Are you on the fence trying to decide if you want to seek out a Christian counselor? Let’s walk through some common Christian counseling myths together that may be influencing your decision.
Some people call these myths, others straight out lies. Unfortunately, it can be easy to see why these myths exist, there’s always a bit of truth in there somewhere. Let’s figure out what’s true and what’s not regarding some myths about Christian mental health:
Myth #1: Christian counselors will judge and condemn me for the things I have done.
The truth: All people judge others. Even this belief is a judgment toward Christian counselors. Judgment has a negative connotation, but it’s not always a bad thing. When you and I judge, we are deciding what we will accept and what we will not. We are doing this right now as we dive deeper into the truth behind Christian counseling myths.
With the Holy Spirit’s help, Christians are trying to live life the way Jesus did on Earth. We are no better than anybody else. And as counselors, our job is not to judge, but to provide a safe space where you can show up authentically. It’s not our job to judge, it’s our job to listen.
The only one who can judge righteously is God. We are fallible humans who see outward appearance, while our perfectly righteous Lord sees the heart. Thus, as followers of Jesus, we leave it up to our merciful God to judge righteously while we try to love as His Son did–unconditionally, without favoritism, and full of grace and truth.
Myth #2: Christian counselors are Bible thumpers!
They will use Scripture against you if you do not believe what they believe.
The truth: Christians believe in the power of the Gospel and will share it with you if you are willing. However, Christian counselors know how to listen more than talk and how to ask for permission to speak when appropriate. We’ve all had someone tell us what to do and how to do it, and we know how that feels. That’s not our job either–Christian counselors aim to listen deeply to concerns and respect your individual rights to choose the path for your life.
God is a gentleman. He has never forced anyone to believe in Him, but rather has given us free will in how we relate with Him. With this in mind, here at Cornerstone we always ask in your intake paperwork whether you want prayer, discussion of God and biblical principles, or Scripture to be a part of your time in counseling. Though we believe in God’s Word and its power to heal, we will never pressure anyone to believe or do what they do not wish to do.
Myth #3: Christian counselors can’t understand me.
They have never been through what I have been through. They do not live in the real world.
The truth: Christian counselors live in the same world as you. Many have been through dark, painful struggles and have decided to become counselors to comfort others with the same comfort they received. You might be surprised by some of their stories! Many become Christian counselors specifically to try to disprove false myths about Christian mental health!
Myth #4: Christian Counselors are mind readers.
They know what you do in secret.
The truth: Christian counselors do not know your deepest secrets. We don’t know anything about you outside of what you share, what we can observe, and what the Holy Spirit may impress in our hearts.
God informs us in His Word that what is done in the dark will be brought into the light so that nothing will remain hidden. When things come to light, it is not to condemn or belittle us, but rather to make us aware of what can be forgiven, healed, and submitted to God so He can bring new life to those areas of our lives.
We hope you allow us wounded healers to join you on your journey to the more abundant life Jesus offers all of us and maybe, just maybe, let us prove those Christian counseling myths wrong!
Author: angela shannon
Angela Shannon is a highly skilled member of our team. She works with a wide range of clients (everything from addictions recovery to play therapy!) If you’re interested in more exercises or learning more about how “Turning Off Emotions” might not be the most helpful, consider a counseling session with Angela!
