Why I Became a Christian Therapist—Not Just a Therapist Who Was Christian

For a long time, I didn’t have language for the difference. I only knew the tension.

I loved Jesus deeply. My faith wasn’t a side note in my life; it shaped how I saw suffering, healing, family, and hope. At the same time, I was trained in evidence-based therapy, trauma work, and clinical ethics. I knew how powerful counseling could be. I had seen it change lives—including my own.

Yet somewhere along the way, I realized that simply being a Christian who happened to be a therapist was no longer enough.

When women sat across from me—carrying childhood trauma, panic that wouldn’t quiet, shame that felt spiritual, and a desperate desire to please God—I saw something deeper happening. Their faith wasn’t separate from their wounds. Their nervous systems weren’t disconnected from their theology. Their anxiety was not a sign of weak belief.

I didn’t become a Christian therapist because it sounded good or niche-friendly.
I became a Christian therapist because I could no longer separate what God had joined together.

When Faith and Mental Health Were Treated Like Opposites in Christian Counseling

Many of the women I work with grew up with a quiet assumption: If my faith were stronger, I wouldn’t feel this way.

They prayed harder. Studied more Scripture. Served more faithfully. Smiled through pain. And when anxiety, depression, or trauma symptoms didn’t lift, they assumed the problem could only be them.

I understand that story—not just clinically, but personally.

There was a season in my life where loving Jesus didn’t quiet my anxiety. The season of knowing Scripture on a deeper level- didn’t just stop my nervous system from going into overdrive. During this time I could explain truth logically, but my body still lived as if danger was everywhere.

And in Christian spaces, there was rarely room to talk about that honestly.

Mental health struggles are often spiritualized away or minimized. Therapy might have been tolerated but not always trusted. Faith was seen as the solution, not something that also needed gentle support and integration.

As a therapist, I saw the harm this caused. As a Christian woman, I felt it.

Why Being a “Therapist Who Is Christian” Wasn’t Enough to Be a Christian Therapist

For a while, I tried to keep things compartmentalized.

I was ethical. Professional. Skilled.
And privately, I was Christian.

I didn’t hide my faith, but I didn’t center it either. I told myself that neutrality was safer. That clients could bring their faith if they wanted. That integration might feel uncomfortable.

But here’s what I began to notice:

Christian women were already bringing their faith into the room—whether I acknowledged it or not.

They talked about God, Scripture, guilt, shame, obedience, submission, calling, forgiveness, and fear of disappointing the Lord. They wrestled with spiritual language that had been used to silence their pain. They questioned whether setting boundaries was sinful, would make them a bad wife, or a shameful daughter. They wondered if trauma meant they weren’t trusting God enough.

Ignoring faith didn’t make therapy neutral. It made healing incomplete.

I wasn’t just treating symptoms. I was walking with women whose emotional wounds were tangled with their understanding of God.

That’s when I knew I wasn’t called to be a therapist who happened to be Christian. I was called to be a Christian therapist—intentionally, thoughtfully, and responsibly.

What Is a Christian Counselor?

Being a Christian therapist does not mean preaching in session. It does not mean replacing therapy with Bible verses. It does not mean spiritualizing trauma or minimizing pain.

In fact, it actually means the opposite.

It means honoring both clinical excellence and spiritual depth.

As a Christian therapist, I believe:

• God created the brain and the nervous system

• Trauma impacts the body, not just the mind

• Anxiety is often a survival response, not a spiritual failure

• Healing can be both deeply practical and a spiritual walk with God rewriting your story

I use evidence-based approaches like EMDR because they work, but also because trauma lives in the body and memory networks—not just in thoughts. Research consistently shows that healing requires more than insight alone.

Faith integration doesn’t replace therapy. It grounds it.

Why Christian Counseling for Trauma Requires More Than Good Theology

One of the most heart wrenching patterns I see is when women blame themselves for symptoms they never chose.

They say things like:

• “I know God is good, so why do I still feel afraid?”

• “I’ve forgiven them—so why does my body still react?”

• “I trust the Lord, but I can’t calm down.”

Trauma doesn’t respond to logic alone.
It responds to safety.

Your nervous system learned something early—often long before you had words or a relationship with God. It learned how to survive. And it doesn’t automatically update just because your beliefs develop and mature.

This is where trauma-informed Christian counseling matters.

We don’t shame the body for what it learned to do, nor do we rush healing in the name of faith.
Instead we allow God to meet us in the slow, patient rewiring of fear responses.

EMDR, in particular, allows painful memories to be processed in a way that brings resolution—not erasure, but integration. And when faith is important to you, that process can be deeply aligned with prayer, surrender, and truth held gently rather than forced.

Can You Serve Jesus and Still Need Therapy?

This question comes up more often than people admit.

And the answer is yes—without hesitation.

You can love Jesus wholeheartedly and still need support.
You can trust God fully and still struggle with anxiety.
You can be faithful and still carry unresolved trauma.

Scripture never equates holiness with emotional numbness.

Even people in the Bible cried out in distress, experienced fear, and wrestled with despair. God met them there—not by shaming them, but by drawing near.

Therapy does not replace faith.
It supports healing where faith has often been misunderstood or misapplied.

Why I Center Faith in Christian Therapy Instead of Tacking It On

I don’t integrate faith as an afterthought. I center it because it shapes identity, meaning, and hope through healing.

For many Christian women, therapy that ignores faith feels disjointed. And therapy that misuses faith feels unsafe.

Christian counseling, when done well, allows:

• Scripture to be a source of comfort, not pressure

• Prayer to be an invitation, not a requirement

• God’s presence to feel steady, not demanding

Faith becomes a place of rest rather than a space requiring performance.

That is why I became a Christian therapist.

What Are Christian Women Actually Searching For in a Christian Therapist?

Most of the women who find me aren’t looking for someone perfect. They’re looking for someone aligned.

They want:

• A therapist who understands trauma and faith

• A space where anxiety isn’t dismissed spiritually

• Support that honors both psychology and Scripture

• Permission to heal without shame

They want to breathe again—emotionally and spiritually.

I believe Christian women deserve therapy that respects their faith without oversimplifying their pain.

Why I Specialize in Christian Counseling for Mothers With Childhood Trauma

Many of the women I serve are mothers who are deeply motivated to do things differently than how they were raised.

They love their children fiercely. They want to stay calm, connected, loving, and present. Old wounds rise up under stress, noise, and emotional demand.

Childhood trauma doesn’t disappear when you become a believer—or a parent.

It often becomes more visible.

Christian therapy offers a way to heal generational pain without guilt and shame. To learn regulation, boundaries, and self-compassion while remaining rooted in faith. To parent from healing instead of survival.

Healing Is Not a Betrayal of Your Faith

Some women fear that therapy will lead them away from God.

In my experience, the opposite is true. Christian counseling applies scientific therapy techniques to a place where the Holy Spirit is followed above all else.

When anxiety quiets, shame loosens, and trauma resolves, women often feel closer to God—not farther. They experience Him as safer, more compassionate, and more present.

Healing doesn’t weaken faith– It deepens it.

Why I Offer Online Christian Counseling for Women Seeking Faith-Centered Healing

Online therapy allows women to receive support without uprooting their lives. It removes barriers. It creates consistency. And it makes specialized trauma care more accessible.

I serve women in Ohio, Michigan, Maryland, and Florida—many of whom live busy lives, carry family responsibilities, and need flexibility without sacrificing quality.

Online Christian counseling can be deeply personal, effective, and spiritually grounded.

I didn’t choose this path lightly. God prompted me to do this work over a gentle nudging that progressed until I agreed to obedience.

I chose it because I’ve seen what happens when faith and mental health are treated as enemies instead of partners. I commit to this work because women deserve care that honors their whole selves. I chose it because Jesus never rushed healing—and neither should we.

I am not just a therapist who is Christian.

I am a Christian therapist because:

• Faith matters

• Trauma is real

• Healing is possible

• And grace is essential
  

If you are a woman who loves God but feels overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck in patterns you don’t understand, you are not broken—and you are not alone.

There is space for your faith here.
There is room for your pain.
And there is hope for healing—gently, wisely, and with God at the center.

Ready to Begin? A Gentle Invitation to Christian Therapy

If something in this story resonated—if you felt seen, understood, or quietly relieved—you may be sensing an invitation rather than a push.

You do not have to decide everything today. You do not need to be “ready enough,” healed enough, or sure enough.

You are allowed to simply notice the longing for peace.

I offer a free 20-minute phone consultation for women who are prayerfully considering Christian counseling. This is a low-pressure space to ask questions, share what you are struggling with, and discern whether working together would be a good fit.

Therapy is not about fixing what is broken. It is about tending to what has been wounded—with wisdom, compassion, and God’s steady presence.

If you are a Christian woman navigating anxiety, trauma, or emotional overwhelm, there is space for you here.

You can schedule a free consultation and take the next gentle step toward healing.

Additional Services: How I Support Christian Women on Their Healing Journey

Every Faith Filled woman’s story is different, and healing is never one-size-fits-all. Below are the primary ways I support Christian women seeking faith-centered, trauma-informed care:

Individual Christian Counseling for Trauma and Anxiety

I work with women who are experiencing anxiety, panic, emotional overwhelm, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and the lingering effects of childhood trauma. Sessions are rooted in evidence-based therapy while honoring your faith, values, and relationship with God.

EMDR Therapy for Trauma and Negative Core Beliefs

EMDR is a powerful, research-supported approach that helps the brain reprocess painful memories and reduce their emotional intensity. This work is especially helpful for women who feel “stuck,” triggered, or reactive despite knowing truth intellectually. When faith is important to you, EMDR can be integrated thoughtfully and respectfully.

Christian Counseling for Mothers

Motherhood has a way of bringing old wounds to the surface. I specialize in working with mothers who want to break generational cycles, regulate their emotions, and parent from a place of healing rather than survival—all without guilt or shame.

Online Christian Counseling

I provide online Christian counseling for women in Ohio, Michigan, Maryland, and Florida, allowing you to receive consistent, high-quality care from the comfort of your home. Online therapy is flexible, effective, and deeply relational when done with intention and care.

Healing does not require you to abandon your faith.
It invites you to experience God’s grace more fully—body, mind, and soul.

If you are ready to explore Christian counseling for trauma and anxiety, I would be honored to walk with you.

You are not behind.
You are not failing God.
And healing is still possible—slowly, safely, and with Jesus at the center.