Going to a therapist can be a touchy conversation for some Christians. Some Christians believe it is okay to go to therapists, while others believe a person needs to just “have more faith” to overcome the struggle they are currently experiencing. I have personally been going to a therapist for a couple of months now and I strongly believe it helps.
There is nothing wrong with going to see a therapist. Therapists are there to help you get better. God places therapists, counselors, and doctors in our lives to help us. The Lord could divinely intervene and heal us; however, God doesn’t work in this way any longer.
While it is possible for God to divinely heal a person, it does not always happen. Instead, God can use doctors, therapists, and counselors to help us in our illnesses and struggles. This article is going to dive in deep to show five reasons why Christians should prayerfully consider therapy.
1. Therapy Offers Healing
The first reason why Christians should go to therapy is because therapy offers healing. Through DBT (Dialectical behavior therapy) and CBT (Cognitive behavior therapy), your therapist will be able to help you work through your mental issues.
Mental illnesses are nothing to be ashamed of as mental illnesses are quite common in this day and age. Eating disorders, anxiety, and depression have all risen in statistics since the pandemic. Mental illnesses will not simply go away on their own.
It is good to pray; however, seeking therapy might be the way that God will answer your prayer. A person can still have faith in God while at the same time seeking out help from therapists and counselors. Therapy is worth looking into because it does offer real healing.
2. Therapy Allows You to Express Your Feelings
A second reason why Christians should go to therapy is that it gives you a chance to express your feelings. Sadly, many of us don’t feel it is right to express our true feelings with others. Many Christians believe it is a sin to be depressed, anxious, or suffer from an eating disorder.
Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other mental health illnesses are not sins. Nobody can help if they suffer from a mental illness as mental illnesses are not choices. In therapy, you are given the chance to be candid, open, and honest with your feelings.
Therapists do not judge, discriminate, or belittle you. Rather, therapists help you work through your problems in doable, achievable, and sustainable ways.
3. Therapy Offers Support
Thirdly, therapy offers support to you. With the present pandemic, it would be plausible to conclude that all people are in need of some type of therapy. Therapy offers support that your family and friends cannot give you.
Therapists and counselors are professionals, who have been trained to help you manage and overcome your mental illnesses. The support given by trained therapists cannot be downplayed as each therapist has gone through extensive training to offer therapy to you today.
Through each therapy session, your therapist will be able to support you through DBT, CBT, and other methods to help you manage your symptoms. Support should not be overlooked as therapists can provide support like nobody else can in your life.
4. Assists in Helping You Work Through Problems
Therapy assists in helping you work through your problems. Oftentimes on our own, it can be hard to work through our problems. With help from a therapist, we will be able to better work through our problems.
Problems are difficult to answer on our own, but with a trained therapist, he or she will be able to give you the tools, resources, and support you need to fix the problem. If you are working with a Christian therapist, they will be able to help you even more because they will be able to point you back to God’s Word.
True healing cannot exist unless God is included in your treatment plan. Even if you have a therapist who is not a Christian therapist, it is okay. Just make sure you are active in reading the Bible and connecting spiritual truths to whatever you are currently going through.
Whether you go to a Christian therapist or not, the Bible should not be overlooked in your mental health journey.
5. Therapy Helps You Have a Better Quality of Life
A fifth reason why Christians should go to therapy is because it helps us have a better quality of life. Therapy has been known to work wonders for people if they find the right therapist and continue to see the therapist consistently.
With the skills and resources provided to you through therapy, you will be able to apply these new skills into your life and have a better overall quality of life. Putting off therapy or deeming it “not for me” will only keep you in the prolonged state of your struggle.
Everyone deserves a good quality of life as Christ died for us to have an abundant life (John 10:10). How are we to live out an abundant life if we are still in our illnesses? Therapy will be able to provide you with the help, support, and resources to have a better quality of life.
Whether you are struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, an eating disorder, or something else, understand that going to therapy will help you and assist in giving you a more joyful life.
Seeking Therapy Is Ok
No matter what you are currently going through, God wants you to get better. While God can divinely heal us, He normally doesn’t work this way anymore. God has placed doctors, therapists, and counselors in our life to help us.
If we ignore the help of professionals, we are ignoring what could be God’s answer to our prayer for healing. There is no shame in going to therapy. I personally go to therapy, and I encourage others to also go to therapy.
Therapy is more than sitting on a couch and talking about your week. True therapy digs deeper into your heart and gives you the opportunity to say what’s really on your mind and the struggles you are going through.
Rather than being told a shallow “I’ll pray for you,” therapy offers tangible ways to get better. Therapy is nothing to be ashamed of as it is very brave and strong for a person to go to therapy especially with all of the stigma surrounding it.
Whether you are a man or a woman, therapy is a great resource to recover from mental health illnesses, trauma, and grief. Many people believe a man is “weak” to go to therapy, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Just like women, men can suffer from mental health issues too.
Mental illnesses do not discriminate as they can affect any person regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. If you are wondering today if you should go to therapy, hopefully, this article has cleared up any misunderstandings surrounding therapy.
Therapy is not “bad” as it is actually very good and beneficial to the person seeking out therapy. Mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders cannot be properly treated without therapy.
Medications can help; however, medications alone cannot completely heal someone or completely correct disordered thoughts. Therapy is a beautiful resource God has placed in our own lives, but it is up to us if we are going to choose to utilize it.
For further reading:
What Does the Bible Say about Struggling with Mental Health?
What Should Christians Know about Eating Disorders?
Why Can it Be Hard to Hear ‘Just Have Faith’?
What Does the Bible Say about Anxiety?
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