Christianity comes up in the therapy space much more than I would have expected when I was training to become a psychologist. I want to give a few thoughts on the intersection of therapy and Christianity based on common things that I see in practice and hear among people I know. I’m focusing on Christianity specifically in this post because of some nuances in the beliefs that are not present in other religions.
Spirituality and Mental Health
First of all, I believe mental health is built from more than just therapy tools. Friendship, exercise, diet, and many other factors certainly have an impact on mental health (either positive or negative). Spirituality is another of those factors. Everyone is dealing with spirituality on some level. To me, even an atheist is taking a stance in the realm of spirituality and that identity may be part of their important values.
Almost every teen or adult that I meet talks about spirituality in some way in our intake session before I even ask about it. Most everyone dealing with a mental health condition seems to also have some concerns within their spiritual life, whatever that might look like.
Christianity and Psychology
In the clinical psychology world, being aware of people’s cultural variables that interact with their mental health is seen as essential. We are trained to have a perspective of cultural humility and to recognize cultural factors, such as religion, that might play into mental health concerns or treatment. I will say, however, that I do continue to see a discomfort within psychologists specifically with Christianity. Someone who is very comfortable discussing racial discrimination, sexual orientation, or gender identity might find themselves suddenly very disoriented when their patient wishes to discuss their Christian beliefs.
Wanting a Christian Therapist
Within the Christian community, I often hear of people seeking a Christian counselor. Even taking into account what I just said, I do not recommend making the decision of a therapist based on their Christian faith for several reasons.
First of all, I do not believe that supportive counseling is very effective in most cases and it should be reserved for very specific purposes. I truly believe that if you want spiritual guidance, seeking out advice from your pastor, church elder, or equivalent is more relevant. In the same way, I would say that if you are having trouble getting along with your roommate, your mom or sister might give about as good of advice as a therapist (and I would even include myself in that!).
As I’ve discussed in previous posts, if you have a diagnosable mental health condition, finding a provider who is trained in the evidence-based treatment for that disorder or problem area is the most important factor. Then, you can see if you are able to find a match based on variables such as Christianity, ethnicity, or gender.
Additionally, therapists are trained to not talk about themselves and their own hidden identities very often. So, you might actually be working with a therapist who is a Christian, and that’s just not something they would typically tell you.
One concern with the therapist sharing their own identities is that it could impact the therapeutic relationship. Either you might identify with each other so much that it negatively impacts objectivity, or you might worry that your therapist does not understand you. Okay, she is Christian, but which denomination, which specific beliefs, does she attend church regularly... the questions and doubts could take on a life of their own, impacting the therapeutic work.
Lastly, if you broke your arm, would you ask if the medical doctor placing your cast was a Christian? You might say this is different because it’s a one-time contact versus recurring interactions. Someone might feel that having a therapist who does not understand their Christian beliefs could lead them down a pathway that would be counter to their religion. I would argue that a therapist who is not competent to treat someone’s mental health condition could lead them down a pathway that could cause them serious emotional/mental harm.
“Therapy” at Church
I have seen people in church settings bring in group activities that are supposedly purely religious in nature, but really get into the realm of mental health treatment. One thing that is essential to psychotherapy is informed consent. No treatment should just happen upon you. You should be fully aware of what you are being offered and the potential benefits and risks and then have a choice as to whether to engage in a treatment. If you are in the middle of some sort of group activity and begin to have a gut feeling this is not right for you, you are allowed to take a step back.
Christianity and OCD
Christianity comes up often in the context of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). There is a category of obsessions called religious scrupulosity that involves thoughts that are counter to someone’s religious beliefs (e.g., What if I made a deal with the devil? What if I offended God?). Some compulsions also take a religious form, such as using a scripted prayer to keep something “bad” from happening.
Many people with OCD experience thought-action fusion, which is believing that thinking something is as negative as taking that action. For example, they might think that having a random thought about their neighbor being naked is equivalent to adultery. In the Bible, there are some verses that do seem to support this way of thinking (e.g., Matthew 5:28). It might be helpful, however, to have a talk with a trusted pastor or religious leader to hear their thoughts on whether intrusive thoughts fall into the category of sin. Although I cannot guarantee what everyone would say, I assume most would categorize OCD obsessions as different from planned actions or intentional thinking (e.g., fantasizing). It could be helpful to have a pastor as part of the OCD treatment team, learning from the therapist how to answer religious questions without providing reassurance that can fuel compulsions.
P.S. The International OCD Foundation actually hosts a yearly conference on
Mental Health and God
There are a lot of examples in the Bible of healing of medical/physical concerns through the power of God. Although mental health conditions are not specifically identified, it should follow that God can bring healing to your mind/emotional state. Could healing occur without the help of a therapist? I believe so.
In 2 Corinthians (12:7), Paul refers to a ‘thorn in his flesh’ that God purposely does not remove. This seems to set precedent that God could allow you to experience a mental health condition for a higher purpose, such as learning a lesson or growing in empathy.
Additionally, churches might send the message that healing should solely be sought through God and attending therapy would represent a lack of faith. This belief is not held by all Christian authorities. Even C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, advocated for psychotherapy (called psychoanalysis in his time).
Last Thoughts
I think it’s really helpful for someone to bring their Christian beliefs into the therapy space. There are actually some mental health providers who are open about being a Christian while also providing evidence-based treatment. I do not share any of these recommendations to be critical of other treatment providers. I share them because I genuinely worry about people having negative mental health treatment experiences that are confusing to identify because the therapy seems right due to the inclusion of Christian beliefs or lingo. Educating yourself on what should be happening in the therapy space can help protect you from negative experiences in mental health treatment.
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