The perfect balance for a counselor who works with those who suffer from Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) is a solid education in psychology and counseling with accountability to the state health organization combined with spiritual credentialing.
Professional Credentialing
Professional credentialing is well-known and accepted in our western culture. Counselors are required to have a master’s degree in counseling or a related field from an accredited educational institution. A PhD or MD degree is considered helpful. Education in the field and supervised direct client/patient contact is also required. When the educational and professional training is completed the state administers an examination covering the required material. The state sets the grade level to establish the point of pass or fail. If the individual passes, the state board issues a recognized license. The emphasis is on the academic and practical application of the knowledge. At this time, the principles of behaviorism are emphasized.
Spiritual Credentialing
Pierre Janet and others have established the fact that “bodiless beings” dwell in and greatly influence the individual who suffers from antisocial behaviors and Multiple Personality Disorder. Bodiless demonic beings are spiritual beings who may or may not manifest in bodily form. They are spirit beings who spend a great amount of their time and energy influencing the spiritual part of human beings in a negative way. They often dwell in them in order to direct their behavior. To confront and shut down their demonic work, the counselor must be able to engage them at the spiritual level. Behavioral techniques of counseling and intellectual knowledge in the psychiatric field are not enough.
The Purpose of Counseling
The purpose of counseling is to bring about positive change. Understanding what healthy psychological functioning is is necessary. Behavioral norms of acceptable personal and social behavior inform the counselor as to what is normal and healthy. Healthy functional behavior has been informed and empowered by the Judeo-Christian beliefs arising from the Reformation. In the Reformation, reading the Bible in a person’s native language was encouraged. This led to broad-based literacy. The Bible was recognized as God’s written word to His created people. As such, it was incumbent on the reader to be obedient to what was written That obedience has led to the greatest growth in knowledge, the humane treatment of one another in social interactions, and the positive transformation of individuals and social institutions that the world has ever known. The indwelling bodiless beings cause a multitude of individual and social problems. If these unclean spirits are ignored or treated as psychosis or hallucinations, the client/patient will not be helped, and change for the better will not occur.
The Kingdom of Heaven/God
Jesus as Christ dwelling in us brings about the reign of God on earth in the lives of men and women (Matthew 3:2). The Lord overcomes the forces of evil and can remove all the consequences of sin. Believers will not die and go to hell, but will go to heaven. We are urged to believe the Gospel: Christ died for our sins; He was buried and was raised from the dead to show His victory over death and hell (I Corinthians 15:1-8).
His followers, the Apostles, the Seventy-two others, and all believers were commissioned and sent out with authority as believers. They were told to preach salvation through repentance and faith, to heal the sick, and to cast out demons. This commission was given to all believers (Matthew 28:16-20). Jesus promised to empower us to do the work. I will send the Holy Spirit from the Father so that you are clothed with power from heaven (Luke 24:45-49).
The reality that “bodiless beings” indwell, trouble, abuse, and traumatize has been attested to for thousands of years. The vast majority of the world’s population believes this to be true. The counselors who engage to work with those who dissociate must be deeply convinced of this truth.
Content of Spiritual Credentialing
A relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ: To the best understanding of this writer, only those with a spiritual relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah, are able to shut down and cast out “bodiless beings” (demons, unclean spirits).
The indwelling Holy Spirit: He is the counselor, The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. He will teach us and remind us of the truth (John 14:15-17; 25-27).
Those who have faith are given spiritual power: Jesus, the Lord, said, “Anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in My name to glorify the Father (John 14:12-14).
Those in whom the power of God dwells will be marked by signs: Jesus called His disciples to Him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and heal every disease and sickness (Matthew 10:1; Mark 16:15-18).
The man or woman of faith will use God’s spiritual resources to do His work among us: pray in the Lord’s name. Cast out demons, spirits of the dead, some of which are ancestral spirits. Use His name, His word and His shed blood to do the work of the Lord. Ask Holy Spirit to give and direct the use of wisdom and knowledge; the ability to heal, prophecy, distinguish between spirits; the power to work miracles, etc. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) Always test the spirits to see if they are from God. (1 John 4:1-6)
