Christian counseling is a broad category of emotional and relationship support that draws on the principles of Christianity to help clients cope with challenges. Because religious faith can play a significant role in an individual’s life, many prospective therapy clients who identify as Christian feel more comfortable seeing a counselor who shares their beliefs or who is at least prepared to discuss their faith openly and without judgment.
Not all Christian counselors are licensed therapists, however, and while some incorporate evidence-based psychological principles into their practice, others do not. Research on Christian counseling is sparse; however, some studies have suggested that therapeutic approaches that deliberately incorporate religious and spiritual elements can be helpful in the treatment of common mental health challenges, though not necessarily more helpful than secular approaches.
