Recently, I have read a series of articles from a Christian who escaped from a "Christian" cult whose tactics of counseling were akin to "enhanced interrogations." So, my first point is that many organizations who call themselves Christian are not. Nevertheless, there are many secular counselors whose primary remedy seems to be the pharmacokinetic applications. This is not new, but is referred to in the Bible as "pharmakeia" - the use of drugs as was used in sorcery or witchcraft. So, in my opinion such counselors are merely no better than drug pushers.
Therefore, the use of extreme examples of either form of counseling I see as troubling, overflowing with prejudice. I make a point of this, because you seem to use only one of the methods as being extreme and the other as mainstream. That doesn't seem quite fair to me, because there are abuses all around.
"Equal weights," demands the Bible.
In addition, relying exclusively on solutions by constructs from either the secular or the sacrosanct seems more than particularly troublesome to me.
I'll give a brief example of what Christian Counseling used to be like, way back in the Seventies... Preparing for Adolescence by Dr. James C. Dobson was a resource that helped me grow up. Pathetically, that growth spurt came a bit late in my life's journey since I was already 28 years old. To my shame my teenage years had come and gone long before. Still, the course brought me up to speed. Not for nothing, Dr. Dobson was both a certifiable Chrisitan and a certified professional.
(Now, Dr. Dobson was swallowed up in the early political maelstrom of the movement that has evolved to become known as Christian Nationalism, and I have absolutely no idea what he is now...)
Please, let me point out that as for my extreme depression, nicotine addictions, and other harmful predilections, God took care of those all by Himself.
Still and all, my point is this: A person with a College background or who has educated him or herself with broad understandings in Sociology or Psychology, and who also has a sound Christian theological foundation to stand on, would be my singularly preferred human counselor.
There is no debating over the fact that using the Bible to "beat people over the head" does more harm than good. It's ignorant and immature behavior.
Regardless, leaving God, Jesus, and the Bible out of personal counseling still remains to be unwise. God can do way more than we ask or think.
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us..." - Ephesians 3:20. Note well that true Christian counseling assumes a person already has "His power at work within" which will assure success.
One last postscript: You have many truths expressed in your essay, especially in the section "The echo chamber factor." However, please excuse my impudence, but if you could imagine your essay turned inside out, you might also realize the inverse to be true. Everybody has the tendency to operate within their own echo chambers, Right?
