Counselor Introduction: Nick Perrine Answers The Question “How Does Counseling Help?”

Q: Why did you become a counselor?

Whenever I was in college I learned what Christianity was about. It’s about the work of Christ on the cross. It’s about the power of Jesus with us and in us. It’s about his love with us and in us. And as I learned what the gospel was about, I heard my theology professors telling me what the gospel gives us: love, acceptance, identity, community, strength, hope. And as I also took psychology classes, the psychology classes were saying that what is helpful to people is when they have things like, love, acceptance, identity, community, strength, and hope. So it became evident that what people need is what the gospel gives us. From there I became very interested in how relevant the gospel is for how people live their lives. 

Q: What is unique about your counseling? 

Two things: I focus on 1) self-knowledge, and 2) the knowledge of God. Psychology is pretty good at helping people get to know themselves and identifying what they feel etc, but is sort of bad at helping people know what to do with what they have learned about themselves. We, as Christians, want to know what the gospel says about what we feel. Instead of being a blank slate of self-directed self-knowledge, we want to let scripture interpret what we feel and who we are, so that we can grow to become more like the person God is calling us to be. How do the promises of God help us in our fears, and in what we want? How does scripture help us think about who we are? How does that shape how we live? These are all foundational questions in counseling. 

Q: How does Counseling help?

Counseling helps in a couple different ways. First is that there is power in relationship. That’s ultimately what counseling boils down to: a relationship between counselor and client where you can be open, where there is an authenticity and love in the relationship. This has healing power. Secondly, as you can be honest about what you’re feeling, what you’re going through, and how what you’re doing in it, then it becomes clear how you would want to respond to the situation you are in. Often we go through life instinctually rather than purposefully, and counseling is an opportunity to engage with life in a way that we maybe wouldn’t otherwise. 

Q: What types of clients do you meet with? 

My focus is marriage counseling, but also meet with people dealing with anger, grief, shame, anxiety, depression, singleness. I meet with teens. I also have experience meeting with people struggling with OCD and ADHD. 

Q: Where do you meet with people? 

I meet with people in Christiansburg and Roanoke, Virginia. 

If you are interested in pursuing counseling with Nick or with Blue Ridge Christian Counseling, get started Here.