For example, my 19 year old son recently told me I was a worthless parent after being kicked out of the house for excessive drug and alcohol use and has refused to speak to me for the past two weeks. After reading Effective Biblical Counseling, I realize that my sense of security and the need to be loved unconditionally has been drastically diminished, which explains how problem feelings have resulted. In Chapter 7, Crabb (1997) explains that an unreachable goal (in my case, perfection in parenting and avoiding all criticism) leads to feelings of guilt, which is precisely the feeling I have been struggling with, as well as external circumstances (my sons drug and alcohol use) leading to resentment and fear of failure (as a good mother) leading to feelings of anxiety. The basic emotional experiences he identified are precisely what I have been going through! In Chapter 8, Crabb (p. 140, 1997) seems to speak directly to my situation when he writes of an example of a hurt mother whose son did not respond to her discipline properly. He reminds me that my worthwhile is not in my sons responses, but in being a child of God, and also reminds me that any effort to elicit securitybuilding approval is sheer manipulation. The lesson for me is summed up on page 145 (Crabb,1997), to change ones thinking from the faulty belief that we need anything other than God and what he chooses to provide to meet our personal needs for significance and security.

THEORY CRITIQUE: CRABB AND HAWKINS References

Crabb, L. (1977). Effective Biblical Counseling: A Model for Helping Caring Christians Become Capable Counselors. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. Hawkins, R. (2011). Week One, Lecture One: Strategy for Intervention. Retrieved July 8, 2011 from Liberty University: http://www.bb7.liberty.edu/courses/1/COUN507