The word counsel appears a hundred and thirty-three times throughout the Bible. One Bible verse than rings true in my heart comes from Proverbs 13:10,
“By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.”
By: Swapnil Gohil, Psy.D., Provisional Psychologist Licensee- Both the word of God and counseling try to meet individuals where they are spiritually, biologically, psychologically, and sociologically. Before one engages with Christian Integration therapy, one must understand that it is not a competition of thought between these two domains. God has provided science and the knowledge of this world as a tool for us to utilize. The relationship between spiritual integration and psychology is more of dance. During certain moments science will take a lead in explaining our cognitive schemas. However, at other times Christian foundational truths will take the lead in justifying these scientifical resources to apply them to our individual lives. This can be seen in such evidenced based practices as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT educates us to challenge negative thoughts to create a new understanding or appraisal of a current event. Christian Integration uses this same process. In Christian Integration the individual utilizes the word of God to challenge a negative thought to create a new understanding of the event or oneself.
More and more clients are seeking counselors who can honor their faith. This dynamic is not about religious preference and more about respect for what the client considers to be sacred. Interesting enough there are clients who enter therapy and are apprehensive about Christian Integration. It is interesting we take medical advice or direction from a doctor, but question this same process in the therapeutic room. If a medical professional advised us to take medication to address a certain illness we do not think twice to adhere to this sound counsel. Yet we are apprehensive or we may even consider it taboo to see a counselor when we are suffering from depression or anxiety. The important relationship one must attempt to understand is that medicinal services are given as tool to utilize in the presence of sickness. We see in Isaiah 38:21,
“Isaiah had said to Hezekiah’s servants, “Make an ointment from figs and spread it over the boil, and Hezekiah will recover.”
Similarly, psychological services are of the same nature. The individual diagnosed with an illness and the individual diagnosed with depression both require prayer and professional support. Just as medical provider and or mental health provider take in cultural understandings to disseminate treatment, Christian Integration assimilates scientific date into spiritual understandings. It is a relationship that can be classified as a dance of love, forgiveness, understanding, and hope to provide healing.
Christian integration psychotherapy has been proven to be as effective or even more effective than secular formats of psychotherapy for certain populations (Pearce et al.; 2015).
The goal of religious or spiritual psychotherapy is to build upon the current foundational understanding of the patient’s Christian perspective. Thus, allowing the individual to identify and replace their negative thought cycle. Furthermore, Christian integration allows the individual to challenge their negative beliefs based on their current spiritual understanding. This approach facilitates an environment that emphasizes religious beliefs and practices that can be used to reduce depressive or negative symptoms and facilitate positive emotions.
Some of the major tools of Christian Integration Counseling include scripture memorization to renew one’s mind, contemplative prayer, challenging thoughts using religious teachings, engaging in religious practices (e.g., gratitude, altruism, forgiveness), and involvement in a religious community.
At Davenport Psychology, Dr. Swapnil Gohil has received his doctoral training from the private Christian university known as Regent University. He has received several years of training in Christian Integration and utilized this evidenced based practice in marriage counseling, substance use disorders, and mood disorders. At Davenport Psychology it is the utmost important to us to provide care to our patients taking into consideration their biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual perspectives. Please do contact us to hear more about Christian Integration Counseling and helping us help you for a better tomorrow.
Pearce, M. J., Koenig, H. G., Robins, C. J., Nelson, B., Shaw, S. F., Cohen, H. J., & King, M. B. (2015). Religiously integrated cognitive behavioral therapy: a new method of treatment for major depression in patients with chronic medical illness. Psychotherapy (Chicago, Ill.), 52(1), 56–66.