By: Swapnil Gohil, Psy.D., Provisional Psychologist Licensee-This scripture embodies the nature of Christian Integrated Therapy. Many patients have questions and concerns when they enter my office. However, when the topic zones in on Christian Integration, the question usually is: Are you a believer and a therapist? I find this question quite intriguing: spirituality and science are viewed as two different systems in a binary world, meaning that an individual cannot be both. Here the term integration becomes of the utmost importance. Then, the question is, do we not live in a world where a father is also a son or brother or a mother is also a daughter or a sister. Both Psychology and Christianity emphasize creating a nurturing environment to help individuals grow with the appropriate scaffolding to achieve their spiritual or personal goals. Whether it be science or our spiritual perspective, God has given us these mechanisms to assist us in our daily trials and tribulations. I personally view psychotherapy or psychology as a tool provided by God to help us better understand ourselves. Psychotherapy or Psychology is similar to the utilization of medicine in helping individuals who need medical care.
As a mental health provider, I take a Biopsychosocial approach to therapy. This approach allows me to build rapport with my patients and understand their medical, cultural, family, and mental health history. Through this process, I am able to see their strengths and their current positive coping mechanisms with their present stressor. However, through this process, at times, I am privileged to witness their positive coping mechanisms coming from their spiritual identity. Thus, as a provider, I then offer my patients Christian Integration, which allows me to take a Biopsychosocial Spiritual approach with the patient’s consent and utilize their inner strength towards positive change.
A graduate of Regent University, our motto is “Christian Leadership to Change the World.” Learning from an APA accredited school and being able to build a foundation in diverse psychotherapeutics, I have begun to learn to honor the diversity in our world. However, diversity
should not be limited by race, sex, or age. Diversity is a spectrum of uniqueness that, at times, cannot be seen by the visual eye. One of these unseen diversity factors is spirituality. For it is through the spiritual lens an individual begins to filter the stressors of this world. Thus, receiving a 5-year training in secular and Christian Integration in individual therapy, couples therapy, and group therapy has allowed me to observe the process of utilizing one’s foundational beliefs to elicit positive change in one’s personal life.
Many Christians become scared at the utilization of the word Psychology. Of note, many secular individuals become skeptical or fearful of the notion of Christian Integration. As a mental health provider, my goal is not to provide a service to an individual that they do not desire. My goal is to meet the individual where they are and provide a safe environment to process the current stressor. Within the therapy room, the patient guides the session on what they feel comfortable with in terms of sharing. They have the choice or decision to make if they would like to engage in spiritual Integration or not. How Christian Integration works is that it allows the science of psychology to be filtered through the Christian lens. One may find it shocking that science and spirituality in terms of therapy have many similarities when it comes to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and third-wave CBT. We see the utilization of Christian meditation in Acceptance Commitment Therapy or the usage of biblical verses to counteract a negative belief or better known in the psychological world as thought logs. The focus of Christian Integrated Therapy or secular therapy is that the dissemination of treatment should be patient-focused care. In other words, love your neighbor as you love yourself or providing care for the patient in a manner that uses their strengths while creating a nurturing and safe environment.
My goal is to meet you where you are and talk. Some people may think that all you want to do is talk, well, it is not just talking, but it is more intensive listening. I work to create a safe place where you can share your struggles. I will work with you to use the tools of science or spiritual strengths to help develop a better understanding of your current challenges and facilitate positive change.
So please feel free to call Davenport Psychology today at 941-702-2457. I would love to chit-chat with you and discuss Christian Integration or any other psychological query you may have. Hope to talk to you soon…