A Christian Approach to Counseling and Psychotherapy

“Siang-Yang Tan is one of my heroes of the faith. He is primarily a devoted lover of Jesus who happens to be a committed psychologist among his other roles as pastor, teacher, mentor, speaker, and researcher. His love, faith, humanity, and wisdom are evident in this brief book about counseling, the Holy Spirit, and how they fit hand in glove. This is an up-to-the-minute primer on his faith and thinking.”


—Everett L. Worthington Jr., Virginia Commonwealth University, emeritus





“This is a brilliant and incisive analysis of the synthesis of biblical theology and psychology. Dr. Tan again writes with a Christlike heart, a clinical mind, and a researcher’s inquisitiveness to deliver a seminal work in the field of integration. In his inimitably warm, kind, personal, humble, yet profound way, Dr. Tan leads us on a wonderful pathway of deeper understandings of God, ourselves, and others. This book is destined to become a classic for students, researchers, clinicians, and academics alike.”


—Jared Pingleton, clinical psychologist and author of The Struggle Is Real: How to Care for Mental and Relational Health Needs in the Church.





“Siang-Yang Tan is about 50 percent academic scholar, 50 percent psychologist-practitioner; 50 percent pastor, and 50 percent spiritual abba and prayer warrior. And this explains why he always gives 200 percent to everything he touches. A Christian Approach to Counseling and Psychotherapy is no exception. . . . The modern movement concerning the integration of psychology and Christian spirituality is deeply indebted to Siang-Yang Tan. And so am I.”


—Gary W. Moon, Westmont College





“Tan draws upon decades of clinical experience, pastoral care, and spiritual maturity to passionately advocate for a biblically anchored form of integration with Christ at the center. Carefully and thoughtfully guiding the reader through a detailed discussion on implicit and explicit forms of integration, then concluding with an emphasis on the Holy Spirit in clinical and counseling practice, this book is a must-read for those who want to understand the past, present, and future of Christian integration in counseling and psychotherapy.”


—Joshua J. Knabb, California Baptist University





“I am thrilled that Tan’s thoughts and wisdom, psychological and spiritual, are now available in this new volume. Tan’s inclusion of and dependence on solid research as a basis for practice is an excellent source of knowledge. With the field’s and society’s increasing sensitivity to multicultural practice, Tan has much to offer in terms of this dimension of counseling. . . . This is an essential voice in the conversation about the relationship of our faith to psychology.”


—Fred Gingrich, Toccoa Falls College Graduate School





“No one puts it all together like Siang-Yang Tan—a widely appreciated leader in Christian counseling over the past three decades—and this accessible set of three lectures provides a helpful introduction to his thinking, practice, and contributions in Christian integration, Christian psychology, and spiritual formation.”


—Eric L. Johnson, Houston Baptist University