I am often asked about Christian counseling and why it is important. In my work at New Story Behavioral Health, I work with clients who come looking for solutions to parts of their lives they wish were different. Many have tried to find solutions to their problems through their faith and the church. And rightfully so! For centuries, people have found comfort and healing through prayer, meditation on Scripture, and being in a worshipping community with other Christians.

Observing Christian spiritual practices and being in community with other Christians can be therapeutic. Sometimes, it can feel like praying and reading the Bible are constrained by depression and anxiety. It gets discouraging to witness others find healing and hope through their faith and not be able to access this yourself. I know how difficult it is to want this desperately. But healing and release do not come as it does for others.

Mental Health Stigma and the Church

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for Christians to dismiss the felt connection of others’ spiritual lives and mental health. Someone might say, “I am so anxious all the time. I’ve been told to pray about it, and I do. But the anxiety never goes away.” Others bear the weight of shame. “I told my small group that I’m feeling depressed, and they suggested we do a Bible study about joy in the Bible.”

Do you resonate with one of these statements? Have you been told to “pray more” only to sense more disconnection from your mind, body, and faith? Throughout my life, well-meaning Christians have suggested that I pray more to solve my problems. However, It wasn’t until I went into the depths of my heart to address my anxiety and depression through therapy that I was finally able to pray more. And now, I sense a deeper connection with God through prayer.

If you resonate with these sentiments, I would recommend considering Christian counseling as a way forward in life. In this article, I hope to address some questions about the nature of Christian counseling. If you find yourself stuck and hurting in life, I encourage you to invite curiosity and begin to notice what you sense, imagine, feel, and think as you read and reflect. If you find yourself in a serious mental health crisis, please go to your local emergency room or contact the national mental health crisis and suicide hotline (text or call 988).

Do I have to be a Christian?

The short answer is no (stay with me for a moment). The medium answer is for clients who are not Christians and do not want to incorporate Christian spirituality into therapy, it will be counseling instead of Christian counseling. However, the full answer to this question is complex. The intricacy lies in the ethical nature of professional counseling and the relationship between the therapist and client.

Ethics

Therapists who are licensed by the states where they practice are held to high ethical standards. In my case, I am a Resident in Counseling in Virginia and a Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor in Maryland. These two state counseling boards require licensed counselors to adhere to the American Counseling Association’s (ACA) code of ethics.

Why is this important? The ACA’s code of ethics first requires professional counselors to explore their own values and cultural identities. This first begins during graduate-level academic work. It continues as professional counselors seek consultation, counseling, and continuing education after completing their degree. By doing so, professional counselors seek to build a counselor-client relationship where the counselor does not seek to impose their values onto their clients.

Autonomy

I once had a client claiming no religious allegiance ask if my faith would impact how I work with him. He was concerned I would have to make significant adjustments to my techniques. My answer surprised him! My response was that because of my faith, I would not have to change methods to work with non-Christian clients. This is because I firmly believe in the principle of autonomy. Autonomy means that professional counselors will foster clients’ rights to control the direction of their lives.

This is more than a professional value for me – it is a value that was first demonstrated by God. In the creation story, God plants a garden, placing the first humans there among two significant trees: the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2v8-9). These trees were in the open, without a fence or barrier. Where God could have built a wall, He issued a warning that eating of the Tree of Knowledge would bring death (Genesis 2v15-17).

In the Garden, there was an opportunity for choice. Where God could have made the choice for the man and the woman, He let them make their own choice. Today, I have a choice to follow Jesus or not (Mark 10v17-22). As I receive autonomy over the direction of my life, I long to pass such dignity on to my clients. This goes for clients who are Christians and those who are not. This article assumes a client has already disclosed that they are Christian and want to incorporate their faith in the therapy process.

What is Christian counseling and why is it important?

Christian counseling seeks to help others grow in spiritual maturity in addition to interpersonal competence, mental stability, and wholeness (American Association of Christian Counselors). Clients who have experienced trauma in their lives are looking for a transformation of their mind (Romans 12v1-2). They may not say it with these words. However, to heal from trauma and live a non-anxious life, thought patterns and negative beliefs must transform into more adaptive thoughts and beliefs.

Our brains have a natural and amazing ability to heal themselves from distressing experiences. Using empirically sound interventions such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), I get to witness their minds transform right in front of me! Traumatic experiences may leave a person’s brain in a fight, flight, or freeze response. This can lead to posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and panic attacks, among others. EMDR helps the brain to move along in the processing of the disturbing event to heal itself and become more adaptive (EMDRIA.org). Clients often experience a deeper connection to their faith when interventions such as EMDR are integrated into counseling through the lens of Christian spiritual formation.

Christian counseling is important because many churches lack the resources to deal with the most difficult situations. A majority of Protestant pastors report they are not well-equipped to help people with addictions, abuse, and vicarious trauma on the job, among others (Barna.com). Skilled professional counselors become partners with the local church when counseling is integrated with Christian spiritual formation.

How is Christian counseling different?

A client once said in the middle of a session that the Christian life shouldn’t be about sin management. He came to me seeking help with his recurring pornography use. At this point in his journey, he had grown tired of doing the same things over and over and was finally making progress. He was beginning to transform his story with counseling through the lens of a Christian worldview.

In Christian counseling, we don’t automatically talk about sin. However, as in the case above, if clients bring it up, we can certainly go there. This is one of the differences in seeing a professional counselor who is competent in integrating a Christian worldview with clinically proven methods. A counselor with a Christian worldview can provide reflections and insights that connect a client’s mental wellness to their spiritual formation.

Christian counseling does not automatically include scripture or prayer, although I have had clients ask for both during sessions. This is important for many clients seeking Christian counseling as they may resist such practices. For example, a client who was sexually abused by their pastor may have to work through this trauma in therapy before they can objectively open a Bible or try to pray. A Christian counselor can be patient with such a client as they work through the trauma and, in time, return to practicing their faith.

Final Thoughts

There is so much more that can be said about Christian counseling. For now, I hope this article provides enough insight for you to take a next step in your journey. If you live in Virginia or Maryland, I would love to be a part of that journey. Through the group practice I work in, there are options for individuals, couples, clinical Confessional Communities®, group intensives, and individual intensives. Let’s connect soon over a free, no-obligation phone call to discuss counseling options. Book your 15-mintue new client consultation here.