Christian counselling services offer mental health services through a religious lens. The patients and counselors will have similar values, making communication easier. Christian mental health patients often have unique needs based on their religious environment. Learn more about 4 mental health concerns common in religious patients.
1. Grief
While you may receive some relief knowing that your loved one is waiting for you in heaven, that doesn't eradicate the loss and grief you may feel without them. Many Christian counselling services offer support groups and one-on-one sessions specifically to treat grief after the death of a family member. The counselor will take patients through the different stages of grief and offer a source of comfort. The counselor can also teach the patient coping mechanisms to get through the pain in a productive way.
2. Guilt
All humans fail to adhere to God's wishes. Some patients put themselves through extreme stress when they fail to live up to high standards, fearing damnation for minor infractions, such as trying alcohol once or arguing with a sibling. Patients will also experience guilt after a particularly egregious wrongdoing, such as stealing drugs or cheating on a spouse. In both cases, patients may start to feel depressed or start to self-mutilate in an effort to atone for their sins. A therapist can help patients forgive themselves and move forward hopeful that they can become better.
3. Crisis of Faith
Religion gets complicated. Even strict Christians sometimes experience a crisis of faith at different points in their life. A crisis of faith may occur after a specific incident, such as a horrible tragedy. A crisis of faith may also occur as a result of self-exploration and exposure to new ideas. Christian counselors give patients a place to express their concerns. The counselor can help the patient hold onto their traditional values as they go on a personal journey. In some cases, the patient can merge their differing thoughts. In other cases, the counselling sessions can bring the patient back into the warmth of the church, alleviating mental health concerns.
4. Psychosis
Patients with severe psychosis may struggle to regulate fact from fiction. These patients may experience audio or visual hallucinations or delusions of grandeur. These cases usually require a medical doctor on top of a psychotherapist. The therapist can talk through the psychosis with the patient to determine its origin and help the patient identify reality.
For more information about Christian counselling services, contact a local professional.
Adolescence is one of the most difficult emotional stages that children go through. Many previously happy children find themselves struggling emotionally when they reach adolescence, and sometimes they don't know how to manage those emotions. When a pre-teen or teenager who is struggling with emotional difficulties, you may find that counseling is the best way to help them work through it. If you find yourself in this position, you're in the right place. We created this site to help parents like you understand how best to help their children through these emotional challenges of adolescence, including working with a counselor. We hope that the information here helps you see how counseling can help.