Can Faith-Based Therapy Help My Anxiety
Posted by Soribel Martínez, LCSW
Therapy is often the best way to treat anxiety. It can help you learn how to manage your symptoms, take control of your life again, and even discover the underlying cause(s) of your worries and fears.
But, with so many types of therapies, it can sometimes seem overwhelming to decide the right “fit” for you.
If you have a strong sense of faith and try to integrate it into all you do, faith-based therapy might be the best solution for your anxiety. While it isn’t for everyone, if you already have a deeply rooted belief system, it can help you connect the reality of God to the realities of your life.
Let’s look at some benefits of faith-based therapy, and how it can help your anxiety.
Starting With a Firm Foundation
Those with a strong sense of spirituality have already built their foundation on their faith. Some people shy away from therapy because they don’t know what to expect, or they’re worried about the environment.
With faith-based therapy, you can find instant comfort and peace in the foundation of your sessions. You’ll know it’s a safe space without judgment, and you will likely have an easier time fostering a connection with your therapist when you know they believe the same things you do.
That kind of foundation is crucial for allowing you to open up, be vulnerable, and dive into the more difficult parts of your anxiety.
A Holistic Approach
Faith-based therapy tends to take a holistic approach that focuses on how you can better understand yourself and your connection with God. It brings in aspects of emotional, mental, relational, and spiritual care to help you realize who you truly are.
This approach often fights back against what your anxious thoughts might be telling you. Anxiety typically comes with a lot of negative self-talk. When you start to believe it, it’s easy to feel abandoned by God or a higher power.
Faith-based therapy can help you foster that connection again. Once you have a stronger sense of self, it’s easier to ignore those negative thoughts and worries, and not let them control you.
Combining Faith and Function
Faith-based therapy is still therapy. It still uses many of the different techniques you’ll find in standard therapeutic sessions for anxiety. That includes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques.
CBT is designed to address your negative thinking patterns and challenge them, so you can eventually change your thoughts and behaviors. It’s one of the most popular solutions for people struggling with anxiety.
When combined with a faith-based approach, you can use your existing spirituality as a way to challenge your negative thoughts. You know your fears aren’t stemming from a higher being. So, how can you change that? Who does God say you are?
With the strength of your faith at the core of your treatment, different therapy techniques can be even more powerful and prominent. You might have an easier time changing your thought patterns when you know the foundation is already there, even if you’ve had a hard time seeing it, lately.
If you’re struggling with anxiety, you don’t have to go through it alone.
You may already have the tools needed to fight back against it by leaning on your faith. Sometimes, all it takes is a different perspective and encouragement to incorporate your faith into your treatment.
There is no “magic fix”, and it’s unlikely that your anxiety will completely turn off after one therapy session. But, when you approach therapy from a faith-based standpoint, you’ll have an easier time challenging your fears. You already know who is in charge.
If you want to learn more about faith-based therapy or want to set up an appointment, feel free to contact me.
