What Is Faith-Based Counseling?

Mental health counseling is a form of help that can be tailored to many individual interests. Some mental health professionals make a point of incorporating spiritual or religious elements in their therapeutic practices, which is referred to as “faith-based counseling.” They may do so because they primarily serve a particular religious community, because they themselves adhere to religious principles in their own life, because they feel they have a religious calling to help others, or because they believe that those experiencing distress can especially benefit from the help of God and spiritual teachings.

What are the benefits of faith-based counseling?

Faith-based counseling can offer several benefits for people who want their spiritual or religious beliefs reflected in therapy. You may feel more comfortable opening up to a counselor who understands your beliefs and can incorporate elements such as prayer, religious texts, or spiritual practices into treatment.

Many faith-based counselors also use established therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), allowing them to combine spiritual support with clinical tools.

How does faith-based counseling differ from traditional counseling?

Key differences between faith-based counseling and traditional counseling include:

Source of guidance

Traditional counseling focuses on established psychological principles, including your thoughts, behaviors, and relationships as the main drivers of change. Faith-based counseling also includes these elements but draws on religious teachings and spiritual practices as well.

Approach to problem-solving

Traditional counseling helps you analyze patterns, understand root causes, and build skills like communication and emotional regulation. Faith-based counseling, by contrast, encourages you to reflect on your situation through the lens of your faith and apply religious values to guide decisions.

Role of spirituality

In traditional counseling, spirituality may be included if you bring it up, but it is not central to treatment. In faith-based counseling, spirituality is an active part of the process and may include prayer or discussion of religious texts on a regular basis.

What types of faith-based counselors are there?

Whether traditional or faith-based, mental health counselors are required to hold a master's degree in order to become licensed in their state. Faith-based licensed counselors are trained to integrate spiritual beliefs into clinical practice while still meeting the same educational and licensing standards as any other mental health professional. There are also other forms of faith-based counseling with different educational requirements. Pastoral counseling, for example, does not typically carry the same licensing requirements, although some pastoral counselors may hold a degree in psychology in addition to theology.

The most important distinction for anyone seeking support is what each provider can and cannot do. Licensed mental health counselors are trained to diagnose and treat mental health conditions; their services are often covered by insurance. In contrast, pastoral counselors operate primarily within a spiritual and community care framework and are not licensed to diagnose mental health conditions. Their services are typically not covered by insurance.

How can I find a good faith-based counselor?

Not all faith-based counseling is the same, and counselors vary in how much they rely on religious versus traditional clinical methods. When choosing a counselor and assessing the degree to which they incorporate faith into their practice, consider asking:

• How do you incorporate faith into your sessions?
• Do you also use evidence-based therapy techniques?
• What is your training and licensure?