I’ve been a Christian my whole life, but for much of my career, I believed my own knowledge, training and efforts helped people heal from their hurts, develop healthy habits, and build healthy relationships.

I now understand that God was working through me all along.

A few years ago, I was working with someone who was struggling with deep emotional pain and despite my training, knowledge and emotional support, she continued to struggle. I felt helpless and realized that there was a need beyond what I could provide.

So, I turned to prayer.

I prayed daily, asking Him to intervene where I could not and to provide the help and hope that was desperately needed.

After weeks of prayer, she came to me in tears and shared that she had come dangerously close to taking her own life the night before. Through tears, she said,

“I was this close. I don’t know what stopped me.”

I will never forget those words.

This experience became a turning point—not only in her life, but in mine.

I realized that while I have professional training, knowledge, and clinical tools, I am not the source of healing. I am called to use the gifts God has given me to serve Him and His people.

God works through the skills we learn, the people He places in our lives, and the opportunities He gives us to help others. But ultimately, He is the One who brings hope and healing.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
— Psalm 147:3

Today, my approach to Christian counseling integrates evidence-based clinical practices (CBT, DBT, and ACT) with biblical truth.

These clinical approaches can be thoughtfully paired with biblical counseling, where Scripture provides a foundation of truth, identity, hope, and purpose.

Paul writes:

“We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
— 2 Corinthians 10:5

This Scripture captures an important part of my counseling philosophy. We can learn to recognize our thoughts, examine whether they are healthy and truthful, and intentionally bring them into alignment with God’s truth.

When clinical skills and biblical truth are integrated thoughtfully, clients can develop practical tools for managing their thoughts and emotions while also drawing upon their faith for strength, endurance, peace, hope, and direction as they navigate difficult seasons of life.

God, as our Creator, knows the human heart and mind more deeply than anyone. Scripture reminds us that He is not distant from our pain, but present in it. He is the ultimate source of healing, while I have the privilege of walking alongside others as they pursue healing and growth.

This understanding has transformed the way I see my calling.

Christian counseling, for me, is not about choosing between clinical practice and faith. It is about faithfully integrating the two in a way that honors the counseling profession and the God I serve.

I bring the clinical tools.
I bring the training and experience.
I bring a willingness to listen, understand, and walk alongside someone through difficult seasons.

But I trust God to do what only He can do.

And that is at the heart of my work as a Christian counselor.