Christian Counseling

What I mean by “Christian counseling”

The term “Christian counseling” can mean a lot of different things. What it means for me is if talking about Jesus is part of your worldview, we can do that in session. I might ask you some questions about how your faith impacts your life to better understand you, but I will not read Scriptures or pray over you. I don’t have a degree in theology and am definitely no Bible scholar. I have my own relationship with Jesus, which has been a big part of my mental health journey over the years. If that’s not where you are, this does not have to be a part of your counseling journey. I will follow, respect, and honor how you want to engage in session.

"Getting to know yourself so that you may know God is the adventure of a lifetime." - Pete Scazzero, author of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.

Some of my clients come to counseling looking to integrate their faith into their healing process. I truly believe (and there is plenty of research behind) the connections your brain, body, and spirit have together. I enjoy combining science and faith to help Jesus meet you in those places of pain you hold.

God made us to be connected to our bodies and our emotions. Most of us deeply desire to be truly seen and known by those around us. We can’t have soul-filling, authentic relationships with others if we don’t have one with ourselves. I believe if people can work through things that have impacted them negatively in their past, they can be the person they really want to be.

Spiritual abuse

For many, the church has been a source of great pain. It’s not a secret that people have been misusing the Bible to control and manipulate others for centuries. Maybe you were on the receiving end of this misuse. Or maybe you didn’t experience direct spiritual abuse, but you were often encouraged to ignore or pray away feelings like anger or sadness. I can help you find healing from these hurts. I have seen EMDR provide great healing and help clients reconnect with their faith in a way that feels safe and loving again.