Is Christian Therapy Biblical?

Prov 11:14 Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Prov 12:25 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad.

Prov 16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb , Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Matt 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Matt 15:30 And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those were were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them.

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

2 Cor 1:4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

1 Tim 4:10-11 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.

Biblical Therapy involves counseling (Prov 11:14), encouragement (Prov 12:25), edification (Prov 16:25), helping and healing (Matt 10:8), bringing people to Jesus (Matt 15:30), admonishing (Col 3:16), comforting (2 Cor 1:4), and teaching (1 Tim 4:10-11). That’s what we do in Christian therapy. And “.. the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

In the Matthew 10:8 verse, the english word is "heal." The Greek word is “Therapeuo,” which means “ to serve, do service, to heal, cure, restore to health.” Jesus is asking His disciples to go out and “serve, do service, heal, cure, and restore to health” His children who are sick. Even if the Greek word wasn’t almost the exact spelling of the word “Therapist,” the definition of it clearly describes what we do. The work "sick" can mean mental and emotional illnesses just as appropriately as it does physical illnesses. This verse is a command directly from Jesus.

Christians are saved in a moment in time. They profess their faith in Christ, receive forgiveness through the blood of Christ's sacrifice, and are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. We call that salvation. At that point, the process of sanctification begins. The process of sanctification, the learning process of growing as a Christ-follower, is a life-long process, and although the goal is for a Christ-follower is to learn to go to God and find His healing directly and personally, many of our brothers and sisters have never been taught how to do that, and suffer profoundly as a result. They know that they should, but they don't know where to go in the Bible, and they don't know how to go to God. A Christian Therapist can show a client how to find their way through God’s Word so they can find the healing God wants for his hurting children.

The above verses make it very clear that God intends for us, the body of Christ who have learned how to be healed by His word, to be a part of the way by which He brings peace and healing to His people. It is my fervent belief that Christian Therapy qualifies, and fits into God’s plan.  I am honored to be a part of that plan.

Sue