Working with a Counselee’s Physician
by Bryan Carlson
In cases like the young woman struggling with whether or not to take medication for her depression, it would be a good idea to suggest that she get a physical exam to rule out any physical issues that may be contributing to her depression. If necessary and appropriate, you may want to offer to accompany her to the doctor's office to provide support and help answer any questions. To work with a physician, I would obtain the counselee’s consent for the physician to share information about her condition and treatment plan and for you to share what you have learned about her and have been working through with her. This collaboration would involve regular communication and updates between the physician and yourself to ensure that she receives the best possible care.
As a biblical counselor, it's important to work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals when appropriate and necessary, including physicians, to provide the best possible care for our clients. The counselee would have to specifically request this collaboration because of HIPAA laws and the fact that we are not licensed healthcare providers. When working with physicians, it is important to recognize their expertise and not be adversarial. It is good to find out their view on anti-depressants and counseling at the very start of the relationship. While they may be quick to prescribe medication, it is important to inform them that we would like to try counseling first. It may be helpful to ask if the doctor has any other suggestions, such as lifestyle changes. If the doctor does recommend medication, we should respect their decision but also continue counseling and potentially encourage the client to get a second opinion if necessary. This would be an excellent time to refer to a doctor who is a Believer or who endorses biblical counseling. We should be open to collaborating with them in order to provide the best possible care for our clients.
Working with a counselee’s physician can be helpful to rule out any medical problems that could be contributing to her depression or if her condition has become severe enough that she requires stabilizing help. However, there are situations where it is not advisable to work with her doctor—for example, if either she or her doctor are resistant to moving toward change, think that biblical counseling is not a legitimate solution, or continue to call something biological that is actually sin. Additionally, if the doctor's care is actually making things worse for her and she won’t listen to you as her counselor, this would be a time to stop working with both her and her doctor.
Ultimately, the decision to work with the doctor should be based on what is best for the counselee and her overall well-being. As a biblical counselor, it is important to prioritize her needs and work collaboratively with other professionals when and if necessary, while also being mindful of any potential ethical or theological concerns. (Faith notes 63-65; Roy 28-29)
Faith Biblical Counseling, ACBC Exam Track 5, 63-65.
Don Roy, IBCD, ACBC Theology Exam Study Guide, 28-29.
