The body, mind, and soul are all considered in effective counseling. The counseling industry has been reluctant to embrace the importance of addressing religious and spiritual difficulties. Presently, there is a lot of interest in applying spirituality to therapy and diagnosis. This interest is demonstrated by the numerous books and articles on using spiritual and religious principles in counseling. Counselors question clients about every facet of their lives that comes to mind, but they usually fail to inquire about the importance of spirituality and religion in a person’s life. Clients may believe that these subjects are unrelated to their treatment if a counselor does not mention how spirituality influences clients. Several important professional organizations are starting to recognize the importance of spiritual issues in counseling practice. Religious and spiritual themes are therapeutically significant, morally acceptable, and possibly essential topics for counseling in secular environments (Corey). Counselors need to be equipped to handle concerns relating to the human spirit that their clients may have. While often contributing to the client’s problems, religion, and spirituality can also help the client find solutions. Because spiritual values can significantly impact a person’s life, they should be seen as a possible resource in therapy rather than something to be disregarded.
Men and women who have been diagnosed with mental problems are frequently taught that they need to confess their sins and engage in more prayer. Mental illness is compared to demonic possession, weak faith, and hereditary sin. Matthew S. Stanford has witnessed far too many mentally ill sisters and brothers being injured by well-intentioned Christians who respond to them fearfully or inaccurately rather than in a manner that demonstrates mercy (Stanford, 2017). In his book Grace for the Afflicted, Stanford aims to inform Christians about mental illness from a scientific and biblical standpoint. He explores the proper place of psychiatry and psychology in the believer’s life while providing insights into our spiritual and physical nature. Stanford explores the scientific and biblical perspectives on several prevalent mental illnesses. He gives understanding and guidance to those with mental diseases, their families, and their churches in line with DSM-5 diagnosis. The church must deal with mental illness as a severe issue by speaking the truth in love. Stanford offers a valuable resource for Christians who desire to comprehend mental illness better and learn how to support others who experience it gently.
Mental illness is likened to fragile faith, demonic possession, and genetic sin. The root of this stain on the church is ignorance, both of fundamental cognitive processes and biblical truth. The experience of having a mental illness can be terrifying for both the person experiencing it and those who see the person dealing with bizarre thoughts and behaviors (Ratcliff, Wichern, Meier, & Minirth, 2010). He provides an explanation of conventional theory as well as a comprehensive Christian understanding of counseling, self-concept, memory, and cognition. One in four adults in the United States, eighteen years of age and older, are thought to experience a diagnosable mental condition each year. I concur with Stanford that the church’s lack of knowledge of mental illness results from spiritual ignorance and fear, given the seriousness of the condition. There has always been tension between religion and science. A dangerous and destructive confrontation between religion and psychiatry or psychology is ongoing in churches worldwide. And people’s lives are being lost. Men and women with mental problems should increase their prayer time and repent of their sins.
Giving persons with mental illness a holistic approach is crucial for their care. We are a unity of three separate but interdependent parts: body, mind, and spirit, just as God operates within the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). The individual dealing with a mental illness requires a holistic approach to “treatment,” considering all three facets of their being. According to Stanford, “Treatments that concentrate primarily on a specific location (such as the body) can, at most, provide very limited alleviation. The person who is mentally sick requires medical care, psychological counseling, and spiritual direction. That is why receiving consolation, inspiration, and support from counselors is so crucial. Where else can they find the spiritual component so crucial to therapy? Research has revealed that counselors provide resources for psychologically troubled persons that are unavailable through broader social support. Recovering from psychiatric illness has been demonstrated to benefit significantly from counselor support. No one needs or wants you to be a psychiatrist or psychologist, which means you probably aren’t one. Resources that affect body, mind, and spirit are what you have to contribute if you follow Jesus Christ. Some people might find it challenging to pay for therapy sessions, which presents a barrier.
Remember that one way to enhance your mental health is to consume lots of fruits, vegetables, and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon. Particularly advantageous to the brain are vegetables with dark green leaves. Seeds, nuts, and legumes such as lentils and beans are other healthy foods for the brain. (Hossain, Shameem, Tanny, & Apou, 2023). Researchers have recently examined the close relationship between our brains and intestines to demonstrate further the proverb “You are what you eat.” The vagus nerve physically connects our gut and brain and allows communication between the two organs. The gut can influence emotional behavior in the brain, but the brain can also alter the types of bacteria that live there.
According to the American Psychological Association, gut bacteria create neurochemicals that the brain uses to regulate a range of bodily and mental processes, including mood. Serotonin, a substance that balances mood, is thought to be produced by 95% of the bacteria in the gut. Stress is thought to reduce healthy gut flora. Paying attention to how you feel after eating and what you eat is one of the first steps to ensure that your snacks and meals are well-balanced. Nutritionists recommend keeping a food journal because most don’t closely track our eating habits. Knowing what, where, and when you eat is a great way to determine your eating habits. If you tend to overeat while stressed, stop what you do when you want to eat and write down your thoughts. If you do this, you might discover what is upsetting you. If you tend to undereat, plan five or six smaller meals instead of three larger ones. Sometimes, depression and stress are too severe to bear on your own. Some individuals experience eating disorders. If a person struggles to regulate their eating habits, whether they consume too much food or not enough, their health may be in jeopardy.
Your brain and nervous system require proper nourishment to build new cells, proteins, and tissues. The right balance of minerals, proteins, and carbs is essential for your body to operate correctly as a counselor. I will advise them that instead of eating the same meals every day, they should eat snacks and meals that include diverse foods to ensure they obtain all the nutrients that boost mental performance. The difficulty with this is that some people may develop mental illness because they are allergic to certain foods or because their culture forbids them from eating particular foods.Attending to your spirit, man, is another approach to maintaining good mental health.
Stanford suggests that one of these methods is prayer. “Pray with and for individuals who are suffering from mental illnesses. Be there for them in front of the Lord. The power of prayer is incredible. It is a chance for direct physical contact with the omnipotent Deity. People who pray to a loving and benevolent God are less likely to experience anxiety-related disorders such as worry, self-consciousness, fear, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and social anxiety than those who pray but don’t expect protection from God or receive any comfort from him. I would lead my people in prayer by doing so as a counselor. In such situations, prayer offers emotional comfort and minimizes the signs of anxiety disorders. However, some people have developed avoidant or uneasy attachments to God. This indicates that people may not always think God is on their side. Prayer resembles an ill-fated effort to have a personal relationship with God. One of the difficulties I might have when integrating the idea of prayer is the possibility that experiencing rejection or having one’s prayers “unanswered” will trigger significant symptoms of anxiety-related diseases. I’ll also persuade them to recognize our inner salvation and physical and mental imperfections. Our mental health must be restored, and we must also be sanctified mentally. As Christians, we have progressed in ignorance regarding mental illnesses and the stigma surrounding us.
Conclusion
When tackling mental health, it’s crucial to look after your mind. The best method to maintain good mental health is through therapy. It has been shown that psychotherapy improves emotions and behaviors and is linked to beneficial changes in the brain and body. These benefits are accompanied by a decrease in sick days, a decline in disability claims, a decrease in health problems, and an increase in job satisfaction. Researchers have used brain imaging techniques to track changes in the brain following psychotherapy. Numerous studies have demonstrated that individuals with mental illnesses like PTSD, panic disorder, depression, and other ailments who receive psychotherapy have changes in their brains. Psychotherapy frequently results in brain changes similar to those caused by drugs. One thing we must comprehend about mental illness is that God is there in all our difficulties. God is frequently called Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” God is with us no matter what we do or where we go. That also applies to the pain and struggle we experience due to mental illness. God will never leave our side as we battle mental illness.
References
Corey, G. (n.d.). Integrating Spirituality in Counseling Practice.
Hossain, M. B., Shameem, M., Tanny, U., & Apou, A. (2023). THE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND LIFESTYLE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL. International Journal of Medical and Health Science. doi:10.53555/eijmhs.v9i2.156
Ratcliff, D. E., Wichern, F. B., Meier, P. D., & Minirth, F. B. (2010). Introduction to Psychology and Counseling: Christian Perspectives and Applications.
Stanford, M. S. (2017). Grace for the Afflicted: A Clinical and Biblical Perspective on Mental Illness.
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