Comfortable biblical counseling room with Bible and chairs.
Before You Begin

What to Expect in Biblical Counseling

Beginning counseling can feel uncertain. We practice Relationally Applied Biblical Counseling (RABC) — Christ-centered care that is compassionate, truthful, wise, and rooted in Scripture.

Request Biblical Counseling

The First Step

The process begins with a counseling request or intake form. This helps RHM understand your situation, your goals, your location, and the type of care you are seeking.

After your request is reviewed, RHM will determine whether biblical counseling through our ministry is an appropriate fit and whether a counselor is available. You will be contacted with next steps.

The First Session

Your first session may include:

Sharing your story
Identifying the main concerns
Clarifying what kind of help you are seeking
Discussing spiritual background and current support
Reviewing confidentiality and ministry expectations
Beginning to identify biblical themes, burdens, and next steps

You do not need to have everything figured out before you begin. The first step is simply to come honestly.

Our Approach to Care

At RHM, we practice Relationally Applied Biblical Counseling (RABC) — biblical truth, embodied in relationship and practiced in life. Our counseling is rooted in the belief that God's Word speaks with authority, wisdom, mercy, and hope. Rather than simply identifying a problem and locating a verse, your counselor will listen carefully to your story, seek to understand before assuming, and explore with you what biblical truth looks like within your actual circumstances — on Tuesday morning, during a hard conversation, when grief returns, or when you need to forgive.

The counseling relationship is purposeful and has appropriate boundaries, but you will never be treated as a problem that needs to be fixed. Together, you and your counselor will develop practical steps toward spiritual formation, relational repair, and faithful living.

Our care may include:

Scripture reflection
Prayer
Practical assignments
Journaling
Relational guidance
Repentance and forgiveness work
Discipleship
Accountability
Wise referral when needed

Confidentiality and Documentation

RHM takes confidentiality seriously. Counselors are expected to follow ministry policies related to documentation, privacy, boundaries, and care review.

There may be situations where confidentiality has legal or ethical limits, such as danger to self or others, abuse concerns, mandated reporting situations, or other circumstances requiring additional action. These limits will be explained to you before care begins.

Biblical Counseling and Other Forms of Care

Biblical counseling is ministry care rooted in Scripture. It is not a substitute for emergency services, medical care, legal counsel, or licensed mental health treatment when those services are needed.

RHM may encourage outside referral, medical support, church involvement, or additional care when appropriate. We view referral as an act of stewardship, not failure.

How to Prepare

Before your first session, consider:

1

What are the main concerns you want help with?

2

What have you already tried?

3

What Scripture passages or spiritual questions feel important?

4

Are there urgent safety concerns?

5

What would faithful growth look like in this season?

Ready to Begin?

Request counseling and RHM will review your situation and help identify the best next step for you.

Request Biblical Counseling

Care That Is Measured — Because People Are What Matter

Restoring Hope Ministries tracks the well-being of every participant in our clinical and faith-based services using empirically validated screeners, clinical interviews, behavioral analysis, and self-report — so we can honestly see whether the people we serve are getting better. This rigor reflects the training of our founder, Dr. Gross, whose clinical psychology education and practical training at the Medical College of Wisconsin prepared him for this type of organization and care.

Empirically validated screenersClinical interviewsBehavioral analysisSelf-report
See how we measure outcomes and steward your support
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