Counseling Agreements
For the Counselor—Counseling Agreement
The Biblical Counseling Hub (BCH) is a ministry that provides biblical counseling, through biblical counselors trained by BCH or our designated partners, to those who are specifically seeking this type of counseling.
Our counseling is distinctly biblical. As a BCH counselor, you are not required to be certified by the state in which you reside. You are not required to be licensed or certified as a psychotherapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, mental health professional, marriage and family therapist, or social worker and are not acting in such capacities. You are not required to be a licensed medical professional. We are not providing legal, tax, medical, or other technical or professional advice, and you have no duty to recognize or opine when such advice is needed. Our counseling is not infallible, nor do we pretend to know all there is to know about biblical teaching and its applications to life. We are well equipped however and competent to help people change.
No fiduciary or professional client relationship is being created between a BCH counselor and the counselees. There shall be no legal or other liability that attaches to a BCH counselor for any advice, methods, conduct, or any act or omission related in any way to the service that is provided. Counselees are voluntarily seeking this counsel (free from coercion, duress, or pressure).
Counselors of BCH believe that the Bible provides sufficient guidance and instruction for faith and life. Therefore, counseling is based on biblical principles rather than those of secular psychology or psychiatry. If you are not comfortable using the Bible as the final authority in counseling, you should not proceed with this application.
All counseling is conducted in accordance with your understanding of Scripture. Our goal in providing counseling is to help our counselees live life in a God-honoring way to assist in meeting the challenges of life. Although the biblical advice you provide is intended to be practical, it is entirely your counselee’s decision how to (and whether to) implement that advice.
As a BCH counselor, you will assign bible-based and practical homework for your counselees to complete between counseling sessions. It is critical that your counselee’s commitment to doing the homework for you to progress in counseling. If a counselee is unwilling to follow through with homework, you will need to end the counseling.
As a BCH counselor, you are committing to always offer your services free of charge. Any donations your counselees choose to make to the ministry of the Biblical Counseling Hub will not be considered fee for service but a free-will donation to the Biblical Counseling Hub unrelated to your services rendered.
You are agreeing to provide your services with no compensation from the Biblical Counseling Hub, its leadership, employees, representatives, partners, the counselee, or any form of insurance. If you would like to be compensated for your services, BCH does offer part-time and full-time positions we can discuss. These paid positions do require you to raise financial support.
Whenever possible, please give 24-hour advance notice to your counselee, and make BCH leadership aware, if you must cancel a session. We ask the same of your counselees. If a counselee has several incidences of last-minute cancellations, we will fill their spot with someone else and place them on the waitlist before they can resume counseling. BCH leadership will discuss this with you before making this decision.
We will work with you to determine how many hours each week and which hours you have available for counseling. We will provide training and resourcing to help you have success as a counselor with BCH. If you feel you have not been thoroughly trained to provide effective biblical counseling, it is your responsibility to make BCH leadership aware of this, work with us to remedy this, and not provide ongoing counseling until you feel adequately prepared and trained to do so.
In biblical counseling, confidentiality is always conditional. Although confidentiality is an important aspect of the counseling process–as a BCH counselor, you must carefully guard the information received from your counselees–there are several situations when it may be necessary, or prudent (as determined in your sole discretion), for you to share information with others. Any time one of these situations arises, you are required to inform and cooperate with BCH leadership.
When you are uncertain of how to address a problem, you may at times seek assistance from other trained counselors or pastors in their specific area of experience. In such cases, you will be careful not to divulge your counselee’s identity.
When there is concern that someone is being or may be harmed unless other persons or protective services intervene, you must report. If there is a claim of, the observance of, or clear reasonable cause to suspect the physical or sexual abuse of a child with whom you come into contact or who is associated with someone to whom you are in contact with, reasonable measures must be taken to ensure the child’s protection and/or to fulfill the legal mandate to report such harm to the appropriate governmental protection agencies.
Child abuse and neglect: Nebraska law (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-711) requires counselors to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities. This includes physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, as well as neglect or abandonment.
Elder abuse and neglect: Nebraska law (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-3902) requires counselors to report suspected cases of abuse or neglect of elderly or disabled adults to the appropriate authorities.
Sexually transmitted diseases: Nebraska law (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 71-5413) requires counselors to report cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to the appropriate authorities if they believe that the individual may have transmitted the disease to another person.
If, as a BCH counselor, you have reasonable cause to believe that an adult needs protective services, you must take reasonable measures to prevent harm. Reasonable measures may include directly advising the potential victim of a threat or intent and/or informing the appropriate protective and/or law enforcement agencies.
State law does not specifically require reporting of spousal abuse, unless there is a risk of harm to a child who is present or otherwise involved, they may be required to report the abuse under Nebraska's mandatory reporting laws for child abuse and neglect. Additionally, if the victim of spousal abuse is an elderly or disabled adult, the statute above on “Elder abuse and neglect” applies.
When a counselee expresses clear and specific suicidal intent, you should take reasonable measures for the safety of the counselee. Reasonable measures may include notifying police if the counselee will not cooperate to involve him or herself in a watch-care program or facility.
Potential harm to self or others: Nebraska law (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 71-908) allows counselors to report potential harm to self or others if they believe that there is a serious threat of harm.
When you become aware of any criminal activity the counselee is engaged in and the counselee refuses to bring to the appropriate biblical and/or legal authorities, you must report.
When counseling someone who is sinning against a family member, and if you deem it safe, you may encourage the counselee to inform their spouse or parent (if a minor child) of critical issues and/or you may need to inform the appropriate family member.
Following the principle of Matthew 18:15-20, when a counselee refuses to renounce a particular sin and/or refuses to confess it to those impacted, you may, in your discretion, seek the assistance of a trusted member or leader of any involved church or ministry to encourage repentance and/or reconciliation.
You may at times deem it appropriate or necessary to discuss information with a training observer or an assisting advocate of the counselee who is involved or observing counseling.
BCH leadership will seek the advice of legal counsel if we have any questions or concerns about reporting obligations or obligations to cooperate with the authorities.
As a BCH counselor, you must be careful to not unnecessarily disclose a counselee’s personal information to others and make every effort to help find ways to resolve problems as privately as possible.
At any time and for any reason, you or the counselee may terminate counseling. Please involve BCH leadership in this process. Termination will not preclude you from making the disclosures set forth above if you deem appropriate or if compelled by other legal means. As a BCH counselor, you are asked to keep records and obtain the approval of BCH leadership before destroying records.
On rare occasions, a conflict may develop between you and a counselee or between you and the Biblical Counseling Hub or its leadership, employees, representatives, or partners. If a counselee makes a complaint against you, another counselor of the Biblical Counseling Hub, or the BCH ministry, or if you have a complaint against the Biblical Counseling Hub or its leadership, employees, representatives, or partners, it is agreed that the dispute will be handled biblically, outside the courts, and may involve sharing information with an assisting Church shepherd and/or the appropriate person(s) within the Biblical Counseling Hub for complaint resolution purposes. By signing this document, you are irrevocably waiving any right that you might have to a trial by jury or judge in a judicial proceeding.
In order to work as a biblical counselor for the Biblical Counseling Hub, you must:
fill out the BCH online application;
consent to this counseling agreement, our statement of faith, and our counseling distinctives;
participate in an interview with BCH leadership;
either have already completed formal biblical training (education or certification), which will need to be approved by BCH leadership, or complete 30 hours of either online or in-person biblical-counseling training;
observe 10 hours of biblical counseling;
read “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands” by Paul David Tripp;
attend onboarding training;
submit a referral from a spiritual leader/mentor as to why he/she would recommend you as a biblical counselor;
submit a referral from someone you have counseled, discipled, or impacted spiritually;
receive written confirmation from BCH that you have been approved as a BCH biblical counselor.
Counselees will sign a “Consent and Confidentiality Agreement” where they acknowledge everything explained above.
Article: The Role of Confidentiality in Biblical Counseling by Bryan Carlson
Confidentiality plays a crucial role in biblical counseling as it helps to establish trust between the counselor and the counselee and provides a safe space for the counselee to share their thoughts, feelings, and struggles. Confidentiality allows the counselee to feel comfortable opening up about sensitive and personal issues, knowing that the information they share will not be disclosed to others except under specific exceptions. Proverbs 20:19 reminds us to “not associate with a gossip” and Proverbs 16:28 says “A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.” “I am glad to keep confidence in the way that the Bible instructs me. That means, of course, I shall never involve others unless God requires me to do so” (Adams 32). It is critical to set the expectations up front, as the counseling is beginning. Instead of promising strict confidentiality, we promise “informed consent.” This can be done through the intake form and in conversation in the first session, and in previous sessions if necessary. (Faith notes 47-50; Roy 20-23)
We should make the following commitments to confidentiality: Firstly, we must commit to not gossip, as Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." This means not sharing information with those who are not part of the problem or the solution. Secondly, we have permission to seek advice from others for wisdom. We should also communicate with authorities that we are in submission to, as Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account." This can include: elders in the Church, government authorities, a wife’s husband, or a counselee’s boss (in the case a sin has been committed against the workplace). Thirdly, we should only share information that is relevant to solving the problem. We must also commit to clear communication, giving the counselee a chance to communicate first and telling them of our intention to communicate with anyone else. We should generally get written permission from the counselee before communicating with others outside of the local church leadership. Fourthly, we must instruct our counselees in the areas of problem-solving, glorifying Christ, and growing to be like Him. Finally, a Biblical counselor must commit to not keeping secrets but explaining that there are times when they may need to share. If the counselee is unwilling to agree, the counselor should not proceed with counseling. (Faith notes 47-50; Roy 20-23)
Biblical and practical considerations can limit confidentiality in counseling. Firstly, confidentiality can be limited when the state righteously requires it (Romans 13:1-5), such as in cases of abuse and other crimes against the state and people. Secondly, confidentiality can be limited when there is a danger to another person or the counselee, such as in cases of suicidal threats. Thirdly, confidentiality can be limited when the counselee is a minor and the parents need to be informed, as parents have a responsibility to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Finally, confidentiality can be limited when the counselee is unrepentant in their sin and is not responding to the counseling process, in which case the issue may need to be addressed through church discipline (Matthew 18:15-17).
A Biblical counselor has the responsibility to report to civil authorities in some situations and should always report as the law requires. We must know the laws of our state and follow them. Romans 13:1 tell us, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Here is ACBC’s Standards of Conduct:
“Biblical counselors work to honor all biblically-instituted authorities and assist their counselees to do the same…Biblical counselors must help their counselees submit to the authority of the state as it is discharged righteously. God has provided government as a blessing for all people in order to preserve order and righteousness. When this authority is discharged righteously and in keeping with God’s law all people benefit from it. Wherever possible, biblical counselors work to obey the laws of the legal jurisdictions in which they serve and urge their counselees to do the same” (Faith notes 49).
As a matter of cooperation with authorities in investigations, counselors should act within the degree required by the law, as well as comply with the requests of the local church, and act according to one's own conscience in a way that pleases Christ. Such cooperation could include the surrender of evidence, such as emails, notes, or recordings, and could extend to testimony in both a state and church court (Faith notes 50).
Don Roy, IBCD, ACBC Theology Exam Study Guide, 20-23.
Faith Biblical Counseling, ACBC Exam Track 5, 47-50.
Jay Adams, Handbook of Church Discipline, 30-32.
