Frequently Asked Questions
What makes biblical counseling different?
Biblical counseling is not "therapy" as the world thinks of it. Biblical counseling is committed to letting God speak for Himself through His Word. Biblical counseling seeks to minister the love of the true and living God, a love that deals with the heaviness of sin and/or the difficulties of suffering, so that you might genuinely change in the inner person to be pleasing to God.
We believe that the Bible, given by God, is sufficient for life in that, when properly interpreted, it reveals to the believer everything necessary to understand their need for Christ, to know how to please the Lord and live in a God-honoring way (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Biblical counselors counsel from God's true Word, the Bible.
Our experienced counselors will listen to your situation, help you understand what God desires, and walk alongside you as you make progress in living your life in a way that honors God and brings peace and rest to your soul.
We believe that genuine heart change is totally dependent on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, our view of counseling will include the importance of prayer, dependence on God, a growing knowledge of the Word of God, and a willingness to learn the importance of serving God’s people in the local church. (If you would like to know more about what our church believes and teaches, please see the about section of our church website.)
Do I have to believe in God and the Bible to come to counseling at Faith Biblical Counseling Center?
We are pleased to serve you no matter where you stand spiritually. We believe the Bible is true and is the source for all wisdom in life (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Our counselors use biblical truths to help you overcome your struggles and make sense of life. If you are curious or seeking answers, we would love to talk with you more about how God desires to help you heal and grow. We have had many people begin or renew a relationship with God through the counseling process.
Do your counselors have specialties or training?
Our counselors have many years of combined experience in counseling and are certified through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. We work with hurting marriages, child/adolescent issues, anxiety, depression, and many other issues in life. If you have specific questions, we will help you find the best suitable counselor at Faith Biblical Counseling Center.
How many appointments should I expect?
We typically begin by meeting weekly for several weeks. Then you would have a conversation with the counselor and discuss the frequency with which you both think you need to be meeting. Each counseling situation is different, but we have seen most of our counselees make good progress with 10-16 sessions over four to five months.
What are the fees for counseling?
Faith Biblical Counseling Center is a ministry that keeps fees well below national averages for counseling. Members of Faith Bible Church may receive biblical counseling free of charge.
For non-members, we ask for all fees to be paid at the time of the appointment.
The initial interview appointment is one hour long, and the cost is $25.
Counseling sessions are one hour long, and the cost is $50 per session.
A 10-session package (10 one-hour sessions) costs $400. This may be paid in full at Session 1, or it may be paid in two payments, $200 due at Session 1 and $200 due at Session 6.
We work with those who have limited means and don’t turn people away from seeking counseling because of limited ability to pay.
What is your cancellation policy?
If you need to cancel the initial appointment, please give 48-hour notice so that someone else can have the time slot. If you are a returning counselee, please contact your counselor at least 24 hours prior to the appointment. This gives others the opportunity to use the canceled time slot.
If there is an emergency situation, please contact your counselor first or the office (counseling@fbchurch.org or 509-326-9455, ext. 116). A late cancellation may be granted so that you will not be charged for your missed session. Repeated failure to cancel within 24 hours or failure to show up for appointments will result in suspended counseling. We thank you for understanding this policy.
What is an advocate and why do I need one with me in counseling?
If you're not a Faith Bible Church member, the next step involves bringing in an advocate to walk alongside you during this time. The addition of a trusted friend, small group member, or mentor has been shown to increase the effectiveness of counseling significantly. They will walk with you through the counseling process and continue to help you after the counseling is over. Ideally the person is part of your day-to-day community, attends your church, and is known and trusted by its leadership.
Simply put, the most helpful advocate is someone who loves God, trusts God's Word, and cares about you. You may have questions or may have few people in your life that meet that description. We have made an allowance of up to three sessions for you to learn more about this role and to work with your counselor to find the right person to join you. After three sessions, counseling may be terminated without an advocate present.
Before giving us information on who you will be contacting to serve as your advocate, please take some time to open and read through the information below to gain a better understanding of what we mean by advocacy.
Ministry Leaders
Brian Sayers
Brian is the Pastor of Counseling & Equipping at Faith Bible Church. He is passionate about the local church, and equipping the saints to effectively serve one another. Before coming to Spokane, he spent 14 years serving God's people as a pastor in rural New England (Vermont & New Hampshire).
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