Hawkins & Clinton Book Review (Book Review Sample)

Hawkins & Clinton Book Review
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Hawkins & Clinton Book Review
SUMMARY
Hawkins and Clinton, in their book, The New Christian Counselor: A Fresh Biblical and Transformational Approach, drive along with important concepts that utilize available resources, theories, and practices for integrative and Christian counseling. The book's concepts produce healing, spiritual growth, and lasting change among clients drawing truth from a variety of sources. According to the authors, the Christian counselor should embrace current improvements in the counseling profession while embracing distinct Christian beliefs. Hawkins and Clinton discuss eight important concepts in their book.
Hawkins and Clinton start by giving a recap of the reality of hardships and suffering in chapter 1; possessing the soul. Jesus encouraged his disciples to stay firm in their firm faith and expect life's suffering. He also gave them hope by promising them that he would be there during times of crisis, and thus there was the need to depend on God and grow in spirit with him. Christian counselors are responsible for keeping trust in God that includes reshaping their thoughts and transforming their souls in abiding to deepen their relationship with God. Our thoughts affect our decisions and so how the counselors deal with the clients. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the counselor should keep learning new truths to encourage a soul-changing attitude among clients. According to the authors, clients with strong faith become healthier, and most of them prefer counselors who integrate spiritual intervention in the process (Hawkins and Clinton 11-12).
In chapter 2, Hawkins and Clinton explain that Christian counseling aims to get clients to experience God's pardon, power, and purpose and become fully devoted to God. The concept involves guiding clients through the spiritual healing process and restoring their soul possession to Christ. In the author's terms, clients are solely healed when their souls are completely saved (Hawkins and Clinton p. 31). On the same note, Hawkins and Clinton discussed the important concept of triune God; the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each member of the trinity offers freedom and healing from different perspectives in the counseling process. As God created us in his image, the Father promises love beyond the valley; Jesus Christ offers forgiveness of sin, peace, and grace while the Holy Spirit the breath of God to overcome life struggles (Hawkins and Clinton p. 40). In chapter 3, anthropology and identity, Hawkins and Clinton recognize that there is a wide variety of treatments available because clients' souls are made of concentric cycles. Therefore, some problems can be physical, rational, or spiritual (Hawkins and Clinton p. 79). Therefore, counseling should be a holistic approach that should consider interventions from the body itself, the self-temporal system, and the self in the supernatural system. 
Attachment and relationship are two important ideas discussed in chapter 5. God exists in relationships, and that is why He created Adam a helper, Eve. Considering horizontal relationships with people and vertical with God, God forms a vital part in healing broken relationships. According to McMinn (2011 p. 250-255), the theory of attachment explains the need to develop positive emotions to enhance the brain's capacity to experience relationships. When attachment does not exist, stress, anxiety, and depression take the course (Hawkins and Clinton p. 117). Addiction and idolatry are the next ideas discussed in chapter 5. When Christians tolerate corruption and deceit, they are addicted to sin. It is a destructive habit that tends to replace God with a person in one's life. Idolatry dictates a needless quest for God in our life, leading to sin. "Breaking free requires a new, powerful way of perceiving life and a rigorous commitment to spiritual, psychological, and physical warfare" (Hawkins & Clinton, 2015, p. 146). Idol and addiction can be healed, but it requires heavy behavioral intention. The final idea of space is presented in the final chapter; atmosphere and alignment. Hawkins and Clinton (p.203) suggest that a healing environment is filled with love, compassion, forgiveness and abundance of God, this just more than physical space. Counselors should build trust with the client to transform suffering into healing where it seems impossible.