Lysa TerKeurst and Jim Cress address common questions on counseling. They discuss finding the right counselor, the importance of self-awareness, therapists' limits, and the intersection of faith and medication for holistic healing.
Finding the right counselor requires research, focusing on specialties and credentials.
Medication can be a tool for mental healing, not a lack of faith.
Deep dives
Finding a Counselor
To find a counselor, individuals are advised to conduct their due diligence by researching online, utilizing social media to view therapist bios and videos, and narrowing down their options by attending sessions or purchasing single counseling sessions. They are encouraged to focus on therapists' specializations and credentials, such as master's degrees (MA, MS), licensing (LPC), psychologists (PhD), and psychiatrists (MD) for optimal treatment outcomes.
Choosing Specialized Therapies
When seeking therapy, individuals are recommended to seek counselors trained in specific areas like betrayal trauma, sex addiction therapy (IFS), maternal trauma therapy (LMFT), and EMDR. Exploring specialized therapies like Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) can offer powerful approaches to healing trauma and promoting overall well-being.
Medication and Faith
The discussion on medication centers around viewing it as a tool for healing and regaining mental clarity. Mentioned in the Greco-Roman world, medicine was commonplace, alongside a deep faith in God's healing miracles. Taking medication is not a lack of faith but an act of faith to restore mental well-being. It is stressed to manage medication wisely by considering its effects on mental clarity and accompanying it with deeper healing work, such as therapy and self-care practices.
How can I find the right counselor? Is it OK to take medicine prescribed by a counselor? What if I can't afford counseling right now? It may not be easy putting in the work to find the right counselor for you, but it will be worth it.
This episode is the last episode of the newest season of Therapy & Theology: "You Asked ... We're Answering." Through podcast reviews, direct messages on social media, and more, Lysa TerKeurst; Licensed Professional Counselor Jim Cress; and Proverbs 31 Ministries' Director of Theological Research, Dr. Joel Muddamalle, collected your most asked questions. Now they're spending an entire season answering!
Related Resources:
Download the free Listener Guide for this episode here! Complete with statements to hold on to and scriptures to call to mind, this guide will help you apply what you learned in this conversation.
Don’t let what has happened to you keep you from staying close to God. Instead, let the power of His Word help you work through what you’ve walked through. Lysa TerKeurst wants to help you make progress in this through the pages of her devotional, You’re Going to Make It: 50 Morning and Evening Devotions to Unrush Your Mind, Uncomplicate Your Heart, and Experience Healing Today. Get your copy now
We'd like to thank Compassion International for partnering with us again to make this season of Therapy & Theology possible. Compassion brings real solutions to the poverty that so many children in today’s world are facing … all in Jesus' name and through the generosity of sponsors. Take your next step, and sponsor a child today here!
Proverbs 31 Ministries reaches women in the middle of their busy days through free devotions; podcasts; speaking events; conferences; resources; Bible studies; and training in the call to write, speak and lead others. Learn more by visiting our website!
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