Biblical Counseling.pdf - Online Christian Library

A. Things to Consider and Keep in Mind.1. The shock of sudden illness or injury affects not only the patient but all thosearound him or her. If you can't get to the patient immediately, minister to thefamily.2. Timing is important, get to the people as quickly as possible.3. People with terminal diseases probably know it. Our failure to talk about it does notshelter them; it isolates them. Whether now or later, while there is a right time, itmust be spoken of.4. The adjustment to a new (and often inferior) body image can be a great crisis forillness or injury victims.5. Hospitalized children need opportunities to be victors over the oppressors of pain,loneliness and fear. Recognize significant steps toward victory and acceptance.6. With children, often hospitalization is traumatic. They must have help to handle it.note: People need to grieve their losses or be helped to approach death. The five stages ofgrief--denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance-- can be expected to bothpatient and loved ones. These steps are normal, acceptable, and even therapeutic. They needhelp through these steps usually.B. Things to Say and/or to Do.1. Help the patient to sort the probably results from their injury or illness from theirrational and overstated fears. Help them to decide how they will cope withimpairment which may be their continued lot.2. Provide emotional and social support for the ill person and for their families.Caring churches will be involved in meals, baby-sitting, companionship, help withbills, transportation, etc., --as part of the crisis response.3. Offer realistic hope. Help build the will to live. Give patients human touch, theyneed to sense love.4. Help them to take control over their situation, talk with them about what theywant to talk about, sensing the important.5. Listen to the person who is about ready to talk about death. Help that person putlife and faith in order so that death becomes a natural transition to real life--not adreaded doorway to terror.C. Things Not to do or say1. Do not make light of the adjustments an injured person may have to make with anew body image.2. Do not talk about a patient in his presence--even one in a coma--as if the personwere not there.3. Do not give patients a sense of abandonment. Let them know when they canexpect to see you, and make every effort to visit regularly.©2000, Revival in the Home Ministries 69