As a therapist with over 20 years of experience and a deep commitment to my faith, I’ve seen firsthand how complex it is to navigate the intersection of faith and therapy. I’m also aware that I’m doing both while being a citizen in the United States.Throughout my career, I’ve worked to find the balance between these worlds—honoring both my role as a therapist, my understanding of our culture, and my spiritual beliefs.

The Struggle of Individualism vs. Connection

In the West, independence is prized. We’re taught to handle things on our own. But the cost? Loneliness. More than ever, we’re isolated from each other.

Western therapy often emphasizes independence—setting boundaries, cutting people off, focusing on self-care. But rarely does it teach us how to stay in relationships, how to repair broken trust, or how to rebuild after pain.

On the other hand, the church often emphasizes submission and forgiveness at all costs. While forgiveness is vital, it can be misused to overlook harm or ignore boundaries.

Therapy & Faith: Over-Correction in Both Worlds

What we’re left with is therapy that focuses too much on boundaries and not enough on repair, and a church that focuses too much on forgiveness and not enough on boundaries.

Therapy teaches us how to leave relationships, but rarely how to fix what’s broken. The church urges us to forgive, but sometimes forgets to teach us how to protect ourselves. While these might be overstatements and not leave enough room for all of the nuances, there is still a case here to reasonably consider.