I can love Jesus AND have a therapist!

For a long time, conversations about mental health in the church came with a quiet undercurrent of shame.
If you struggled with anxiety, maybe you were told to “just pray more.” 

If you battled depression, someone might have said, “You just need more faith.”

I don’t think those words always came from a place of judgment — often, they came from misunderstanding. But for many believers, those messages planted a seed of guilt: If I’m hurting, maybe my faith isn’t strong enough.

The truth is, faith and mental health were never meant to be in conflict.

I have spent the last five years working in Christian high ed. I taught bachelor’s level psychology classes through a biblical lens. I learned so much as I taught. I was reminded that when Jesus healed people, He did it in so many ways — through words, through touch, through community, even through mud and spit (John 9:6–7). His methods were personal and creative. 

That’s one of the reasons I believe therapy can be a tool God uses for healing. It doesn’t replace faith; it works alongside it.

Therapy helps us name what’s happening inside — the fears, the patterns, the wounds we’ve carried for years — so we can bring them into the light. And isn’t that what Scripture calls us to do?

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” — John 8:32

Good therapy invites honesty. It helps us understand the stories we tell ourselves and how they shape our reactions, relationships, and view of God. It teaches emotional awareness, boundaries, and self-compassion — all of which line up beautifully with spiritual growth.

At its heart, therapy is about being known. Someone sits with you, listens without judgment, and helps you see what’s going on beneath the surface.

In many ways, it mirrors what we experience in a healthy faith community — a place where we can bring our whole selves, not just the polished parts.

I’ve seen how the tools of psychology can deepen our discipleship. Understanding trauma helps us extend grace to ourselves and others. Learning about attachment helps us trust God more deeply. Recognizing anxiety patterns helps us pray with clarity instead of confusion. Reframing our thoughts helps us die to self.

These insights don’t compete with faith — they support it.

There’s a growing movement of believers who are deconstructing old ideas about mental health — and rebuilding something more compassionate. Many of those people are in my very own church! Churches are hosting mental health workshops. Pastors are getting trained in trauma-informed care. Small groups are becoming safe spaces for honesty and healing.

It’s slow, but it’s happening.

And I think this is the kind of work God delights in — not just saving souls, but restoring minds and hearts.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s okay to go to therapy as a Christian, I want to say this clearly:
Yes.

You can pray and see a therapist.
You can love Jesus and take medication.
You can believe in healing and ask for help.

None of that makes your faith weak. It makes it real.

Because God doesn’t just meet us on Sunday mornings — He meets us in the counseling room, in the journal pages, in the quiet moments where we finally tell the truth about how we’re really doing.

That’s where transformation begins.

It starts with permission —
to be honest, to be human, to be helped. ❤️