Why Christian Therapists Need More Than Just Integration

Post # 1 - Soul Change Model Series

"The gospel is not just a message of sin and forgiveness—it’s a message of restoration and transformation." - The Soul Change Model

Many Christian therapists have learned to walk a tightrope.

On one side: the rich theological truths of Scripture, spiritual formation, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. On the other: the clinical sophistication of modern psychology, filled with evidence-based techniques, diagnostic clarity, and structured treatment models.

The solution, for many, has been integration—a valuable and sincere attempt to bring these two worlds together. In counseling programs, churches, and clinical spaces, integration has served as a bridge between faith and mental health, often framed as a way to “hold both” with respect and care.

But over time, integration—at least in its most common forms—can begin to feel like patchwork.

You pray before a session, then shift into a structured CBT protocol. You quote Scripture at the end of a trauma narrative, hoping it will help reframe the pain. You try to bring faith in during assessment, but struggle to know where theology belongs when treating depression, addiction, or anxiety.

In moments like this, many Christian counselors quietly wonder: Is this really integration? Or am I just alternating between two separate languages—one spiritual and one clinical?

The Ache for Something Deeper

Larry Crabb (1997) once described the modern counseling movement as “a community of people who have settled for helping others feel better instead of helping them be better” (p. 30). His words expose the tension many faith-based therapists carry—wanting more for their clients than symptom relief, but unsure how to move deeper without sacrificing professional integrity or clinical clarity.

Mark McMinn (1996), a pioneer in the field of integration, warned that Christian counselors risk superficiality when faith becomes an afterthought instead of the foundation. “We must take seriously the spiritual and theological dimensions of counseling—not just for our clients’ sake, but for the integrity of our work” (p. 14).

Similarly, Tan (2011) urges clinicians not only to draw on psychological research but to rely on the active presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. He defines Christian counseling as “Spirit-led and biblically grounded, using psychological insights as instruments in the hands of God” (p. 30).

And Diane Langberg (2015) reminds us: “We must never treat people in ways that contradict the gospel we proclaim” (p. 93). For her, trauma care is not just about restoring functioning—it’s about reflecting Christ.

These voices echo a similar yearning: We need a model of care that goes beyond integration as a patchwork and moves toward formation.

From Patchwork to Wholeness

The Soul Change Model was born out of this very ache.

Instead of beginning with psychology and then adding spiritual elements, Soul Change begins with a theological vision of what it means to be human, and then brings clinical tools into alignment with that vision.

It asks different questions:

• What if the primary goal of counseling is not just symptom relief, but spiritual formation?

  
  

• What if change is not simply cognitive, but relational, embodied, and spiritual?

  
  

• What if healing happens best when we invite the Holy Spirit to lead the work, rather than relying only on technique or insight?

This shift doesn’t mean abandoning evidence-based care. On the contrary, it means recontextualizing clinical methods inside a larger redemptive story. CBT, EMDR, DBT, and other modalities remain useful—but they are no longer the engine of change. The Holy Spirit is.

As Christian psychologists like Eric Johnson (2010) have argued, a Christian view of the person should shape every element of care, from diagnosis to treatment planning to discharge. Otherwise, we risk offering “value-neutral” therapy that unintentionally reflects secular assumptions about identity, purpose, and wholeness.

Clients Are Longing for More

This shift isn't just theoretical. It’s deeply personal—because it touches what our clients are truly seeking.

Most clients don’t come into therapy looking for theology. They’re in pain. They want relief.

But many also carry a silent question in their hearts:

Is healing really possible for someone like me? Can I be restored—not just functioning, but whole?

They may not use theological language. But they are asking spiritual questions. And they sense—consciously or not—when the answers they’re receiving are merely clinical. When faith is stitched onto secular models, clients can feel the tension. They may not be theologians, but they know the difference between being treated and being seen. They know when their pain is pathologized but not held. And they know when a counselor is working from a divided framework—even if it's well-meaning.

That’s why the Soul Change Model is not just for therapists—it’s for the people they serve.

Because therapy shaped by theology isn’t just more faithful. It’s more human.

More Than a Model—A Way of Being

The Soul Change Model is not just a list of techniques or a new set of tools. It’s a reorientation.

It invites Christian therapists to:

• Root their practice in a biblical view of identity, suffering, and transformation

  
  

• Attend to the client’s whole self—mind, body, emotions, relationships, and soul

  
  

• Discern the Spirit’s movement in session, and co-labor with Him rather than rely on methods alone

  
  

• See symptoms not only as problems to be solved, but as invitations into deeper healing and spiritual growth

It’s not a rejection of psychological wisdom. It’s a reordering.

Reflection

• Have you ever felt like you’re stitching together two different frameworks—your faith and your clinical work?

• What would it look like to practice therapy that flows from your theology, rather than trying to add theology on top?

References

Crabb, L. (1997). Connecting: Healing for ourselves and our relationships. Word Publishing. 

Johnson, E. L. (2010). Foundations for soul care: A Christian psychology proposal. IVP

Academic. 

Langberg, D. (2015). Suffering and the heart of God: How trauma destroys and Christ

restores. New Growth Press. 

McMinn, M. R. (1996). Psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian counseling. Tyndale

House. 

Tan, S.-Y. (2011). Counseling and psychotherapy: A Christian perspective. Baker Academic.