The next book that I have begun to read is Living Stories: Pastoral Counseling in Congregational Context by Donald Capps. The primary focus of this book is the idea that everyone integrates their own “story” into their lives. It is through these stories that Capps sees it possible to better understand people and to give them the counseling and pastoral care that they need.
As I begin to read Capps writing I think about the idea the we all have our own stories, and I am interested in the fact that in pastoral care we can empower others to explore their stories in a way they have not before. Thinking back on the people I have already informally counseled I realize that I have heard snapshots of others stories and I remember the richness of each of these stories. Through out his chapters, Capps will be talking about 3 different types of stories that are in peoples lives as well as how a pastor should handle social gossip.
In chapter 2 the first story type that Capps explores is the “inspirational story” and the “power of suggestion”. The power of suggestion is a technique comes from Milton Erickson, a therapist from long ago . The power of suggestion encourages the counselor step inside the story and to begin to give them hands on ways to change what they see is wrong in their lives. Not by telling them necessarily to give up anything, instead to help them to find new ways of doing things. The power of suggestion is really about helping the one who is being counseled to see their own story in a new light.
I will offer a critical view on what Capps is reflecting from Erickson. It sounds to me that often Erickson would give people “prescriptions”. I think that in the pastoral care setting this is not always appropriate and often not necessary. As pastors I believe we should be careful to counsel, but also at the same time remember that we are not trained psychologists and that it is okay to refer congregates to others if we need to.
Another type of story that Capps covers is the paradoxical story. This type of story is one that seems to contradict itself, so it may or may not be true. When it comes to these types of stories, in the counseling setting it is necessary to untie all of the knots, getting to the truth in the story. Something important that Capps points out is that when listening to these stories, often there is a sense of hopelessness found in the story, the person telling it does not see any light at the end of the tunnel, instead they are bound by the story themselves. By helping them untie all that is going on, we are helping them to become free in the midst of their struggle.
As a pastor we listen to the stories of many parishioners, and often we do not see the knots, and the second we do it is almost as if the knots get thicker and there is no real way out. Capps brings light to this situation and encourages one to look into the way God is playing into the story. This makes me think of one of my favorite questions I have learned to ask in the last few years, I ask this not only of others, but also of myself: Where is God in this situation? God is evident in most situations, speaking, sometimes gently, sometimes so loud we can not help but listen. When dealing with those who are telling us paradoxical stories, we have to ask: “Where is God in this?”
Whew, there was a lot of knowledge in the first three chapters of that book. In the next week or so I will press on and continue to learn from Capps.
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