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Finding the right Christian counselor for your situation can be a challenging and intimidating process. While there are Christian counselors located in most areas, most of us don’t usually know much about them or even pay attention to them until it is time to start looking for one.

Even if you are ready to get some help from a counselor, you may not know where to find one. Finding the right counselor doesn’t have to be a long and drawn out process, but knowing some good resources to use at the start of your search will be a huge help.

In this article we’ll look at a few methods for finding a counselor and how you should start your search.

1. Consult Your Pastor

If you are a church attender, one of the first things you should do is seek the advice of your pastor. Many pastors offer some type of counseling for church members, but frequently they will not be experienced or equipped to help with the specific area in which you are struggling. While most pastors do have some education in counseling, that’s not what they spend the majority of their time doing, so don’t be surprised if your pastor says that he is not the best person to help you in this situation.

If your pastor cannot help you personally, he has probably worked with other local counselors in the past and it’s likely that you can get a good referral this way.

Starting with your pastor or church staff members will allow you to see if any help is available within the church, and if not, to get the opinion of someone you trust on who you should see.

2. Pray

If you are seeking for a counselor to help you with a specific situation, take time each day to pray and ask for God’s assistance in your search. Ask Him to put the right person into your life that will be able to give you the guidance and help that you are seeking.

3. Ask for Referrals from Family and Friends

If it is possible in your situation, turn to your family and friends and ask them if they know of any good Christian counselor that you could see. You may be surprised how many people you know that have been to a counselor, and this can often be a good way to find a quality professional.

4. Do an Internet Search

Doing a search online should produce some results that will identify Christian counselors in your local area. Try a Google search or visit the member directory of the American Association of Christian Counselors, which will help you to find a local counselor - http://www.aacc.net/resources/find-a-counselor/