Christian Counseling in Grand Rapids
In-person near Grand Rapids, MI and online in 43 PsyPact states
Life has gotten bumpy, and it can be hard for you to know who to trust with your whole story.
Maybe you’ve felt confused about how your relationship with God relates to your emotional suffering, not sure if your prayers are being heard.
Maybe you’ve experienced hurt or rejection from other Christians, or been brushed off by believers who mean well but leave you feeling more lonely than ever.
Or maybe your faith is the most solid thing you know, but everything else seems to be crumbling.
Christ did promise us that “in this world you will have trouble.” But knowing how to access God’s promised peace in the midst of the world’s trouble can be hard to figure out.
With deep roots in both Protestant and Catholic traditions, along with extensive experience in the practice of psychology, I am eager to support you in blending your spiritual journey with your mental health healing process.
Because “all truth is God’s truth,” we can fearlessly integrate therapy and Scripture, mindfulness and prayer, or self-care and spiritual disciplines.
God cares about all of you, including your mental health.
You won’t get cheesy platitudes from me, and your concerns won’t be minimized. I won’t be pushy, judgmental, or controlling, and I won’t tell you what to believe. It will always be yours to choose if, when, and how you would like your spirituality integrated into therapy.
This is your journey, and God is right there with you.
What to Expect.
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1. Free Phone Consult
Your faith and religious experiences are central to your story, so you’ll need time to make sure I’m someone who can be trusted with all of that.
To help you assess, we’ll start with a brief phone call at no cost to you. This usually takes about 20 minutes. I want to make sure you feel comfortable talking with me, that you’re clear on the logistics of therapy, and that I feel confident I can help you. You can ask any questions that help you feel ready to embark on faith-based therapy with me.
Having a phone conversation will help you get a sense of how I approach Christian counseling, and whether my open, curious, values-based approach is a good fit for you at this time.
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2. Intake Session
Once you’re ready, you’ll schedule an intake session (either in-person or online), with some online paperwork emailed to you in advance (it usually takes about 20 minutes to complete).
During the intake session you’ll fill me in on what you’ve been through, your faith values, what you’re experiencing now, and what you hope to get out of therapy. I’ll give you some options of how/if you would like Christian spirituality blended with therapy, along with reflections, assessment, and recommendations that are specific to your concerns.
You’ll leave with some relief at getting started and having a better feel for what to expect.
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3. Ongoing Sessions
To ensure you have a time that is convenient for you each week, I’ll hold a consistent 50-minute therapy spot for you. Sessions will include exploration of your life experiences, along with evidence-based mental health practices and faith-based coping skills if desired. You will always be the one to choose whether you would like spiritual practices included, such as prayer, meditation, or Scripture references.
Once you’re feeling better, you can choose if you would like to decrease frequency to biweekly or less as you begin integrating your therapy skills into your life on a more independent basis.
You can let me know along the way what’s working for you so I can make adjustments as needed - this time is for you!
Christian Counseling FAQs
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Christian Counseling invites you to speak openly about your faith in therapy, acknowledging that your spiritual experience is valuable to your healing process. You’ll always have the choice of if, when, and how to integrate your beliefs and spiritual practices into sessions.
Here are some examples of how other clients have chosen to integrate their faith with their therapy:
Exploring questions about God’s existence or faithfulness in light of suffering
Challenging previously held religious beliefs as a deeper understanding of Scripture or theology evolves
Recognizing the role of prayer, meditation, and other spiritual practices in cultivating mental health as a Christian
Referencing Christian values, Biblical passages, and religious experiences as they deepen their understanding of what it means to be loved by God
If you’re a Christian, you don’t need to leave your faith at the office door. We can trust that God cares about all of you, including your mental health, and that God will be guiding you along your journey of healing.
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I have been blessed to connect with a multitude of Christian church communities and theological traditions throughout my life - from growing up in the Charismatic movement of the 70s & 80s to being confirmed in the Catholic church.
Beneath the multitude of religious experiences in my life, the unifying force has been Christ. I will never push my religious faith on anyone, but my relationship with God will always be central to how I make sense of the world and how I hold on to hope, no matter what comes.
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When the places and people who claim to reflect Christ are actually perpetuating abuse, shame, or self-hatred, the spiritual trauma creates deep wounds.
In therapy, you are not just allowed to talk about religious trauma - you are encouraged to do so. You will need time to sort out the complexities of what you have experienced and to heal in a space that is unpressured and free. I am committed to giving you all the space you need.
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When I use the term “Christian,” these two guiding frameworks from Scripture come to mind.
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22)
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:35-29)
So you have my commitment that I will not be judgy or pushy about matters of faith, and that I will steer clear of rigid, legalistic, or shame-based approaches. You and God are working this out together, and I’m honored to share part of that journey with you.
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Therapy is a powerful tool, whether or not matters of faith are included. Plenty of clients have no interest in an integrative approach, and you’re welcome to leave faith out of the process if you choose. This is your time!
Faith-Related Blog Posts
Dwell Psychological Services opened in 2024, but I’ve been blogging since 2014 at www.TheMindfulChristian.com. This post bridges the two projects and explains the origins of the name “Dwell.”