At first glance, those two things might sound pretty similar, right? But there's actually a big difference — and understanding it can really help you make the best decision for your emotional, mental, and spiritual care.

Let’s break it down.

JOIN ME in the Private Facebook Group for the Faith and Soul Care Retreat Teachings -->

Online Faith and Soul Care Facebook Retreat Group

or https://www.facebook.com/groups/ministrymall

SESSION SCHEDULE and Optional Upgrades:

Retreat Session Schedule, Free Registration and Cohort Optional Upgrades

or https://sherryelaine.com/cohorts

All Books by Sherry Elaine:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sherry-Elaine-Evans/author/B0073HVSD6

Christian counseling isn’t just therapy with a few Bible verses sprinkled in. It’s counseling that is rooted in Scripture, guided by a Christian, biblical worldview, and intentionally integrates prayer, spiritual formation practices, and the truths of God’s Word into the healing process.

In Christian counseling, we absolutely use research-based strategies — like cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, and mindfulness techniques — but we pair them with soul-deep truths. And Christian counseling itself is a subset of professional counseling that has it’s own research journals sharing evidence-based practices. Two of these are the Journal of Psychology and Christianity and the Marriage and Family Journal. Both of those are peer reviewed bodies of research that focus on the integration of Christian life principles with evidenced based mental health and counseling strategies. So the difference is that – in full Christian Counseling - the work isn’t just about behavior or mindset change... it’s also about spiritual transformation.