Counseling Tools Archives - The Institute for Reformed Biblical Counseling

June 3, 2026

Diagnosing the Quarrelsome Heart

by Jared Poulton

There is a common experience in ministry. A pastor or church leader reflects upon a disagreement or thread of disunity…

May 13, 2026

Biblical Guidelines for Friendships

by Jared Poulton

Relationships provide the background to many counseling situations. A relationship ending, conflict in relationships, disappointment from relationships, depression or isolation…

April 22, 2026

Taking Notes in Biblical Counseling

by Jared Poulton

There is a common image of a biblical counselor—a person in a chair with a Bible, a pen, and a…

April 8, 2026

How Should I Respond When I Sin?

by Jared Poulton

If we take the Bible seriously, we should not be too surprised by the fact that we sin. Because of…

March 4, 2026

Resource Recommendation: 31-Day Devotionals

by Jared Poulton

The biggest obstacle that many aspiring biblical counselors confront is the transition from theory to practice. You’ve read the books,…

February 25, 2026

Nine Homework Ideas for Biblical Counseling

by Jared Poulton

My biblical counseling practice can sometimes reflect a bad habit. As my sessions pass the third quarter of the hour,…

February 11, 2026

Biblical Counseling and the Heart

by Jared Poulton

When I was first introduced to biblical counseling over a decade ago, I was quickly gripped by its emphasis on…

January 21, 2026

Courage in the Battles of Life

by Jared Poulton

An unexpected motif that reappears in my counseling ministry is the issue of courage. By courage, I do not mean…

December 17, 2025

Book Recommendation: A Heart Aflame for God

by Jared Poulton

A cursory survey of the final decades of evangelicalism displays the many strengths of this interdenominational movement. The institutions established…