Minister As Diagnostician

Persons with personal problems often turn to their ministers for help. What kind of help do they hope to get that, rightly or wrongly, they do not expect from other professionals (psychiatrists, counselors, psychologists, or social workers)? The answer this book gives is that they want to be addressed in the terms and symbols of their faith, by authoritative standard-bearers of their faith.

The minister has the responsibility–and ability–to meet this particular need, says Dr. Prayser. Here he answers such questions as: How should ministers proceed to help? On what grounds should they make or receive referrals? What do they think troubled counselees want from them? What kind of personal knowledge and skill should they have in order to help? Are pastoral views and pastoral interventions unique?

Dr. Pruyser explores, in depth, the first step in the helping process: the diagnostic assessment of the problem-laden person. The diagnoses that the minister makes cannot be medical or psychiatric, says Dr. Pruyser. Rather they must be derived from the ministers own theological thought and a particular kind of awareness on the part of the counselee He develops a set of guidelines for conducting pastoral-diagnostic interviews that both acknowledges the pastors professional uniqueness and meets the parishoners expectations.