No. Bethel Sozo is not counselling.
That distinction is important to us, but it doesn’t mean that we think counselling isn’t valuable. Quite the opposite, counselling can be enormously helpful, and there are times when it is exactly the right thing for someone. The important thing is to understand what Sozo is, what counselling is, and where the two can appropriately come together.
So, what is Sozo?
Bethel Sozo is a Christian ministry of prayer and listening. At its heart is relationship with Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. A Sozo gives you an opportunity to ask God questions, listen to Him and discover what He wants you to know about the things that have shaped your life.
The person facilitating the Sozo isn’t there to analyse you or tell you what God is saying. They are there to help you engage with God for yourself. That’s why we sometimes describe Sozo as a ministry of communication.
The aim is greater freedom and wholeness in relationship with God.
So what is counselling?
Counselling is different. Counselling provides a safe and confidential space in which you can talk about what is happening in your life and explore your thoughts, feelings, experiences and relationships.
A counsellor may help you understand patterns, process experiences and consider how you might respond to the things you’re facing. That’s valuable work. But it is not what happens in a Bethel Sozo.
The simplest distinction
Perhaps the easiest way to put it is this: Counselling helps you explore what is happening within your life. Sozo helps you bring those things into relationship with God and discover what He wants you to know.
There can obviously be some overlap. But they are not the same thing.
Does Sozo deal with difficult experiences?
Yes. A Sozo may touch things that are painful, difficult or deeply personal. You may discover beliefs you’ve held about yourself, other people or God; you may become aware of things from your past that still affect you. You may explore forgiveness, judgement, fear, rejection, shame or other things that have influenced the way you live.
But the purpose isn’t simply to analyse those experiences. The purpose is to bring them before God and hear what He wants to say about them. Sometimes the most significant thing that happens is discovering that something you’ve believed for years simply isn’t true.
So why does Wonderfully Free offer counselling?
Because sometimes Sozo isn’t the whole answer. We’ve discovered this through years of working with people. There are occasions when someone would benefit from being able to explore something more fully through counselling as well as receiving Sozo ministry.
That’s why we developed Wonderfully Free Sessions. These deliberately combine Sozo and counselling.
The two approaches can complement one another remarkably well.
Wonderfully Free Sessions
A Wonderfully Free Session isn’t simply a Sozo with a little counselling added. Nor is it counselling with a prayer at the beginning or end. It is an opportunity to draw on both approaches, according to what is helpful for the individual. There may be times when prayer and hearing from God are particularly important. There may be times when someone needs space to explore something carefully through conversation, and there may be times when the two naturally work together.
That’s what makes Wonderfully Free Sessions different from a Bethel Sozo.
Bethel Sozo is Sozo.
Wonderfully Free Sessions combine Sozo and counselling.
What about Going Deeper in Marriage?
There is another important distinction. Going Deeper in Marriage is designed specifically for couples who want to explore their relationship more intensively. It combines: Sozo + counselling + coaching.
The aim is to help couples explore what may be affecting their relationship and discover greater freedom and wholeness both individually and together. So if you’re looking for help with your marriage, a Bethel Sozo isn’t automatically the right doorway. That’s why we offer different ministries for different circumstances.
Which one is right for me?
You don’t have to work that out on your own.
Perhaps you know that you want a Bethel Sozo; perhaps counselling sounds more appropriate; perhaps you think the combination offered through a Wonderfully Free Session would be helpful, or perhaps you’re dealing with something in your marriage and Going Deeper in Marriage sounds more appropriate.
You don’t need to arrive with the right answer.
Tell us where you are.
We’ll listen and help you find the most appropriate doorway.
What Sozo isn’t
We think it’s helpful to be clear. Bethel Sozo isn’t: psychological treatment; a diagnosis; counselling; a substitute for professional medical or psychological care; or a facilitator telling you what God thinks.
It is a Christian prayer ministry in which you are encouraged to engage directly with God, and if we think something other than Sozo would be more appropriate for you, we’ll say so.
What counselling isn’t
Equally, we don’t want to suggest that counselling is somehow a lesser alternative to Sozo. It isn’t. Counselling and Sozo are different things that can both be valuable. Sometimes counselling is exactly what someone needs. Sometimes Sozo is.Sometimes the combination is particularly helpful.
The important thing is finding the right doorway for you.
You don’t have to know before you contact us
Perhaps you’re reading this because you’re not sure what you need. That’s fine. You don’t need to understand Sozo. You don’t need to understand counselling.And you don’t need to diagnose yourself.
Start where you are.
Tell us what’s going on, and we’ll help you explore what might be most appropriate.
We’d rather help you find the right doorway than persuade you through the wrong one.
Find your next step
Understand the ministry and why we believe in it.
Find out what an individual Sozo is actually like.
Explore our combination of Sozo and counselling.
Find out about our intensive ministry for couples.
Not sure which is right for you? Just ask.