CCC 28-2_LR

CLINICAL PRACTICE

When missio Dei shapes our destination, we under stand that healing is not a private escape—it is part of par ticipating in God’s redemptive mission on earth. The goal is not simply to feel better but to be reformed into Christ likeness for the sake of others. Christian psychology, then, is not a reaction to secular models—it is a return to God’s original vision for soul care: transformation through truth, grace, and community. This is not symptom management. It is soul alignment. It is not just coping—it is becoming. Christian psychology calls us to walk with people, not around their pain but through it, toward the kind of lasting change that reflects the heart and character of Jesus. We are not just helping people survive—we are help ing them remember who they are and whose they are. We are helping them grow anyway, even in the face of deep pain. The abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10) is not a pain-free existence; it is a life full of purpose, presence, and perseverance. Christian soul care, when grounded in theology and guided by compassion, becomes a sacred act of worship. It teaches people to feel fully, love deeply, and live truthfully—not as self-help, but as a response to being made new in Christ. So here is your permission: You can love Jesus and seek help. You can read the Bible and learn from Adler. You can trust the Holy Spirit and use practical tools to help your body and mind heal. It is not either/or… it is both/and. Healing is holy, and psychology can help… and God’s glory is at the center of it all. ; Amy Oberg, Ph.D., is a Cognitive

c us—we are called, chosen, and invited into something bigger by following Jesus. Christian psychology does not treat emotions or mental health like side issues. It sees them as part of the process of sanctification. Healing is not the opposite of holiness—it is often the path toward it. Larry Crabb, in Finding God , wrote that many people come to counseling looking for relief when what they really need is redemption (1993). It strikes me as obvious that God came to redeem, but coun seling offers a perspective on how God desires to restore humanity with heaven in mind. We are not just trying to feel better—we are trying to be formed into Christ’s like ness. 3. Healing is an Act of Worship. We are made to glorify God with our lives—not just through our words or our ministry, but through how we live in our bodies and relationships. That means how we manage stress, how we care for our health, how we regulate emotional states, how we treat others, and how we handle our stories all matter deeply. The Bible says our bodies are “temples of the Holy Spir it” (1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV). That includes our brains, ner vous systems, sleep cycles, and trauma responses. When we understand those parts of ourselves through psycholo gy, we can steward them well. That is not unspiritual—that is worship. Jesus healed bodies, calmed minds, and restored relationships. He did not separate the spiritual from the emotional or physical. He saw people as whole. Chris tian psychology follows that same model. We do not just want people to pray more—we want them to heal deeply. Healing is not always fast or flashy. Sometimes it looks like sitting in grief, telling the truth, setting healthy boundaries, learning new concepts, gaining perspective, growing in maturity, releasing justice to God through forgiveness, and letting God meet us wherever we are. Sometimes it means unlearning what protected us in one season but is now holding us back. Crabb reminds us that healing does not always mean the pain goes away—but it does mean the pain finds purpose. Conclusion: Don’t Be Afraid to Look Deeper Christians do not need to be afraid of psychology. We need to be thoughtful, discerning, and grounded in Scripture— but we also need to be willing to look beneath the surface. Psychology is not about replacing God. It is about helping see more clearly how God has made us—and how He might be working in our lives. Christian psychology is not about adding a Bible verse to a therapy session. It is about reimagining what care, formation, and healing look like when Christ is not a sup plement but the starting point. When we begin with the imago Dei , we recognize that every person carries inherent value, divine design, and untapped potential. We are not just helping broken people function—we are honoring sa cred image-bearers whose wholeness reflects God’s glory.

Psychologist, Board-Certified Christian Counselor, and founder of the mental health center, Hope and Health Hub, where she helps people grow, heal, and thrive. Known for her down-to-earth wisdom and deep faith, Amy equips others to sow and grow sanity , stability , and sacredness in the midst of real-life struggles. Dr. AO has five published books and two published therapeutic exercises. For more information, visit AmyOberg.com.

References Adler, A. (1931). What life should mean to you (A. Porter, Trans.). Little, Brown and Company. (Original work published in 1930). Baik, C.H., & Kim, S. (2024). Missio Dei . In: B.N. Wolfe et al., eds. St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology. University of St Andrews. Available at: https:// www.saet.ac.uk/Christianity/MissioDei (accessed 10 June 2025). Cloud, H. (1992). Changes that heal: Four practical steps to a happier, healthier you . Zondervan. Cloud, H., & Townsend, J. (2001). How people grow: What the Bible reveals about personal growth . Zondervan. Crabb, L. (1993). Finding God . Zondervan. New International Version®, NIV® Holy Bible. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®

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