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Descriptions and Prescriptions: A Biblical Perspective on Psychiatric Diagnoses and Medications (Helping the Helper Series) Paperback – Illustrated, September 5, 2017

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 314 ratings

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OCD, ADHD, PTSD, Bipolar Disorder . . . these are not just diagnoses from the DSM; they are part of our everyday vocabulary and understanding of people. As Christians, how should we think about psychiatric diagnoses and their associated treatments?

We can't afford to isolate ourselves and simply dismiss these categories as unbiblical. Nor can we afford to accept the entire secular psychiatric diagnostic and treatment enterprise at face value as though Christian Scripture is irrelevant for these complex mental struggles. Instead, we need a balanced, biblically (and scientifically!) informed approach that is neither too warmly embracing nor too coldly dismissive of psychiatric labels and the psychiatric medications that are often prescribed.

Biblical counselor and retired physician, Michael R. Emlet, gives readers a helpful way forward on these important issues as he guides lay and professional helpers in the Christian church through the thicket of mental health diagnoses and treatments in a clear, thoughtful primer in which the Bible informs our understanding of psychiatric diagnoses and the medications that are often recommended based on those labels.

This first book in the Helping the Helper series will give readers biblical, gospel-formed categories that will help them understand and minister to those who are struggling with mental health issues.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“I have found nowhere in all my training or reading a more helpful tool for me as a pastor to understand the complexities of psychiatric diagnoses and medicinal prescriptive practices from a Scriptural perspective.”
Joseph Vincent Novenson, Senior Teaching Pastor, Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church, TN

“Wisdom is the ability to take complex human experiences and untangle the knots. The painful human struggles that are given psychiatric labels and psychoactive medications perplex us all. Mike Emlet untangles knots. He offers a lucid and humble understanding that will make you think. He commends practical and gracious ways forward that will help you care.”
David Powlison, Executive Director, Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF); author of Good & Angry and How Does Sanctification Work?

“Michael Emlet has nailed it! Finally, we have a medically informed and biblically wise approach regarding what we really know and don’t know about psychiatric diagnoses and medications. We need this holistic aim in ministering to spiritual, emotional, and biological care for those who are suffering. This book is both fascinating and succinct and I will be recommending it often.”
Aimee Byrd, author of Housewife Theologian, Theological Fitness, and No Little Women

“A remarkable achievement. Dr. Mike Emlet’s introduction to psychiatric diagnoses and medication is brief but comprehensive, accessible yet authoritative. It confronts hard and complex questions with wisdom and balance. . . . I recommend it without hesitation.”
Glynn Harrison, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry and former consultant psychiatrist, University of Bristol, UK

“In brief, clear chapters with helpful illustrations and real life vignettes, Mike Emlet has written an excellent and very practical book. He walks a careful middle road between accepting the current cultural diagnosis and treatment system and dismissing the latter as unbiblical and false. He sees value in diagnosis and medication but always in the context of dealing with whole persons.”
Richard D. Winter, Psychotherapist, Professor Emeritus of Applied Theology and Counseling, Covenant Theological Seminary

“Mike Emlet has written a balanced and much-needed book. We often fall into extreme positions and sadly end up doing damage to those who are suffering. Approaching those who suffer requires great humility, for Scripture is quite clear that we who are made in the image of God do not really even understand ourselves! I pray this book will bear the fruit of humility and compassion in God’s people.”
Diane Langberg, Psychologist; author of Suffering and the Heart of God

“Mike Emlet has written a much-needed book on psychiatric diagnosis from a biblical worldview. The paradigm of psychiatric labels being descriptive but not prescriptive is very important for biblical counselors and Christians in general. Humbly admitting we have to grow in our understanding of biological issues that interplay with spiritual struggles is right. Challenging a reductionist biological view of man is also right. It is time for the biblical counseling movement to adopt a more robust, balanced, and holistic approach to caring for those who suffer most. This book goes a long way to help us turn the corner. I highly recommend it.”
Garrett Higbee, Executive Director of Biblical Soul Care for Harvest Bible Chapel; founding board member of the Biblical Counseling Coalition; president of Soul Care Consulting

“In the midst of all the conflicting voices in our culture about psychiatric diagnoses and psychotropic medications, Dr. Michael Emlet has provided a helpful gift to the church. In this short book, you’ll find a clear and nuanced discussion of the wisdom of using or not using psychiatric descriptions and medications. Recognizing the uniqueness of each situation, Dr. Emlet will assist you in making the best decision for each case by furnishing a framework that isn’t the same with every person. I’m thankful for it.”
Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Author of Will Medicine Stop the Pain?

“Mike Emlet brings up a topic at the dinner table that most people couldn’t—at least not without causing indigestion. You will find Emlet the best kind of conversationalist on a difficult topic like psychiatric medications, making distinctions clear when needed and acknowledging mystery when needed. He is a man of his time with a heart captured by the rich vision of human life found in ancient Scripture. This book is instantly in my curriculum.”
Jeremy Pierre, Associate Professor of Biblical Counseling, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; author of The Dynamic Heart in Daily Life: Connecting Christ to Human Experience

“The intersection of ministry, mental health, and medicine is the Bermuda Triangle of soul care. Dr. Emlet applies his unique multidisciplinary training—physician, pastor, and, biblical counselor—to cut through mystery, myth, and, misconception. Biblical wisdom is the compass to navigate these troubled waters. Descriptions & Prescriptions leans into Scripture as it rejoices in appreciation for God’s gift of medical treatment and holistic pastoral care.”
Stephen P. Greggo, Professor of Counseling, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; coeditor of Counseling and Christianity: Five Approaches

“Finally, help in resolving some of the tension felt between the practice of psychiatric labeling and biblical counseling. Counselors have needed direction on navigating the struggles of the human brain and soul, while neither dismissing labeling completely nor fully embracing hook, line, and sinker, everything taught in modern psychiatry. Mike Emlet has again given us wise counsel from the Bible, utilizing his medical background to clarify the language of labeling and the wise use of medication.”
Rod Mays, National Staff, Reformed University Fellowship; adjunct faculty, Reformed Theological Seminary

“As a pastor and counselor, it is hard not to be overwhelmed by the complexity of mental health struggles. Mike’s book is like a new set of glasses, bringing clarity to these complex issues. Without giving all the answers, Mike lays out perceptive pointers to help readers navigate difficult terrain. Whether you are a pastor, lay leader, parent, or a concerned friend, this book will provide you much needed wisdom.”
Kurt Peters, Pastor of St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Botany (Sydney); Director of Biblical Counseling Australia

“Mike has given us a balanced and reliable guide to psychiatric diag¬noses and medical therapies from a biblical perspective that is well-informed by experience and science. Practical, clear, and perceptive, it will be helpful to pastors and mental health professionals, as well as those who suffer in the ways described in the DSM-5. In my opinion, this is the best book in its area for years.”
Karl B. Hood, Lecturer in Pastoral Care, Presbyterian Theological College, Melbourne, Australia

“With a physician’s training harnessed by Scripture, Mike Emlet leads us along the tightrope of psychiatric considerations with both a poise and grace not often seen when Christians approach this topic. Both the mental health practitioner and the pastoral counselor should be pleased with this robust analysis that challenges us all to rethink our categories in favor of a gospel-centered accounting of these post-fall realities.”
John Applegate, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Renewal Network; psychiatrist and director of John Applegate, MD & Associ¬ates, LLC

“I recommend this book to help pastors and mature believers in the church who want to better understand the challenges of human psy¬chological suffering from a gospel-centered perspective. Drawing on his personal experience with those who are afflicted by problems of mental health, Emlet leads us away from a reductionist approach to one that is holistic and includes both heart and body. His work gives us an excellent start in ministering to those who suffer.”
François Turcotte, President of Séminaire Baptiste Évangélique du Québec (SEMBEQ); elder at Église Baptiste du Plateau Mont-Royal

“The relationship between the spheres of the medical and the spiritual in pastoral care can be an extremely tricky one to navigate, especially for pastors with no medical training. That is why this clear and concise book by Mike Emlet is so important. Eschewing the simple reductionism of approaches that deny any usefulness to psychiatric medication, while also refusing to eliminate the spiritual component in many psychiatric disorders, Mike brings his medical expertise and his experience of Christian ministry to bear upon a field that will inevitably cross the path of many Christians. This is a small book but one that should be on the shelf of all those involved in pastoral care.”
Carl R. Trueman, Author; pastor, Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, Ambler, PA

“Any book that has ‘A Biblical Perspective on Psychiatric Diagnoses and Medications’ in its subtitle is going to be huge, complex, impracti¬cal, and highly controversial. Right? Wrong! Mike Emlet has man¬aged to write a short, accessible, and immensely practical book on this vital subject. And he’s done it in such a sensible, balanced, and biblical way that the book will promote peace and unity rather than debate and division. Here is help for the helpers and for the helpless.
David Murray, Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary; pastor of Grand Rapids Free Reformed Church; author of Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture

“In Descriptions and Prescriptions: A Biblical Perspective on Psychiatric Diagnoses and Medications, Michael R. Emlet makes accessible for the lay Christian otherwise technical information about the symptoms and treatments of psychiatric disorders. He presents these issues within a biblical anthropology and seeks to help move Christians beyond a generalized fear of psychiatric illnesses and treatments to a ‘third way’ between solely spiritualizing or over-medicalizing these illnesses.”
Kathryn Greene-McCreight, Author of Darkness Is My Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness

“As a Christian, have you ever wondered how to think about psychiatric labels and medications? Dr. Michael Emlet has provided a thoughtful, balanced, biblical approach to diagnoses and medications in this book. I’m planning to buy copies and give this out to many of our members.”
Deepak Reju, Pastor of Biblical Counseling and Family Ministry, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC; author of The Pastor and Counseling and She’s Got the Wrong Guy

“Because our culture increasingly describes problems in terms of psychiatric diagnoses and increasingly seeks solutions through psychoactive medications, this is a vital book for our times. We all need to think more carefully about the labels we are using and the drugs we are taking. This will become a go-to book for Christians wanting a balanced, biblical, and compassionate view of the descriptions and prescriptions that psychiatrists use.”
Steve Midgley, Executive Director, Biblical Counseling UK
“A reference book of great value for care givers, particularly those of us who are not medical professionals. Mike skilfully deals with a very complex issue and provides a balanced view of the advantages and limitations of ‘descriptions’ and ‘prescriptions’ as well as the important role of biblical counselling in the overall healing process. A must read for secular and biblical counselors alike.“
John K. John, DMin (1950-2017), Former Director, Biblical Counseling Trust of India

About the Author

Michael R. Emlet, MDiv, MD, practiced as a family physician for over ten years before becoming a counselor and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). He is the author of the minibooks Asperger Syndrome, Chronic Pain, Angry Children, and Help for the Caregiver, as well as the books CrossTalk: Where Life & Scripture Meet and Descriptions and Prescriptions: A Biblical Perspective on Psychiatric Diagnoses and Medications.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ New Growth Press; First Edition (September 5, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 112 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 194527011X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1945270116
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.2 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 314 ratings

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Michael R. Emlet
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Michael R. Emlet, MDiv, MD, practiced as a family physician for over ten years before becoming a counselor and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). He is the author of the minibooks Asperger Syndrome, Chronic Pain, Angry Children, and Help for the Caregiver, as well as the books CrossTalk: Where Life & Scripture Meet and Descriptions and Prescriptions: A Biblical Perspective on Psychiatric Diagnoses and Medications.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
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Customers say

Customers find the book informative and helpful. They appreciate the clear writing style and balanced approach. The book is geared toward Christians and addresses their concerns and prejudices. It is described as concise and a primer, providing excellent wisdom in a small book.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

21 customers mention "Information quality"21 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful and informative. They say it offers basic information about current psychological issues and guidance to make wiser choices. The book is considered a valuable resource for pastors and elders.

"...We are complex people and this book kindly and compassionately offers knowledge and guidance to make wiser choices as we care for each other." Read more

"...II, I found this book very helpful as it provides a good overview of psychiatric problems and the medications used to treat them...." Read more

"The book provides a lot of information that fills in gaps in my thinking about how to approach secular concepts, and what to think about medicine in..." Read more

"...of diagnosis and medications, but this book really helped me find that middle ground approach if I'm going to be able to effectively counsel someone..." Read more

8 customers mention "Writing style"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style helpful and clear. They find the book written with compassion and understanding in a balanced way that is easy to understand.

"...Dr. Emlet writes with understanding and compassion...." Read more

"...Very reader friendly." Read more

"...Written in a very balanced and respectful way, the reader is given basic information concerning current psychological diagnoses and psychotropic..." Read more

"very insightful, well balanced / written / researched." Read more

7 customers mention "Balance"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's balanced approach.

"...I appreciate the balance this book has provided." Read more

"Very balanced and mature. The book teaches you how to minister to others who may have been diagnosed with a mental illness...." Read more

"...I found this book balanced and helpful." Read more

"...The approach was very balanced and very gospel centered...." Read more

6 customers mention "Christianity"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for Christians. They say it addresses concerns and prejudices, is balanced, and gospel-centered. Readers appreciate the compassion and spiritually focused comfort it provides for suffering souls. The book also offers biblical counsel from both physical and emotional perspectives.

"...does an outstanding job explaining both from the physical and emotional perspectives...." Read more

"...Dr. Emlet writes with understanding and compassion...." Read more

"...Instead, it addresses the Biblical Counselor (who will not be professionally qualified to prescribe or withdraw counselees from meds anyway) in the..." Read more

"...It is information that can help anyone, but geared toward believers and addresses Christian concerns and prejudices...." Read more

3 customers mention "Brevity"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's brevity. They find it useful as a primer and say it's excellent wisdom in a small book.

"...For those reasons, this volume, being more of a primer due to its brevity, is profitable to begin the discussion and encourage the reader to explore..." Read more

"Brief and concise... really helpful for the person trying to wrestle with this topic...." Read more

"Excellent Wisdom In a Small Book!..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2024
    So I had to read this book for my Biblical Counseling class. I was challenged in each and every chapter, not to land on this side or that. Rather I was challenged to meet the person I counsel with value and worth and rely on the sufficiency of SCRIPTURE TO MINISTER TO THE PERSON with God’s wisdom. I appreciate the balance this book has provided.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2021
    Concerned that many were turning to anti-anxiety and anti-depression Rx to help cope with the ramifications of covid, I wanted to learn more about how the drugs work and their possible side effects. Dr. Emlet does an outstanding job explaining both from the physical and emotional perspectives. But he goes further by discussing the Spiritual perspective from a Biblical point of view. He thoughtfully discusses issues that reside between "never use them" and "always try them" opinions. We are complex people and this book kindly and compassionately offers knowledge and guidance to make wiser choices as we care for each other.
    4 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2018
    As someone who suffers from depression (at times severe) and diagnosed with bipolar II, I found this book very helpful as it provides a good overview of psychiatric problems and the medications used to treat them. I would recommend this book to anyone involved in Biblical counseling or who desire to become involved, in fact I think it should be on the must-read list. Dr. Emlet writes with understanding and compassion. I appreciate his admonition to those who counsel to be aware of the complex nature of these problems and recognize they may not have enough knowledge or experience to deal these issues. He states that the struggles of people like me are very real. I almost started to cry that someone acknowledged the struggles are real and the hurting is real.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2022
    The book provides a lot of information that fills in gaps in my thinking about how to approach secular concepts, and what to think about medicine in relation to counseling. I do wish the middle portion of the book, the sections that actually deal with the secular, scientific responses to disorders, had been longer. Emlet left too much meat on the bone! Good book that I will use with my students.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2024
    This book adopts neither extreme regarding medications used for psychological struggles, that they’re either all good or all bad. Instead, it addresses the Biblical Counselor (who will not be professionally qualified to prescribe or withdraw counselees from meds anyway) in the care and compassion for suffering souls, and the wise spiritually focused comfort of those who are suffering.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2019
    I'm an elder at my church, so lay counseling is a big part of what I do. The topic of mental illness is one that I've experienced in my own family's life, and most of the members of my church likely have as well. As I seek to provide my brothers and sisters with godly counsel, it's important to be able to address such heavy and difficult issues with compassion and understanding. I've swayed both ways on the issues of diagnosis and medications, but this book really helped me find that middle ground approach if I'm going to be able to effectively counsel someone who's struggling in this area. Highly recommend.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2022
    Very balanced and mature. The book teaches you how to minister to others who may have been diagnosed with a mental illness. You learn how to help others without all the stigma that is associated with mental health, DSM 5, and the language that is so often used in the secular world.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2018
    This book was so helpful to me. I learned so much about diagnoses and medication. It would be really helpful for anyone, especially those dealing with a diagnosis or friends and family. It should be in every church building. It is information that can help anyone, but geared toward believers and addresses Christian concerns and prejudices. You do not need prior knowledge about psychology to read and understand this book. Very reader friendly.
    5 people found this helpful
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