By Maddie Lukens, MA
If you are thinking of pursuing anxiety counseling, PTSD counseling or online counseling, anytime is a great time to begin. It is never too late to seek out the support you need. If you are a Christian and have been hesitant about counseling or haven’t decided on a therapist to work with yet, this blog is for you.
Today I am going to talk about the benefits of seeing a therapist who also is a Christian. I want to first start by sharing some differences between Biblical Counseling and Christian Counseling.
At Lime Tree we are not pastors, seminarians, ministers, or people trained in pastoral or biblical counseling. We are clinically-trained professionals who are also Christians. Oftentimes, people who practice biblical or pastoral counseling are not trained in the same way clinical counselors are, so their approach to counseling is different. In Biblical counseling, the approach a counselor takes will be directly from The Bible, perhaps looking at verses or talking through patterns of sin or praying together.
Of course as Christians we love and value The Bible, it guides, directs and teaches us. We are, however, thankful that God also gave us science, psychology and research. By incorporating what we know about The Bible, clinical training and evidence based practices, the counselors at Lime Tree Counseling offer a unique perspective for clients who are Christian. We have a web page dedicated to Christian counseling and how we at Lime Tree Counseling view this practice.
3 Benefits of Receiving Counseling from a Christian Perspective.
1. You know your therapist shares the same worldview as you.
We all know that comfortable feeling you get when you just feel at home, you don’t need to explain yourself and you can just relax. As a Christian, receiving counseling from a Christian perspective can feel a lot like that. As a Christian, your faith is an important aspect of who you are and it is freeing to know you do not have to educate your therapist about what you believe. Sure, traditions and denominations all are different, but the foundational principles are the same. Knowing you share the same worldview as your therapist can offer a person more leeway to ask spiritual/existential questions and as the client you know you will not be judged nor need to explain yourself. This opportunity and shared experience cultivates a safe environment to ask questions or talk about things you don’t feel comfortable discussing with other Christians in your life.
2. Your therapist is not your pastor, ministry leader, or a person you serve with at your local church.
Working with a Christian therapist is unique because knowing you share the same world view, but not the same church or community, is relieving. There are different boundaries that therapists, ministry leaders, and pastors adhere to and by working with a therapist outside of your church/spiritual community, there is a much smaller likelihood that you would run into the person counseling you in a public setting like church.
3. You have the freedom to incorporate as much or as little of your Christian faith/spirituality as you would like.
If a client expresses interest in integrating their faith into their sessions, I make it a point to discuss expectations surrounding these topics in session. Because we share the same faith background, you can share with me how much or how often you pray or spend time with God/in community and these aspects of your routine can be incorporated into your self-care and personal goals. I have had clients who are Christian who don’t want to include their faith at all in sessions and clients who like to talk about their faith more.
Finally, while you are in therapy it is my deepest desire that you experience the healing and freedom you are looking for. Mental and emotional healing are wonderful – and when clients recognize they are forgiven and loved by God no matter what stage they are at in their personal growth, this can prove to be a very powerful addition to healing in therapy.
Next Steps
With the ongoing challenges many of us continue to face, meeting with a counselor from the comfort of your own home in Colorado, Pennsylvania, or North Carolina is a huge benefit. We have a team of clinicians who can help you deal with your hurts and challenges. If you’re interested in Christian Counseling, we are here to assit you. Reach out today if you are interested in online counseling in Colorado, PTSD counseling, or anxiety counseling!