What Is a Christian Therapist?
The Essential Requirement
The essential requirement to call yourself a Counselor or Therapist in most states is to possess a master’s degree, complete a great number of supervision hours depending on what type of license you are seeking to obtain, and pass a state licensing exam. I use the word essential instead of basic because there is nothing basic or easy about becoming a Licensed Therapist of any kind. It is a long and intensive process that takes years to achieve and even more years to cultivate. Each state’s requirement is different. There are different types of licenses. Some examples are Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Mental Health Counselors, Licensed Marriage and Family Counselors and the list goes on. For example, as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of North Carolina, it is required that you have a Master of Social Work Degree, after graduation gain at least 3000 hours of working in mental health under the supervision of a supervisor who has been fully licensed for at least two years. Within that, you must have at least 100 hours of direct supervision and pass a state licensing board exam. After that, it is required that you maintain your license by taking 40 hours of continuing education courses bi-annually. Again, each state is different and has its own requirements. As of to date, there is not any jurisdiction around what the requirements are to call yourself a Christian Counselor.
College Education
Another myth that I want to reveal here is that “I must attend a Christian University” to call myself a Christian Counselor. This is not true. Attending a Christian University or Seminary is beautiful, but the Christian experience and lifestyle start with you. I attended a Non-Christian University, but I also have taken a lot of bible courses, training, engaging in spiritual development, and spending time with God (reading the bible and praying) daily. Becoming a Christian Counselor was a calling from God for me. I have met some amazing Christian Counselors over the years who did not attend a Christian University or seminary, but they too are dedicated to investing in their spiritual and biblical development.
Being a Well-Rounded Christian Counselor
In my opinion, a Christian Counselor should be well-rounded and focus on the care of the whole person, body, soul, and spirit, and maintain the values taught in the bible. In addition to that having a relationship with Jesus Christ is so important. As a Christian Therapist myself, I always pray before and after a session in my private time. If a client asks me to pray, I have no problem with that. My past clients have often been very grateful and receptive to praying for them, but I do not force prayer on anyone. I am constantly asking the Holy Spirit for guidance because after all, God is the one who created us and He knows exactly what we need. Over the years, God has shown me time and time again what areas to target with a client to help them to make progress and to heal mentally. This is for another blog but please know that God would like for you to invite him into every session with your client. There is so much research about the Power of Prayer in Therapy. In the article, the Role of Prayer in Christian Counseling by Seattle Counseling they do a phenomenal job breaking down how a Christian Counselor should conduct themselves. In the words of Dr. Anita Phillips, prayer is a weapon and therapy is a strategy.
Finally, please be sure to invest in quality training. Having balance in the Therapy Room is so important. Not every issue is spiritual. I love PESI courses and I have engaged in a variety of their courses over the years. Their training are primarily secular but understanding how the brain and body work is so important when engaging in Holistic Care.
This is one of the many areas that we address in my Mentorship Program for Aspiring and Existing Christian Therapists. If you are an Aspiring (Master’s Level) or Existing Christian Therapist, be sure to download my free guide 10 Ways to Increase Your Impact as a Christian Therapist.
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