Not every pastor enjoys counseling. But other than by skipping town, how can
you decrease the demand? Here, based on specious clinical research, are a
dozen methods guaranteed to keep counseling off your to-do list.
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Don't put a door on your office.
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Sing songs such as "Put On a Happy Face" and "Don't Worry; Be Happy" to
counselees.
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Step out of the office and start laughing uproariously.
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Tell the counselee that although you can't figure out a solution to the
problem, you'll bring it up in the sermon on Sunday and see if anybody has any
ideas.
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Casually catch up on your reading while counselees bare their deepest
problems.
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Tell the counselee you are videotaping the session for replay on the local
cable program: Candid Clergy.
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Put a bumper sticker on your car: "I'd rather not be counseling."
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Refer them to a helpful article in your favorite professional journal: the
National Enquirer.
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Suggest counseling by fax machine.
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In front of the counselee, phone your spouse and ask for his or her
opinion on what to do.
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Recite tales of people who are a lot worse off, and call the counselee a
crybaby.
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Engage the counselee's mother-in-law as a co-therapist.
[ Author Unknown -- from 'andychaps_the-funnies' (Andychap@aol.com) ]
