Culture plays a pivotal role in shaping our perceptions. Multicultural therapy is an important topic for providing sensitive, holistic, and inclusive mental health care, especially for people in marginalized groups.

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Religion also plays a pivotal role in shaping our perceptions. For those who choose to practice a religion, their faith or commitment informs how they see the world. This should be celebrated and considered during therapy sessions.

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All counselors should be aware of and consider the worldview of their clients. Acknowledging and validating religious challenges creates a solid therapeutic foundation for healing.

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Some counselors specialize in religion-informed care. Some Christian counselors offer counseling designed to help those within the Christian faith as well as non-religious care.

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What is Christian Counseling?

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Christian counseling is therapy that is informed by the Christian faith. Just like the spectrum of Christian faith, it’s practiced differently by several denominations. However, there are similarities including:

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• Prayer
• Practicing reliance on God
• Application of religious texts

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There’s also a spectrum within Christian counseling ranging from informal to formal. Reaching out to a church leader about faith, the decision-making process, or wisdom could apply to what you are going through.

What Isn’t Christian Counseling?

Some Christian counselors are certified therapists. They’re able to give you medical attention if you need it and are certified by the state. However, most Christian counseling works better as an adjunctive option for conditions like:

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• OCD
• Bipolar Disorder
• Some substance use disorders
• Schizophrenia

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Christian counseling alone might not be the best option for the conditions above. Instead, it’s often practiced in tandem with conventional psychotherapy, or as a supplement to it.

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Types of Christian Counseling

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Christian counseling is a broad term. There are more than 200 Christian-identifying denominations in the United States alone. Each of these denominations might take very different approaches to counseling and psychology.

Here are some of the different approaches to Christian counseling.

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Christian Psychology

This is a merging of Christian theology with modern psychology. These psychologists see Christian beliefs as a way to better understand the human condition. 

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This practice takes aspects of traditional psychology and aspects of a Christian worldview to inform their counseling practices formally.

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Biblical Counseling

Biblical counseling uses the theological and anthropological teaching of The Bible to inform the approach as well as the discussion of certain issues. They directly apply scriptures found in the Bible to your situation.

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The Bible is a very important text for Christians. Some believe it’s the very words of God. Therefore, biblical counselors are there to point clients back to what Scripture says. Biblical counselors believe it doesn’t matter what they think, but what the Bible says.

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If someone is torn up about why things seem to never go their way, the counselor will use what they know about the Bible to inform their response. They might practice Romans 12:15 and weep with those who weep for a while. After some time they’ll open the Bible and walk the client through the various scriptures about God’s providence to encourage them.

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Acknowledging and validating religious challenges creates a solid therapeutic foundation for healing.

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Pastoral Counseling

Pastoral counseling refers to receiving guidance from religious leaders. This is not an exclusively Christian practice. Many religions view their leaders as counselors as well. This includes Clergy, Priests, Rabbis, Imams, Gurus, etc.

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Some pastors may have received a degree in counseling as part of their studies. These leaders are great resources for seeking more formal counseling.

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Pastoral Counseling is a great resource for:

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• Decision making
• Crisis of faith
• Grief or loss
• Relational issues
• Mental health issues to an extent

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If you’re a religious person, it could be a good idea to find leaders or elders in your congregation to seek counsel with. Christianity informs your relationship with God as well as your relationship with others.

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Discipleship

Discipleship is a very informal version of pastoral counseling. Within the Christian community, older men and women are encouraged to disciple (train, or mentor) younger men or women. This is not a form of therapy, but it can be helpful for personal growth and the decision-making process.

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We mention it here because it’s an important part of the Christian faith for many and can be viewed as a type of counseling.

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Christian Perspective Counseling

At Sequoia Behavioral Health, those of the Christian faith can participate in Christian perspective counseling as a part of their treatment.

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Your faith might be an important part of who you are. It could even inform every aspect of your life, especially when it comes to past traumas or the healing journey. 

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Christian counseling sessions don’t look that much different from traditional therapy sessions.

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Christian perspective counseling takes that outlook into account as you work through your mental health. This is very similar to traditional counseling, but it celebrates and accepts the Christian experience of the client.

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This can look like having open and honest conversations about spiritual things, praying, reading scripture, and encouraging reliance on God.

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Who is Christian Counseling For?

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Christian counseling is obviously a great option for those within the Christian faith. Many secular organizations will use it as a vantage point and road map for their Christian clients’ treatment.

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However, some Christian counseling organizations offer traditional therapy for anyone. Therapists in these organizations might see offering counseling as an act of service. This means some Christian counseling centers offer therapy with the option to opt out of talking about spiritual topics. This includes not-for-profit counseling centers as well as recovery and rehabilitation homes.

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Other religions also offer not-for-profit counseling services across this country. They’re typically considered charitable contributions to the community and are usually cheaper than other options.

Who is Christian Counseling Not For?

As discussed above, not all Christian counseling involves spiritual discussions. However, some Christian counseling, especially biblical counseling, is designed for people within the Christian faith. If you are not comfortable with talking about spirituality or religion, other forms of counseling and therapy would be a better fit.

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Remember, you never have to talk about something that makes you feel uncomfortable. A good therapist will not impose their beliefs on you and if you ever feel like that is occurring consider changing counselors. 

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What do Christian Counseling Sessions Look Like?

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Christian counseling sessions don’t look that much different from traditional therapy sessions. The back-and-forth conversation is still present, but there are added practices and perspectives.

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Prayer

Especially in group religious counseling, sessions often open with a word of prayer. The leader of the meeting will typically ask for guidance and peace as well as give thanks for God’s goodness. If you’re comfortable with it, your counselor may ask you to join them in prayer and even ask you to pray throughout the week.

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Prayer is how Christians commune with God and is therefore an important practice for many Christians. It can be a great source of comfort and is often used in Christian counseling.

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Scripture Reading or Teaching

Some Christian counseling sessions involve reading the Bible directly. Afterward, there may be a discussion about the passage. What it meant historically, what the main topic is, and how that applies to life today. The counselor may choose scripture that they feel applies to the client’s specific situation and can help them gain perspective.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a form of talk therapy that aims to create a positive connection between thoughts, emotions, and actions. It’s a great option for finding areas of negative and unrealistic thoughts that are causing harm to a person’s psyche.

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Religious cognitive behavioral therapy (RCBT) encourages you to utilize your religious beliefs in the process of restructuring negative distortions. This might look different for everyone, but the back and forth between counselor and client remains the same.

Receive Christian Perspective Counseling at Sequoia Behavioral Health

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Sequoia Behavioral Health understands that religious and faith-based practices are important to many people’s lives. Our goal is to provide holistic options for everyone. We embrace the differences of each client and empower their personal growth.

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Receive the mental health care you want by contacting Sequoia Behavioral Health. We’ll create a program that matches your individuality while acknowledging your faith.