Christian Counseling
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
I’ve gotta start with the elephant in the room…
(maybe even the herd of elephants)
The church isn’t perfect. The church is made up of people – sinful people who have messed up in catastrophic ways and you’ve seen it:
… hypocrites.
… predators.
… rigid perfectionists who can’t accept your screw-ups.
… those with fake smiles and polite nods who are one way on Sunday and another during the week.
Maybe you’ve been burned…
“Questions weren’t welcomed in MY church. If I didn’t believe every word, I was condemned to Hell. I had to dress up, show up, sit up, and shut up. Nothing else was tolerated.”
“Organized religion? No, thank you. The priests were perverse, and all the kids in my confirmation class got drunk and slept around. What kind of church is that?”
“Where was God when my mother died? There’s no way He loves me. He wasn’t anywhere to be found when I needed him most. In fact, He made my life worse. He took her away from me.”
You’ve gotten through those tough times and figured out your faith for yourself.
God is real and He’s close, or at least that’s true more days than not.
There’s a sense that somewhere amid the struggles with self-worth, painful memories, and anxiety, God should be there.
Sometimes you wonder if the things that are happening now are because you messed up, and it’s God’s way of punishing you. There are secrets that only you and God know about; they burn in your conscience, never going away.
“Give it ALL to Him,” is what they say. “Let Him guide your decisions. His will, not mine.”
How? Surrender? That’s seems so freeing and so terrifying.
The Bible says give thanks in ALL circumstances, and that just seems impossible and unrealistic, too. What? Give thanks for the pain? For the loss?
Sometimes God’s love and caring is evident in so many places, and sometimes it seems He is silent. But you’re praying that He is with you in therapy.
You’d like to hear His voice, know His will, and feel His love and power in your life.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my
righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
Longing for connection… and for God to be real to you.
Life’s topsy-turvy right now, and you aren’t sure if prayer and Bible verses can even make a difference.
Does He care?
You need more than sayings on plaques and a verse of the day.
You need therapy, and it’s important that your therapist understand your spiritual side.
Christian counseling should be about what YOU want and need it to be.
… just like in any other therapy.
It’s okay to not know what that looks like coming in. We’ll talk about it and continue to explore what Christianity or a belief in God or higher power means to you, and how that weaves into the fabric of therapy and growth.
More than anything, this is a place to express yourself, your faith, your lack of faith, your desire for faith, your questioning of what “faith” even means… and how any of that matters in your life.
My own journey of faith and life has had its rocky places, feeling like I was falling off the cliff at times. Yet I’m here, standing, to tell the story. His grace, mercy, and forgiveness are why I’m here in this field and ready to accept you for who you are.
We are all unique, and I honor your distinctive imprint on the world in our work together. There is no one else who can be you. You are needed and wanted in this world, and He knows your name.
Mind. Body. Spirit. Let’s explore all three together.
God created you in His image, with mind, body, and spirit. Pain goes deep and affects your entire being. So, it only makes sense to approach healing from the same perspective, incorporating your entire being and your Creator.
God, with His infinite power and wisdom, is a source of strength, a well to draw from, a place to dwell when the world comes crashing in. Let’s draw near together and seek His face.
No matter where you find yourself on the continuum of belief and faith, I’m here and will meet you where you are.
It’s time to take the next step. One small step at a time, we’ll walk together.
Call today for a free phone consultation: (404) 994-1034.