This summer, I had the opportunity to present a workshop at the American Baptist Churches USA Biennial Summit, exploring how faith and therapy can work together to help children and families thrive. While faith and therapy are often seen as separate paths, they can, in fact, complement one another beautifully. When thoughtfully integrated, they nurture emotional, relational, and spiritual growth in children and families.
Here are practical ways that faith and therapy can intersect—offering children tools to manage emotions, strengthen relationships and grow in hope and resilience.
When children face fear or worry, therapy can help them recall times when they have been brave and remember how God’s presence or guidance gave them strength. Reflecting on those moments builds confidence and trust that God will continue to be with them through future challenges. A key therapeutic approach, cognitive reframing, teaches children to recognize and challenge unhelpful thoughts, replacing them with ones that are more true, hopeful, and life-giving. Adding faith-based affirmations—such as reminders of God’s love and protection—helps children feel grounded and secure, even in difficult moments.
One helpful concept in therapy is the “Circle of Control,” which encourages children to focus on what they can manage and release what they cannot. This practice aligns beautifully with trusting God’s care and wisdom—doing one’s part while letting go of the rest.This balance teaches responsibility and surrender, both of which are essential for peace of mind. Children learn that while they cannot control every situation, they can always turn to God for comfort, strength and guidance.
Every child makes mistakes or struggles at times. Therapy offers a safe place to learn that God’s grace is greater than any failure. Exploring forgiveness—both giving and receiving—helps children experience compassion, self-kindness, and emotional healing. When children learn to view themselves and others through a lens of grace, they grow in empathy and resilience. This understanding of God’s unconditional love becomes a foundation for healthy relationships and inner peace.
Faith-based calming tools can be deeply grounding for children. Blending spiritual and physical techniques helps children find calm, reconnect with God and cultivate inner stillness amid life’s busyness. Some approaches that may be explored include:
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from challenges with hope and courage. Therapy helps children develop coping strategies and confidence in their ability to handle difficulties. When faith is part of that process, it adds an extra layer of strength—reminding children that God is always present and that their lives have purpose, even in hardship. In today’s world, many children also struggle with body image and social media pressures. Therapy can help shift their focus toward what their bodies can do rather than how they look, while faith reinforces that their worth is not based on appearance but on who they are as God’s creation. This holistic view nurtures confidence, gratitude and self-respect.
Supportive relationships are one of the strongest protections for mental health. Sharing thoughts and feelings with others helps reduce stress and strengthen belonging. Faith communities can offer children a meaningful “third space”—beyond home and school—where they can build friendships, find mentors, and experience God’s love through community. These connections remind children that they are not alone and that God often provides support and encouragement through others.
At Marana Counseling Services, families are invited to integrate their faith into the therapeutic process if they choose. Whether through practices like prayer, mindful reflection, or open conversations about faith, therapy can honor both emotional and spiritual needs. Healing happens most deeply when faith and therapy work hand in hand—nurturing not just the mind, but also the heart and spirit of every child.
Marana Counseling Services, based in Marana, Arizona, provides virtual therapy services to families across Arizona, Michigan, Florida, Ohio, South Carolina, Montana, Utah, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and Delaware.
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