LIBERTY UNIVERSITY JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Will Being Religious Cure My Mental Illness? Understanding Christian Counselling
A Paper Submitted to
the Faculty of the School of Divinity
in Candidacy for the Degree of
Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership (Ed. D) Department of Christian Leadership and
Church Ministries
By
Mary Gracias
Lynchburg, Virginia
10/2022
I have been asked by various people “will being religious cure my mental health?” To clear
this confusion, I am here to make you understand Christian Counseling. Clearly, if you are
someone who wants a mental cure with spiritual advisory then Christian counseling is for you.
Christian counseling is a form of psychotherapy that is integrated into the methodology of
traditional talk therapy along with beliefs and practices and the application of theological
concepts. Christian counseling aims at navigating spiritual concerns.
Let us understand what is Christian counseling in brief.
What Is Christian Counseling?
Christian counseling is valuable counseling for those who understand the faiths and
practices of Christianity. The aim of this therapy is to get proper guidance and understanding of
Christianity. Christian counseling is offered by a Christian counselor.
A Christian counselor is a mental health professional with religious practices. However, it
can also be offered by a pastor, priest, minister, or a spiritual leader. It is a form of religious
counseling wherein the counselor uses theology to cure the mental health issues of the client.
This type of counseling took place because most of the Americans still affiliate themselves
with religion and most of them are Christian. Hence, Christian Counseling became common and
popular especially in the USA.
Types of Christian Counseling
As of now, there are no types of Christian counseling, however, there are subcategories like
Bible counseling, Pastoral Counseling, and Christian psychology. Below are some categories of
Christian counseling:
1. Christian Psychology
Christian psychology revolves around sessions with a Christian counselor. Christian
psychology is applied when a person seeks integration of psychology into Christianity. This is
based on theological approaches and psychological theories. This type of therapy focuses on
God’s grace wherein “God forgives sins and offers his love.”
2. Pastoral Counseling
Pastoral counseling is a part of Christian counseling which is offered by a Pastor or
someone who holds experience in counseling and ministry. Pastoral counseling is the same as
psychotherapy. The only difference is that it is offered in the religious facility and focuses on
spirituality with the integration of psychology.
3. Bible Counseling
As the name implies, Bible counseling is based on the guidance of the Bible. Bible
counseling revolves around counseling individuals with the help of the Bible and other
psychological theories. In this type of counseling, the counselors try to connect the meaning of
the Bible with the present world and reality so that they can improve an individual’s life.
4. Christian Counseling With Psychotherapy
It is completely true that psychotherapy can be incorporated with Christian counseling. In
this type of therapy, the therapist holds an experience in practices of Christianity so that they
can provide spiritual advice to the individuals or groups.
Here is a list of the 9 best Christian Counseling Services.
Techniques used in Christian Counseling
Below are some techniques which are used in Christian counseling. The below techniques
might look similar to traditional therapy but they hold a different meaning when actually
performed.
1. Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is highly included in Christian counseling as it is more
effective than others. CBT when applied with Christian counseling can be named Religious
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (RCBT). RCBT helps people in processing their negative thoughts
such as religious doubts or feelings of guilt.
2. Prayer
Leaders of ministry get the individual engaged with prayers so that the individual can enjoy
the peace. Meanwhile, the clergy leader provides spiritual guidance. Prayer is considered a
healing technique that helps the individual to connect and communicate with god. It can also
be used to seek gratitude, protection, intervention, and deliverance.
3. Meditation
Meditation is the most effective strategy applied during Christian counseling. It helps
people to gain focus on the grace of God. It also helps the individual to be mindful so that they
can find a deeper connection with God.
4. Bible Reading
Bible reading is used during Bible counseling. It can be used as a learning strategy. It helps
the individual to relate theology and philosophy with everyday life. It is also a strong tool to
provide additional support while Christian counseling.
Uses of Christian Counseling
Christian Counseling helps in treating conditions like:
Low self-esteem
Spirituality
Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Grief
Marriage
Divorce
Relationships
Domestic violence
Chronic illness
Benefits of Christian Counseling
We all understand that spirituality and religion are related to improved overall wellbeing.
Therefore, Christian counseling is really beneficial if you wish to engage in spiritual or religious
practices. Such spiritual advisory will help in curing and overcoming mental health challenges.
Integration of such psychotherapy brings more positivity in your life like, you start welcoming
optimism and gratitude which means less contact with depressive thoughts.
Consecutively, spiritual growth gained by Christian counseling helps in changing the overall
life of a person with great positivity. I hope this blog helps you to understand Christian
counseling in brief. Comment down your queries related to Christian counseling. For more such
content, connect with us on all social media platforms.
