I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. – Psalm 16:8 NIV
Life serves up plenty of situations that cause people to feel rattled. Even when you’ve set your eyes firmly on the Lord, you may still feel shaken. So how can you handle those times when the realities of your life feel disconnected from your faith and you’re not sure how to stand firm let alone move forward in personal health? It might be time to call an individual counselor.
Get connected with a Christian Counselor
Please contact our reception team at
(972) 694-0137
Individual counseling, also called talk therapy or psychotherapy, provides you with an opportunity to receive support in advance of or during life challenges. It’s a process in which an individual meets one-to-one with a trained therapist in a safe and confidential environment to discuss feelings, beliefs, and behaviors; to work through experiences from the past or present or anticipate and plan for the future; to develop healthy coping mechanisms and skills for managing stress; to set goals and identify areas they would like to change; and to better understand themselves and others.
Everyone faces situations that can prove challenging to their mental and emotional health, and most people can benefit from learning healthy ways to handle demanding circumstances. Some individuals may prefer to avoid counseling due to concerns about the societal stigma around mental health; feeling ashamed to speak aloud about past experiences or current feelings; the desire to deny problems altogether in the hope that they’ll simply disappear; or financial constraints. It may help to remember that therapists have been trained to provide unbiased, non-judgmental, and confidential help for the full gamut of human experience and needs. You can rest assured that your therapist has already helped others work through painful or embarrassing issues and that they will be able to assist you as well.
Additionally, your therapist can help you make positive lifestyle changes as they work with you to identify the underlying causes of your symptoms and equip you with tools and tips to adjust your attitudes and behaviors, manage your symptoms, and improve your overall quality of life.
Individual counseling provides help to those who need it. Although you don’t have to be in crisis to seek counseling, therapy could be of benefit to you if an issue causes recurring distress, such as negative thoughts, feelings, or behaviors, or pain and fatigue that interferes with your daily life. Therapy can also help you overcome obstacles to your total well-being. For example, as you learn tools to manage negative thoughts, therapy can increase positive feelings such as self-esteem and compassion for others. Even when therapy cannot offer a quick-fix cure for what ails you, it can help you develop successful ways to manage yourself and your situations. You will learn skills that will help you make healthy decisions for your mind and body and, as you reach goals both inside and outside of the therapeutic office, you can feel great about your achievements.
People seek counseling for help with issues that can be difficult to face alone which makes the professional relationship that develops between client and therapist key to establishing an emotionally safe environment in which trust can flourish and personal growth can be achieved. Finding a therapist with whom you feel comfortable will enable you to get the most out of treatment. Your willingness to cooperate with your therapist and to remain open, honest, and vulnerable will also help you and your therapist better address the situations for which you are seeking assistance.
Your therapist will be an excellent listener and will typically wait for you to begin the conversation with whatever is on your mind as you enter the office. In your first session, your priority will be to get to know one another and establish an initial level of comfort. Your therapist will ask about your past and current physical, mental, and emotional health and discuss your goals for therapy: why you are seeking help and what you hope to accomplish through the therapeutic relationship.
Establishing clear goals for your therapy will set the direction for your time together and provide you and your therapist with a rubric to measure your progress toward becoming a healthier individual. You will also discuss the frequency of your visits, such as weekly or bi-monthly. Many issues can be resolved with short-term therapy, for example, weekly visits over a few months, while more complex issues may require a long-term relationship with your therapist. If at any point you have questions about the counseling process, please feel free to be direct with your counselor. You can expect each session to last approximately 55 minutes.
Initially, you may find it difficult to openly express your emotions or talk about some of your painful life experiences or challenges. Some days you may not want to go therapy at all, though it will be important to maintain consistency. Be prepared that your conversations with your counselor may stir up intense emotions, encouraging you to fully experience negative emotions such as anger or sadness. This is normal and, in fact, can be extremely helpful especially if you have learned to bury unpleasant feelings while you put on a good face for others. Your therapist will assist you in becoming increasingly comfortable feeling and appropriately expressing the full spectrum of emotions.
Also, you should expect that your counselor will suggest exercises to try between sessions that will require you to put into practice lessons you have discussed in therapy. Doing your homework will be crucial to making progress toward your therapy goals.
Your counseling sessions will be unique to you and your situations. No topic will be off-limits and you are free to discuss whatever is top of mind during any session. Your therapist will work with you, asking questions to guide you from surface issues to those of greater significance as you feel comfortable. Some topics may include:
- Any situation about which you would like to discuss fresh insights
- Setting goals and/or boundaries
- Rumination and/or unhealthy thoughts or patterns of behavior
- Stress
- Financial issues
- Career goals or job challenges
- Grief, including the loss of a family member, dear friend, or a beloved pet
- Anxiety and/or depression
- Food and eating issues and/or body image
- Anger management
- Shame and/or low self-esteem or self-confidence
- Self-harm
- Relationship challenges including abuse/neglect
- Addiction in any form
- Family issues and/or parenting support
- Insomnia
- Sexuality
- Connecting with God and issues related to your faith
Your religious beliefs are an intrinsic part of your life as well as a valuable resource in times of both wellness and stress. Christian counseling will address your personal challenges while keeping your whole self, including your faith, in perspective. It will weave together psychological principles and biblical teachings in order to improve your mental health and relationships, including your relationships with God and yourself. In the midst of difficult life events, a resilient faith may be exactly what you need to move forward in greater health.
You may seek Christian counseling if you recognize a specific faith-dimension to your particular situation or for an overall Christian perspective on life and its various challenges. If you believe that biblical principles will help you answer the questions in your life, a Christian therapist may be the right choice to help you discern those answers. However, be aware that the amount of emphasis placed on faith will vary based on your comfort level, your needs, and your relationship with your therapist.
Next Steps
If you’re looking for personal support for any life challenge, feel free to contact one of the counselors in our online counselor directory. We would be happy to meet with you to discuss your situation and help you develop practical techniques for approaching your situation from a Christian perspective.
Get connected with a Christian Counselor
Please contact our reception team at
(972) 694-0137
