Christian counseling: bring your faith into your healing.

Faith and counseling in the same room.

For many people, faith is not a side topic. It shapes how they understand pain, hope, relationships, and who they are. Christian counseling makes room for that. It brings good counseling care and Christian faith into the same conversation, for people who want both.

That does not mean faith replaces practical help. Your therapist still listens closely, helps you understand what is happening, and works with you on real tools for real problems. The difference is that you do not have to leave your faith at the door, and your questions about God are welcome in the room. It also does not mean pressure or judgment.

Where faith and struggle meet.

People who ask for Christian counseling often carry questions alongside whatever brought them in:

• "If I trusted God more, would I still feel this anxious?"
• "Where is God in this loss?"
• "How do I forgive, and what does forgiveness not mean?"
• "Why do I feel so far from God right now?"
• "How do my spouse and I bring our faith into a hard season instead of fighting about it?"

Some people come in with a strong faith that feels shaken. Some feel hurt by a church or by people who used faith against them. Some are simply curious and want a therapist who will not dismiss that part of their life. All of these are welcome.

How we bring faith into the work.

We start by listening to your story, including your faith story if you want to share it. Then you and your therapist work out together how faith will be part of counseling.

Your therapist can bring prayer, Scripture, and questions of faith into the work, at a pace you choose. Alongside that, the work uses the same practical tools our therapists use every day. For example, we often look at how your thoughts, feelings, and actions connect, and that kind of work can sit comfortably beside what you believe.

We hold a few things together:

• Grace, not shame. Struggling is not proof that your faith has failed. Shame is not what moves people toward healing.
• Honesty. You can bring doubt, anger, and grief to the conversation without being corrected for having them.
• Practical care. Faith and good clinical tools work side by side, not against each other.

Christian counseling is available for individuals, couples, and families.

Gospel Centered Therapy (GCT) is an approach developed by Grant Stenzel, owner and clinical director of Stenzel Clinical Services. Learn more at gospelcenteredtherapy.com.

You can meet with us in Wheaton, Naperville, or Geneva, or online if you live in Illinois.

What people ask us about Christian counseling.

Do I have to be a Christian to come to Stenzel Clinical? No. We accept people regardless of religion.

Will my therapist preach at me? No. Your therapist follows your lead.

If you or someone you love is in danger, call 911.

How to ask for it when you call.

If you want a therapist who will work with Christian faith, just say so when you call 630.588.1201.

Want to work with a particular therapist? Browse our therapists, then let Marianne know who you’d like to see when you call.

How spiritual direction is different.

Spiritual direction is a separate offering. It is not therapy. You can read about it on its own page: spiritual direction.

What people bring to Christian counseling.

Faith can be part of the conversation, whatever brings you in. Some people ask for Christian counseling alongside help with anxiety, depression, marriage, or grief.