Christian Counseling San Fernando, CA. Find a Christian Therapist Near You.

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.

Faith and spirituality can provide comfort and meaning to those guided by their beliefs. I was raised in a Christian household myself so I have an appreciation for the values instilled by religion, the importance of tradition, and the strength of community. My approach to counseling is humanistic and welcoming of all spiritualities. Though I do not incorporate any specific pastoral counsel, I encourage my spiritual clients to draw on their beliefs during the counseling process.

My approach to Christian Counseling is to identify with people who value being a Christian. I was raised in a Christian home, have attended Bible College and Seminary, and am a licensed minister and a licensed therapist. I do utilize the theories of growth and healing from my mentors Henry Cloud and John Townsend, especially their books Changes That Heal, Boundaries and Loving People. You will beneift from my approach by helping you learn how to love and bond with God and others, where to set boundaries, how to resolve guilt, shame and badness, and learn how to use God's power and authority for your life. You will also benefit from learning how to let God fix others versus you doing this.

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.

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.

What do you want to stand for? This is what the heart of my work is as well as the heart of travelers of spiritual journeys. I want to help you take action that you take with full awareness, openness to experience and fully engaged. I specialize in moving towards what's important, and as a former minister I can help you view the spiritual inside of the dark and shadowy places as well as the light.

As a Christian therapist I understand and appreciate the importance of a Biblical focused world view when dealing with life's concerns. In an atmosphere of acceptance, trust, honesty and support, I seek to integrate a Christ-Centered theology with the very best clinical psychology has to offer. Because we are a wonderful integration of spirit, mind, body and emotion, I believe psychotherapy must attend to the complete human being just as Christ taught us through His example. Your relationship with God is the most central part of your life around which everything else revolves. Biblical based therapy can help deepen that relationship and help you find your needed answers.

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.

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.

I do not specialize in treating Christian clients, however I do work with Christians whose background in line with teachings of tolerance. I deal with Christians who are struggling with sexual and/or gender identity issues. I provide a safe, non-judgmental space to explore one's beliefs in God, the church, and their sexual identity or gender identity. I am have worked with these issues for over 25 years and identity issues are a specialty of mine. I am also a specialist and certified expert in the treatment of childhood abuse, trauma, sexual abuse and sexual trauma of males and females. I offer both individual and group therapy along with a variety of different approaches. I CAN HELP!

Some persons are concerned that couples counseling or psychotherapy may challenge their faith and they want to work with someone who supports, understands and even shares the importance of faith. Dr. Brainerd also holds a Masters degree in Christian Theology along with his doctorate in Clinical Psychology and not only values faith but can also help with persons who have found that sometime in their life, religion has hurt them.

I am a Catholic Christian, active in my church. When clients request it, I enjoy working from a spiritual perspective. Many Christian clients want a therapist with similar values. Some want a therapist who will pray with them during a session, which I do when requested. Others have been hurt by their church or by organized religion at some time, and want a safe place to explore those feelings with a therapist who is not hostile or apathetic about issues of faith. For all of these situations, and more, it can be very valuable to work with a therapist whose faith is an integral part of who they are. That is certainly true for me.

My specialty is working with couples who seek help for their marriage from a Christian perspective. Over the last fifteen years in private practice, I've found that those couples who are willing and able to apply biblical principles to their marriage are the most successful in terms of resolving the struggles that initially bring them into my office. Of course, everyone is different and I do my best to provide a supportive and effective therapy experience, regardless of a client's faith.