You Can Love God and Still Need Therapy

Psychology is sometimes a point of controversy in Christian circles. As a social science, psychology seeks to understand the complexities of human thought, emotion, and behavior. A psychologist suggests changes that help the client flourish more effectively. Some Christians are skeptical about the value a therapy session brings to an individual. Some Christians may feel that psychology relies on principles that do not square well with the Biblical conception of the human person.

Christians seeking therapy to deal more effectively with mental health challenges often find another layer of skepticism. Not only does psychology fail to present a proper concept of what it means to be human; some view it as unnecessary for people who have faith. They might think that a Christian who is seeking therapy must be someone who is not living out the faith correctly.

Unity of Body and Soul

Even if you love God, you may still benefit from the support of a good therapist. The idea that therapy should be viewed as superfluous in the life of someone with faith is shortsighted. This view can reflect a kind of dualism, as though our spiritual lives are entirely separate from our embodied human experience. This is not the Christian way of looking at the world nor understanding the human experience. Reflecting on the unity of body and soul, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the “form” of the body: i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter becomes a living, human body; spirit and matter, in man, are not two natures united, but rather one union forms a single nature (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 365).

Far from therapy and growth in spiritual life being mutually exclusive, one thing can often foster the other. Frequently, we suffer from the illusion of self-reliance. We believe or wish that we can resolve all of our problems on our own. In the area of spiritual growth, this is a lack of humility, and it normally stops the flow of grace from God into our souls. In such a case, working with a therapist might be a means to grow in humility and learn strategies that allow us to view the reality of our lives more objectively and come up with healthy strategies to deal with the variety of situations we find ourselves in.

Mediation of God’s Grace

God’s grace is by definition a free gift. He can give it whenever and however he wants. He has shown throughout history, and especially through the Incarnation, his desire to act in the world through other mediations of his grace. Jesus is the ultimate example of God’s grace coming to us through mediation.

For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:5-6).

God could have given us a way of perfection that would happen merely through a series of reflections. As Christians, our faith is more about developing a relationship with a person than it is about achieving a certain level of perfection.

Just as therapy can help resolve difficult dealings in human relationships, personal growth that comes through working consciously on ourselves may help us in our relationship with God. Therapy doesn’t mean we should cut out prayer or the sacraments. It doesn’t take the place of spiritual direction. Spiritual practices and therapy speak to different realities within the human soul.

Psychological Suffering Does Not Imply Deficient Faith

Psychological suffering does not imply that you don’t have enough faith. It doesn’t mean that you are sinful. Mental health challenges can come from various sources, including genetic predispositions, difficult life circumstances, trauma, and thought and behavioral patterns that require professional attention.

God wants each one of us to grow to our full potential and to prepare for Heaven. We are called to be happy forever with him. Our parents and families are the first places where we are supposed to learn how to love. However, sometimes faulty situations stymie our potential for personal growth. Rather than just waving a magic wand to resolve our difficulties, God often works through human intermediaries to help us get to a place where we can truly flourish.

Needing or taking advantage of therapy is not a sign that you somehow need God less. Rather, it can be a beautiful sign that you are willing to do the work to remove the obstacles present in your life that make it harder to be fully the person he is calling you to be. You can love God and still need therapy. Therapy might even be one of the ways God shows that he loves you.