Are sessions with a Christian counselor right for you? Read on to learn about some of the benefits of Christian counseling.
Everything in me went into lockdown mode when my good friend asked, “Have you ever thought about talking to a Christian counselor?”
There was a deep dread that felt like a boulder in my stomach. A fear of vulnerability and exposure in my life that felt terrifying.
I’d faced depression in my life, and had dealt with it in a more scientific way. It was needed, and thankfully, God provided a lot of solutions to help deal with it.
(If you need help for your physical and overall wellbeing, please don’t hesitate to see a doctor and get help. A Christian counselor can help with many spiritual issues, but not necessarily physical and mental issues.)
But facing my spiritual issues was new to me.
Shame and anxiety ruled over a lot of my mind. Words like “never good enough” and “failure” felt like they defined me. Even with having a Savior in my life, I didn’t feel saved – I felt constantly condemned and worried someone would find me out as a phony for being a believer but feeling this way.
You can understand why someone with those thoughts might feel the pressure to be “strong enough” without help.
Finally, after the encouragement of several wise friends, I decided to give counseling a try. And three years later, I’ve been on a completely transformative journey that has my life and perspective looking very different than when I started.
What are the benefits of Christian counseling?
Help with untangling your thoughts and feelings.
Most of the time we process life on our own. But let’s face it – we don’t always know how to do that in a healthy way. Maybe we imitate others, or deal with ourselves the way others have treated us, right or wrong.
For me, a lot of times my mind felt like a jumble. Why would one circumstance trigger a seemingly unrelated feeling? I needed guidance to help me navigate these thoughts, a person with the grace and discernment I didn’t know how to give myself.
Someone to ask the right questions.
There were assumptions and beliefs in my life that I never thought to question. Like why I try so hard to maintain control of the world around me. Or why I thought everyone else was good enough and had it all together – except for me.
A good Christian counselor will listen, ask the right questions, and give you the chance to think and answer them. You might be surprised at a different viewpoint from what you always accepted to be true.
A mirror to help you discover how God really sees you.
Sometimes looking in the mirror is not fun. Especially as I get older, and what I think I look like doesn’t match what I really look like.
It’s also hard to have the discipline to sit down and really see our souls and minds honestly and clearly. Being faced with ourselves means having to deal with two very important spiritual principles: that God fully knows us, and he fully loves us. Which are also difficult concepts to reconcile.
How could he see all the things about us that we punish ourselves for and want to hide, and yet still love us so immensely? A Christian counselor can help you see yourself the way God sees you – and he sees you with love, acceptance, and so much grace.
A graceful space without judgment.
As Christians, we usually have people in our lives to support us and give us advice, to draw us back to the Bible and to spur us on spiritually. But sometimes we need affirmation for our thoughts and feelings before any change.
As much as I love and appreciate the people in my life who motivate me to be more Godly, it was also very helpful for someone to be still with me – to listen, affirm my feelings, and make me feel understood. It’s help with sitting in the tough stuff and understanding it, instead of first working on methods to change it.
Scripture to help direct your mind and heart.
A biblical counselor will direct you back to the Bible every time. Many times in sessions the question would come up: “Is that what Jesus really says? Is that how he lived?”
Satan wants us to believe things that just aren’t true – that God doesn’t care, that he doesn’t want us to succeed, that we’re worthless to him. When we go back to the truths in the Bible, we can see his lies clearly for what they are.
Direction towards more help if needed.
You might wonder – what if I have physical or mental struggles too? What are the benefits of spiritual counseling vs secular counseling or psychology?
A Christian counselor will help you work through your perspective and feelings, and help you address spiritual lies with biblical truths. The right Christian counselor won’t attempt to fix physical or mental health issues with spiritual direction, because it won’t solve the problem.
It’s like going to a dermatologist when you are having digestive issues. You need to see the right person to properly diagnose and address the problem. Your spiritual counselor should be able to direct you to the right place if they can’t address those issues.
Is Christian counseling effective?
How sessions with a Christian counselor helped me:
It changed my view of God. From the pain and disconnect of believing God was disappointed in me to the joy and fulfillment of seeing how much he loves and accepts me as I am. It’s life-changing.
It changed my view of scripture. So many times reading the Bible left me so aware of the things I felt like I lacked. An adjusted perspective with spiritual guidance and help allow me now to see the grace that permeates every Word that comes from God.
It changed my view of me. I see myself now as someone who is fully known and fully loved by God. Nothing I can do can make his love for me more or less. I feel freer to glorify him in my life without demands or guilt.
It changed my view of others. Coming from a place of acceptance by God, I feel like my eyes are more open to feeling compassion for others, and a desire to help them feel free of the burden of guilt.
How about you?
What benefits of Christian counseling would you like to see in your life? How might life look differently if you were able to address faulty thinking with scripture and experience more of God’s grace in your life?
Photo Credit:
1 – Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
2 – Sarah Noltner on Unsplash
3 – Izabelle Acheson on Unsplash
I love that you mentioned that a good Christian counsellor can be a mirror for how God really sees you. My daughter is struggling with some mental health issues and I want to make sure she has the right perspective. I’ll definitely think about getting her a Christian counsellor.
It was incredibly beneficial for me! Praying that you will find the right fit for your daughter and she gets the help she needs.
I’ve been to many therapists but I cannot seem to let go of my traumas. A friend has advised me to try spiritual counseling. So, I’m looking it up and learned here that even if I’m not a religious person, the profound and wise words in the scriptures and a counselor could direct me into a more self-accepting perspective.
Hi Claire – I love that you are open to the idea. It was transformational for me, as a believer but also just to hear the affirmations and get clarity on some toxic and faulty thinking I had adopted along the way. I hope you find the right fit and are able to find peace and relief from your traumas.