Spirituality is an integral part of effective psychotherapy. This doesn’t mean that therapy has to involve religion — it’s more considering one’s place in the universe and the purpose of life — but for some, incorporating Christian principles into the therapeutic process is helpful and comforting. This specific type of counseling is called Christian counseling—a service we offer at Thriveworks.
Christian counseling works alongside traditional psychotherapy techniques, allowing different experiences, challenges, and other life factors to be visualized through the framework of Christianity. Learn more about Christian counseling below; we look forward to helping you schedule with the perfect Christian counselor at Thriveworks who can meet your unique needs.
What Is Christian Counseling?
Christian counseling utilizes both spirituality and practical measures that are intended to help clients reach their goals and increase self-assurance. It is a type of counseling service in which the principles and tenets of Christianity are utilized to support and reinforce evidence-based treatments and interventions throughout the therapeutic process.
Christian counseling typically serves as an aspect of a chosen therapeutic process, like a sidecar on the motorcycle of different approaches. Christian counseling has its foundations in biblical principles and therapeutic approaches, typically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and other techniques.
Additionally, some of the core tenets of Christianity have similarities with mindfulness training, radical acceptance skills, and a core focus on a reliance on others. These skills and coping strategies have been clinically proven to help ease anxiety, depression, and stress levels and improve overall health and wellness.
How Can Spiritual Well-Being Improve Your Mental Health?
Spiritual well-being and engaging in spirituality is an absolutely critical component of personal functioning. There is significant research that posits that having solidified spirituality, spiritual practice(s), and a view of oneself as a small part of a large system can alleviate anxiety and increase increase feelings of interconnectedness. Religion can provide a sense of community for many people, and integrating it into the therapeutic process can help an individual see how they fit into that community.
Engaging in spiritual practice(s) also allows a person to regain centeredness, shapes the view of oneself as a spiritual being, increases feelings of purpose and interconnectedness, and encourages active participation and engagement with self-exploration and discovery.
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Christian Counseling: Core Principles
Christian counseling is a form of faith-based counseling that utilizes psychological and spiritual techniques to guide and support Christian clients or those who are new to the faith. Often, Christian therapists incorporate prayer and scripture reading into Christian Counseling to help practicing Christians overcome their trials.
The exact focus of treatment will vary from person to person, as it is based on one’s specific challenges, goals, and needs. If you decide to pursue online Christian counseling, your online Christian counselor will discuss Christian values and relate them to your unique struggles. You can expect to discuss the following in your Christian Counseling sessions:
- Your Christian identity and relationship with God
- What the bible says about your current challenges
- How you can overcome your struggles in a way that aligns with your faith
- How to channel your religion in a way that helps you heal
Core Christian beliefs focus on themes of hope and healing through one’s faith. It’s important to remember your faith when you are struggling, as it has helped you overcome many trials and tribulations before—remember this power and importance of your Christian faith.
Your Christian counselor will help you accomplish this, and they can do so in the traditional therapy setting or online Christian counseling.
How Does Christian Counseling Provide an Intersection Between Spiritual and Mental Health?
Engaging in Christian counseling allows a client to engage in intersectional healthcare, focusing on both psychosomatic as well as spiritual ways of viewing oneself and one’s life.
Traditional counseling typically focuses on one view of self and current systems of functioning, and incorporating religious practices like Christianity into therapy can help a client tap into a collective consciousness. That is, it can enable them to feel like they are part of a bigger system and help them “zoom-out” from their day-to-day lives, gaining perspective into their functioning as a part of a larger system.
Thriveworks: Your Partner in Faith-Based Counseling
You deserve to have your therapy experience tailored to your needs, beliefs, and values. Thriveworks has expert Christian counselors ready and waiting to get you started on your therapy journey.
Our Approach to Christian Counseling
The compassionate and insightful Christian counselors at Thriveworks provide effective, high-quality therapeutic services to our Christian clients. They can guide you through the therapeutic process in a way that makes sense to you and will collaborate with you to create a holistic and intentional treatment plan that suits your needs—virtually or via in-person sessions.
How Does Online Christian Counseling Work?
Online Christian counseling allows the client to meet with their counselor face-to-face, just more comfortably and conveniently. If you decided to work with your counselor by video, you’d simply join a videoconference using a secure link provided by your counselor.
You need only access to a device and a reliable internet connection (or cell service) to begin online Christian counseling with Thriveworks.
How Can Christian Online Counseling Benefit Me?
Christian online counseling can address a wide variety of concerns or situations, including but not limited to:
- Grief
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Low self-esteem
- Loneliness and social isolation
- Lack of fulfillment, personally or professionally
- Struggles related to forgiving another individual or perhaps yourself
- Feeling a spiritual void
- Managing anger and other intense emotions
Your Christian faith has a huge impact and influence over every aspect of your life. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be included in your counseling experience. And working with a Christian counselor online might prove to be the most convenient or beneficial way to do so.
4 Reasons to Try Online Christian Counseling
If you’ve never received or considered working with a counselor online, you might be wondering how it could benefit you and whether it’s the right counseling option for you. This is a personal decision and journey—you won’t know until you try it!
However, we can better help you make an informed decision by explaining 4 reasons people try Christian online counseling:
- It’s a convenient option: Online Christian counseling is a convenient option in every way. You don’t have to spend any time traveling to or from your appointment: Attend from home, from your office, or wherever else is convenient. Online Christian counseling allows you to save time and attend your session comfortably.
- It’s proven effective: Studies continue to show that people enjoy and benefit from online counseling just as much as in-person counseling.
- It’s affordable (and your insurance will probably cover it): Another reason people try Online Christian counseling is it’s affordable! As of now, most insurance companies pay for online counseling, as well.
- It’s a fast and flexible scheduling process: Scheduling online Christian counseling is often faster and more flexible. You don’t have to worry about waiting for a callback or even waiting weeks/months to meet your counselor. You’ll also likely have more flexible scheduling options to choose from, including those in the evenings and on weekends.
If you’d like to experience the value and the benefits that are demonstrated above, we encourage you to schedule your first session at Thriveworks today. Learn more about how to book below.
Schedule Online Christian Counseling at Thriveworks
If you are of the Christian faith and you’re looking for a mental health professional who can incorporate Christianity into treatment, we can accommodate you.
Becoming a Thriveworks client opens the door to our unique benefits, including:
- A fast response time from your provider’s office. Most of our clients attend their first session within a week of calling in for the first time.
- Flexible appointment options, including those in the evenings and on the weekends.
- Being able to schedule your session online, or in person.
- A wide range of accepted insurance options
We have professional counselors on our team who also can provide HIPPA-compliant online Christian therapy. You can take a look at each counselor’s skills and specialties—find the Thriveworks office nearest you and give us a call or book online to get started.
Experienced Therapists for Your Emotional and Spiritual Well-being
Our knowledgeable Christian counselors, as well as our secular therapists and psychiatric nurse practitioners, are ready to help you address the challenges you’re facing and use their knowledge and expertise, whether in person or online, with or without the religious framework of your choice.
Thriveworks is built on the mission of helping our clients enjoy happier, more successful lives. We set out to achieve this mission by setting people up with skilled, caring mental health professionals who suit the individual’s needs.
Get your healing journey started and book a session with a Thriveworks clinician today.
