Blame it on the Brain?
I enjoy challeging myself and reading books that take me out of my comfort zone as a counselor. This means that I purposefully read books that don't always back up the counseling model that I approach within my office. In fact, may times I search out books that are against Christian counseling, just so I can know what the "other side" is saying.
When I picked up Blame it on the Brain? Distinguising Chemcial Imbalances, Brain Disorders, and Disobedience, by Edward T. Welch, I honestly thought it was going to be another book about why Christians should rule out the use of medication and psychology when dealing with issues such as depression and anxiety.
What I found instead was a refreshing approach that was well-balanced and well-thought out by the author. Instead of crticizing Christian Counselors as blaming all mental illness on the brain and therefore hiding behind that as an excuse for sin, this author clearly stated that there are physical and chemical dimensions to our brains that can cause clients to struggle with certain things. Mr. Welch specifically addressed Alzheimers, brain trauma, schizophrenia, ADHD, depression, alcoholism, and homosexuality within the context of the book.
In addressing each of these issues the main approach the author took was two-fold: Distinguish between spiritual and physical symptoms and address each one accordingly.
Mr. Welch then went on to admit that the physical symptoms often weaken the mental and emotional state of a person, thereby making that person more prone to sin, but the fact remains, no matter what is influencing or affecting us, we are still accountable for sinful behavior. This applies to any person, whether they are suffering from brain trauma, dementia, or severe mental illness. The author contends that although the brain may be weak, the spirit man is still very much alive and it is on that part of the person that counselors must help a client focus on---after physical symptoms have been addressed.
Summed up, phsyical complications are never an excuse for sin.
This was an incredibly well written book and one that will prove very beneficial to my library as a counselor. The two-fold model that Welch introduces for working with people strugging with mental illness or other brain disorders is something I will now incorporate into my counseling office. This same model can also be used by chldren of parents with dementia, parents of chldren with ADHD, and even friends of those who have mental illness and addiction issues such as alcoholism.