The Benefits of Faith-Integrated Counseling

Being a Christian doesn’t exempt you from the problems of this world. For example, violent events can leave you with post-traumatic stress disorder, chemical imbalances can trigger depression, and life experiences can make relationships difficult for you.

These are just a few of the mental health issues Christians struggle with just like everyone else. Counseling can help you overcome these problems, but if you choose a secular therapist, you may find yourself facing treatment options that don’t align with your beliefs.

At Faith Integrated Psychiatry, Dr. Joy Kwakuyi and our caring staff understand this, which is why we offer Christian counseling to our patients throughout Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona and also in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Here are just some of the many benefits you can expect with biblically based therapy.

Why choose Christian counseling?

All counselors have a common goal to help their patients achieve mental wellness, but they don’t all go about it the same way. Though the basic methods may look the same — talk therapy, one-on-one conversations, and group therapy — the content of those discussions looks different here at Faith Integrated Psychiatry.

Dr. Kwakuyi shares your faith in Jesus Christ and guides you through your treatments from a biblical perspective. This way, you can keep your spiritual health in focus while you work toward healing your mind and your relationships knowing you aren’t compromising your faith. 

Christian counseling offers multiple benefits, including:

It recognizes the sovereignty of God.

The world offers many different “solutions” to mental health issues and often looks to pillars in the field of psychiatry, like Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, to explain why you’re experiencing certain symptoms and what you should do about it. 

But Dr. Kwakuyi recognizes God as the highest authority in your life and knows that His inerrant Word provides principles and insight that can help us all deal with our fears, doubts, and illnesses. We guide you toward Scriptures that help you understand these principles rather than steering you toward the writings of man.

It recognizes absolute truth.

As a follower of Christ, you know that God’s Word is absolute truth. The world, however, often tells us that truth is subjective and that happiness is all that matters. When you’re dealing with emotional, relational, or mental problems, you’re in a vulnerable state and may not recognize the subtle shift away from Scripture when a secular counselor encourages you to do whatever feels right.

But we know that the human heart is deceptive and can’t always be trusted. You can, however, trust Dr. Kwakuyi to treat you in accordance with biblical truths.

It’s about more than just the absence of conflict.

Mental health issues create conflict in your life, whether it’s tension in your marriage or the extreme mood swings of bipolar disorder. Secular therapists may help you overcome your symptoms, and you may even feel happy, but that’s only a temporary fix.

Christian counseling also addresses the problems you’re facing, but it goes deeper than that. At Faith Integrated Psychiatry, we want to help you strengthen your relationship with Jesus and come to know authentic soul-healing, as well. Genuine joy doesn’t rely on positive circumstances or even the absence of conflict, it comes from your Creator alone, and embracing that is a key aspect of Christian counseling.

It includes prayer.

At Faith Integrated Psychiatry, we believe in the power of prayer. We pray with you and for you throughout your treatment, knowing that God listens to our cries for help, He is in control, He loves you, and He has a plan for your life. 

It produces better results.

It isn’t hard to imagine that a therapy approach that aligns with your belief system is going to be more effective than one that introduces contradictory values into your treatment sessions. But there is evidence to support that. Studies have shown that faith-based therapy for depression is at least as effective as secular approaches — and in some cases more so — for those who hold to strong religious beliefs. 

To learn more about how faith-integrated counseling can help you improve your mental health without leading you off course in your Christian walk, call our compassionate staff, or book an appointment using our online scheduling tool today. We’re here for you.