Christian Counseling Irwindale, CA. Find a Christian Therapist Near You.

I am a Christian faith-based therapist with my office at my church. Everything we go through is a spiritual challenge. Our ability to handle life is based on our connection with God. When we are tight, (in vertical alignment), we are able to handle our challenges and follow as He requires. When we not as tight, we fight, control, argue, decieve ourselves and don't allow God to lead us as He needs. Surrender is vital to Christian life and therapy.

Counseling is a natural outgrowth of my belief in and desire to follow and be like Jesus, who loves you deeply and came to bring wholeness and abundant life to every individual. I am ready to join you in wrestling with questions of "where was God when..." and other painful dissonance created when crises and traumas hit. If you are looking for a therapist who will pray for you between sessions and who may understand your worldview and values, give me a call or email and let's see if I may be the right therapist for you.

Each therapist at Relate has training and experience with integrating psychology and spirituality in psychotherapy. While our training has primarily been focused on integrating Christian theology with psychology, we work with people from all faith backgrounds. Additionally, we focus on religious/spiritual issues in therapy if that is an important part of our clients' lives. If religion/spirituality is not an important area of focus, it will not be a focus of treatment.

I am a Christian therapist and I am more than happy to integrate Bible-based counseling with the traditional therapy process. For the Christian individual or couple, we can explore how your faith in Christ impacts your goals and decisions, whether or not you are drawing upon your faith as a resource, and what the Bible says about your concerns. Christian therapy is different than pastoral counseling or lay counseling. My educational degrees, training, and years practicing psychotherapy are combined with Biblical principles to assist you in your path to healing.

My personal approach to counseling is grounded in my own personal faith. God has a process from taking us from broken and hurting and redeeming us through a beautiful transformation experience. As believers we trust in the process of how God uses real people and relationships to help us heal. There is a plan and purpose for your life, together in the safety of the session we can create goals aligned with God's will.

I became a counselor because I felt called to help people--I experienced pain, loss, and some very dark times in my life, and in each of these experiences I have also experienced God's love, mercy, and healing. I want others to experience this too, to know the hope and healing that I have seen in others' lives and my own. In times of suffering, God may seem very distant and even uncaring. But He does care and He wants to be there for you in your darkest moments.

Many people struggle with their faith or struggle with a hurtful event that happened to them in their church. It is very meaningful to work through these events. My specialty is Panic Disorder and this causes much guilt in my Christian clients because they feel they "should" be able to "faith" their way out of it. As a fellow Christian, I feel I can help you deal with your faith issues, and it is not just because you do not have enough faith. Please use your faith, but there is also help.

It is important to integrate your thoughts, beliefs, emotions and values in order to achieve a sense of well being. When one of those gets out of alignment it can create great internal conflict and even a spiritual crisis. The focus of therapy is primarily about your relationships and emotional life, however, if you choose to explore it, we will also consider the role your faith plays in who you are.

Life’s journey is filled with challenges, and many clients seek guidance from a spiritual perspective that authenticates the essence of who they are while looking for a plan to heal symptoms, resolves issues and promote the cultivation of skill, and wisdom to live out their life’s purpose. Together clients and I collaborate and design a plan that enlivens them to successfully transform their lives in the context of their spiritual, family, community and/or professional commitments. As a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, my research in this area enhances and informs my service to clients from all walks of life with diverse spiritual and existential orientations.

I am a Christian and I am a psychologist. I do not separate these two identities, nor do I believe that you need to separate out your faith and spirituality from your present counseling needs and goals. In fact, I believe the values and beliefs that shape your worldview are integral in psychotherapy -- and I work to take this holistic approach in my therapeutic services. I earned my doctorate at a Christian university (Azusa Pacific University) and the integration of psychology and spirituality was a vital part of my training. I invite you to explore how your faith is impacting your current issues and challenges.

My doctoral studies at Biola University, working at various Christian counseling centers, and teaching at Christian universities have combined to help me understand and appreciate how psychology and theology are intimately connected. Often times our experience of God is intertwined with our experience of others, and both need to be explored and understood simultaneously. Even if your current struggles seem unrelated to your relationship with God, you may still seek a place where your faith is an integral part of your healing. I have extensive experience counseling those with psychological and/or spiritual concerns, so my clients do not have to sacrifice or ignore any part of themselves.

Every therapist at La Vie is a Christian and many of our therapists have advanced degrees in Theology and have spent years integrating the best of psychological research with sound Christian principles. We affirm the importance of faith in living healthy lives and welcome open conversations about this in therapy. Our approach to counseling from a Christian perspective has been so well received that Dr. Baker's book, "Jesus the Greatest Therapist Who Ever Lived" has sold over a million copies worldwide.

Very often negative thinking, anxiety, depression, trauma, broken relationships and anger can get in the way of God’s plan for us to live wholly and fully. For those seeking a faith-based alternative to traditional therapy, Christian Counseling provides a safe, non-judgmental setting where you can wrestle with life challenges, while having the added support of exploring scripture and bringing it to bear on your current struggles. Whether you are seeking to discuss your faith in depth, or simply want peace of mind in knowing that your therapist “gets” your faith, I would be honored to help guide you on your journey to a fuller understanding of your challenges and how you can best meet them both as a human being and a person of God.