What role does religious faith have in mental health treatment?
Easter’s almost here and for practitioners of Christian and Catholic faith that’s a big deal — but questions re: where religious faith fits into mental health treatment can be tricky.
“I thank God for his love and for the therapy, I thank God there’s pills for my anxiety / For so long I thought I had to smile and just say that I’m okay,” sings the Christian music artist Katy Nichole in an unreleased song.
It shouldn’t surprise me when people have faith, yet also acknowledge the role that therapy and medication can have in bolstering mental health, but it still does. Perhaps this surprise is the result of having heard this outdated myth: that faith and evidence-based treatment are the antithesis of one another.
As the pastor Craig Groeschel, who has written and spoken extensively on the connection between faith and mental health, said in a message on depression:
“Sometimes in some faith communities, there's almost a stigma to it, where someone who feels hopeless also feels ashamed to talk about it or maybe even guilty like, spiritually. I must be doing something wrong. And then other well meaning Christians might just say, ‘Hey, just suck it up. Come on, it's not that big of a deal. I mean, come on, pull out of it, pull your stuff up by your bootstraps, get over it, you know, just put your faith in Jesus and everything will be okay.’ And the depressed person doesn't feel safe opening up, and so withdrawals even more, and the depression seems to compound.
Have you ever thought about this? Like if you're in a life group and someone says, ‘I have a sore throat,’ you would say, maybe go to the doctor. If someone breaks a bone, you would say go to a surgeon. If someone is battling depression, sometimes the implied message in the church is just, keep smiling and keep it to yourself.”
A few years ago, I reported a story on mental health within Latino communities and came across an alarming stat: nearly 80% of Latinos surveyed in one study attributed depression to “lack of faith” in God. And this phenomenon is most definitely not limited to Latinos, but is found across cultures; in some Asian communities, for instance, mental health can be viewed as a “lack of self-control.”
While mental health struggles have certainly been destigmatized, let’s not kid ourselves. Even amongst vocal mental health advocates, there’s internalized stigma, with many having compassion for others’ struggles but viewing their own as a personal weakness or failing.
So when I see people, like Nichole, Groeschel, or the rapper NF, making strides to hold space for faith, therapy, medication, community, and other modalities to treat mental health, I get excited — especially because my own faith in conjunction with therapy has been essential to my mental health.
It doesn’t have to be one or the other.
In fact, I firmly believe that in order to best assist people with their mental health, we can’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. Different things work for different people and often pulling from various approaches can be most beneficial.
But what does this look like in practice?
A few considerations
More and more mental health professionals are exploring ways to integrate spirituality with therapy, and it’s a growing area of interest for many.
For those of us in the mental health field, it’s important to remember that client well-being always comes first. This means being mindful of whether a faith-based approach feels right for the client and whether it aligns with their treatment goals. It’s essential to create a space where they feel comfortable and respected. If a client expresses discomfort or wants to shift the direction of therapy, it’s important to listen and adapt. Faith should never be used in a way that makes someone feel dismissed or that their struggles aren’t valid.
At the same time, it's important to recognize that in some settings, religious communities have caused harm or trauma, particularly to LGBTQ+ individuals. This history of harm can make it more difficult for some people to feel comfortable integrating faith into their mental health journey.
That said, research suggests that when faith is integrated thoughtfully, it can actually enhance the therapeutic process. According to the American Psychological Association, centering a client’s existing beliefs can be a powerful tool, helping them tap into their spiritual resources as they navigate tough times.
Given that therapy can offer the opportunity to explore relationships, work, and other life events, it can also be used to “answer deeper questions about the meaning of life and their place in the world,” per the American Psychological Association.
Incorporating faith into sessions can be as simple as checking in with a client about their religious practices. My therapist, who is not of the same religious background as me, has supported my own spiritual journey; early on in our work together, I expressed how finding a church I liked was important to me and this has been something she’s followed up on a few times throughout our time together.
Or it can be more involved, like using religious texts in conjunction with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
And if you’re someone who has faith but has been deterred from pursuing therapy or medication because you’ve been told that doing so means your faith is “not strong enough,” I want you to know that’s not true. These resources exist to help us and there’s no shame in accessing them to support your health. If you believe in God, then He made the resources to help you. He would want you to use them to help yourself.
In the aforementioned message on depression, Groeschel, says:
“So what do you do when the whole world feels dark? Well, acknowledge it. Like call it what it is. I feel depressed. I feel hopeless. And then just also acknowledge: I need help. This is a safe place to say that you need help. And I wanna say it again, asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of wisdom. I need help. And then get help. What might you do to get help? Well, you might talk to a counselor. That's wise. You might go to a doctor who might prescribe helpful medicine. That's wise, and that is not unspiritual. You might change your diet. That's wise and spiritual. It works with the way God designed your body. You might start to exercise or you might journal, or you might get in a life group. Oh my gosh, I don't know how people deal with the forces of darkness without people of life standing by them to encourage them, pray for them and cheer them on.”
I’m not a religious scholar — I’m just a girl with faith that often wavers and doubts and questions but ultimately believes. Not only in God, but in you: to live the life you deserve without being defined by any mental health struggles.
Another well written article. At the end of the day it is about knowing that counseling can either make our lives better or worse. Sadly, there exists therapists who do more harm than good and that may lead us to religion that often serves to direct our paths. Nothing wrong with praying for direction and guidance and may your readers always be directed to those professionals who can actually help!.