Includes bibliographical references (pages 337-359) and index.

I. The grave new world of Christian counseling liability -- Introduction to law for the Christian counselor -- The legal regulation of Christian counseling -- Social and systematic trends in legal liability -- Nally and Smith: Lessons from two landmark cases -- II. Sexual misconduct in Christian counseling -- Wrongful sex and the sexual misconduct crisis -- Legal liability for sexual misconduct in counseling.

VII. The maturation of the Christian counseling profession -- Protecting the profession: Defending Christian counselors -- Organizing the profession: A call to maturity.

VI. Corporate risks and counseling credentials -- The counseling pastor: Competent counseling, referral, and leadership -- Professional Christian counselors: Issues in training and licensure -- Supervision and consultation in private and agency practice -- Expert courtroom testimony by the Christian counselor.

v. Special counseling modes and controversial cases -- Marriage, family, and child therapy; divorce and group counseling -- Psychiatry and inpatient hospital ministry -- Counseling in cases of abortion, AIDS, and cult programming.

IV. The counseling process: Managing liability risk -- A good start: informed consent and counseling agreements -- Improper treatment and high-risk counseling practices -- Dual relationships, undue influence, and conflict of interest -- Failure to consult or refer, abandonment, and wrongful termination -- God or mammon? Fees and money issues in Christian counseling.

III. Confidentiality and its many exceptions -- Confidentiality and privileged communication -- Child and elder abuse reporting and intervention -- The duty and practice of suicide intervention -- Protecting third persons from client violence.