Faith in therapy

[avant-garde]

I start with a new therapist on Monday...

This one's not a Christian, but I've been thinking about it and think I'm glad. 

Yes I like praying to start but how beneficial is it really to have a Christian?  I can still pray before I go in.

My doctor has been saying that a proper psychologist should be nonjudgmental, not push their views and show respect to me and what I've experienced. Their opinion shouldn't come into it.

When it comes to Christian psychologists I find they're often the more Pentecostal type... which there are some parts that I find... inaccurate. 

I will likely hit some nerves here, but this is what I best align with

• The gift of tongues isn't something that God gives in the current era 
• Neither is the gift of prophesy
• You don't hear God's voice in your head when you pray
• Therefore the words you give others aren't from God
• The Bible is the written word of God and cannot have further inspirations added to it.
• You can't feel as if something is holding you back or something needs releasing. 

I could go on. 

What I know is that this stuff has occurred in my therapy sessions with Christian psychologists. 

Maybe to get through all the layers of trauma within Christian institutions, I actually need a psychologist who doesn't throw various degrees of their own spirituality at me. 

Maybe I just need a non-Christian.

[Appleblossom]

Good luck with new therapist @avant-garde 

I always kept my therapy and religion separate. When I began therapy, there were not many Christian therapists… many church people thought it was not good at all…. Over the years… I have found therapists push their views…religious or otherwise…to various degrees… so now I accept they will do that… but want them to be a bit aware and ethical.

 I like them being human and don’t believe they can be absolutely objective.

it makes sense to try someone new. Hope it is a good fit.

[Pooch1]

I have different views to you but it shouldn't matter who you see. They should be professional a d non judgemental.

Good luck finding someone who can help

[Catlady1979]

@avant-garde.

I've recently just left a Pentecostal church for very similar reasons and personally there is absolutely NO WAY I would ever see a Christian counsellor, attend any kind of "healing" rooms or go to any kind of "prayer/deliverance" meetings again particularly after one time where I was told to repent of the "sin" of depression - I'm not ready to go into further details about my experience right now as I'm still processing it all and learning to navigate life and faith without this particular church community.

I absolutely agree with your doctor!! - Any mental health professional whether it be a peer worker, counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist, etc needs to be neutral, objective and non- judgemental at all times and you have every right to be safe during any therapy sessions you undertake.

Sometimes a secular mental health professional may be a better option and this is something I'm looking at the moment as well.

I do hope that all goes well with this therapist and that you are able to heal and move forward whatever that looks like for you 🙏🏻🕊️🌻

[avant-garde]

Hey @Catlady1979 

I'm not quite ready to talk about today's session, but I want you to know I can relate to your experience. My grandmother was 90 with cancer and I was told it was my fault because I didn't fast and pray enough.

I pray that if you still decide to attend a church that you find one that fits with your stance.

[Catlady1979]

@avant-garde

Religious/spiritual trauma can be very difficult to talk about as it's not always well understood by the wider community and it can even be hard for some mental health professionals to get their heads around.

I'm very sorry that you've had to endure ridiculous and insensitive comments in regards to your grandmother and her cancer - Some of these people really do cross lines they have absolutely no right or business crossing whatsoever.

As for me, I'm just taking it one day at a time and putting one foot in front of the other so to speak - Right now I'm this middle aged woman who sits at the very back near the door of an Anglican church 🕊️

[avant-garde]

@Catlady1979 

There's a book I came across years ago that I am still yet to finish but had really helped me "the subtle power of spiritual abuse".

Part of me feels very anxious about talking about it on here because of the wide variety of Christians from all different denominations on here.

[Catlady1979]

@avant-garde.

That's totally understandable 🌻

[BPDSurvivor]

For me, therapy was always, ‘take want you think will be helpful and leave what you don’t think will

be helpful’. So whether they are Christians or not, I go by this.

Also, there are so many denominations out there. Ppl can all say they are Christians yet still all think differently.

so that’s my take.