In this blog, I would like to share why seeking counseling can be a powerful step toward healing for those struggling with anxiety. Drawing on my experience with both in-person and online counseling, I will address common hesitations—such as fear of judgment, cost, or concerns about faith—and explain how counseling offers tools, accountability, and encouragement. You’ll also discover how faith and counseling can work hand in hand to bring hope and peace.
Today, we’re going to talk about why seeing a counselor can help with your anxiety. I want to share first of all that I have personally benefited from counseling. In fact, I have been seeing a new counselor for several months now. I know that a few weeks ago, when we relaunched the podcast, I had my friend Deanna Woods on. She has a counseling practice in my local area here in Mississippi. However, because of my insurance, I was able to get a telehealth professional counselor, and I actually do my counseling sessions through Zoom.
Hesitations
We’re going to talk about why counseling can be such an important step when dealing with anxiety and how it can work hand in hand with our faith. I know that many individuals are hesitant about counseling for different reasons.
One reason might be that you think to yourself, “I should be able to pray my way through this.” I have mistakenly thought that myself in the past. I have received or been through counseling on and off for many years, especially when there are times that I can’t seem to find my way out of a particular anxiety-ridden situation. In order to do that, I have found a counselor who has been the perfect person for that.
Another common hesitation that can sometimes prevent someone from looking into counseling is the fear of being judged as weak or lacking faith. The truth is, many times people won’t even realize unless you tell them that you’re going to a counselor. A counselor has legal reasons to keep your information private. Remember, it’s not something that you have to share with others unless you choose to.
That goes into the third hesitation, which is worry about what others in your church or your family might think. Now, you’re probably going to tell your family, but personally, I haven’t gone around telling my church family about my counseling. You will, however, probably tell your family, especially if you’re married, your husband, or your wife; outside of that relationship, it’s not something you have to share, as I said, unless you choose to. These are some of the practical hesitations. The biggest hesitation for me was the lack of time, the lack of money, or worrying about finding the right counselor.
God Works The Details Out
Because I chose to do an online service, I was afraid that I might not get someone who understood my faith because this service was not solely faith-based. For me, my anxiety and my faith go hand in hand. I believe that God works out the details in those situations because even though she is not marketed as a faith-based counselor or Christian counselor, she does understand my faith, and it has been a good fit for me.
I want to reassure you that counseling is not a lack of faith. It’s a source or a resource that God can provide. Please look into the different options that you have for obtaining counseling, because they could be provided by your insurance. You might be able to find something locally for a low cost or on a sliding scale fee. One of the times in the past that I sought out counseling, I was able to get counseling for a lesser cost than what it might normally cost by doing this. Definitely look into your options.
How Counseling Can Help
I want to share with you five ways counseling can help you. Counseling does many things.
First of all, counseling provides a safe and confidential space to process your thoughts.
As I shared with you, I will go many times because I’m in a situation in which I don’t know what else to do in that situation. Because of that, my anxiety is high. By seeing my counselor, I’m able to talk with someone who is removed from my situation, and I have been able to process my thoughts, feelings, and anxiety. Therefore, it has helped me to move forward. This is why I encourage you to do counseling, because it is a safe space.
Secondly, it helps you identify triggers and patterns in your anxiety.
I have suffered from anxiety since I was eight years old; it has been a large portion of my life because I’m in my forties. Since I have suffered from anxiety and dealt with anxiety for many years, I have learned my triggers and patterns. I highly recommend that you do this. It’s almost like if you have an addiction; for example, when you’re trying to overcome that addiction, you tend to stay away from whatever the addiction is. You don’t go around those things as often. And so with anxiety, you don’t want to put yourself in situations that will cause your anxiety to be triggered. learning those triggers through counseling is beneficial to you.
Thirdly, it offers tools and techniques.
If you listened to the podcast with Deanna, the counselor, she talked about some different techniques that you could use. She talked about grounding. She also talked about breathing and reframing your thoughts. Those are just a few of the many examples of techniques you can learn from your counselor. They will walk you through some of these techniques and tools that you can use to help you with your anxiety. I have experienced these tools and techniques, and they have been beneficial to me in the past.
Fourth, it gives you someone to walk alongside you who offers you accountability and encouragement.
Many times, we tend to put off or procrastinate dealing with our emotions because we don’t know how to deal with them, or we get overwhelmed. Because of this, having someone to encourage you and to hold you accountable—that “Hey, let’s try something different”—helps to overcome the anxiety that you have. That’s what a counselor can do.
Finally, number five, it normalizes the struggle and reduces isolation. It can help you to feel like you’re not alone.
You have someone on your side who you can talk to because, in many cases, maybe you can’t talk to your family members, or you can’t talk to your friends about what you’re dealing with because they don’t understand. Counseling gives you a person who does and has the tools and techniques to help you to overcome.
So I want to also talk about one of the reasons that people are hesitant. Often, they believe they are not leaning into their faith enough. Or that they might not be praying enough.
I want to tell you how these two things can work together. Counseling doesn’t replace prayer or scripture. It complements it. God gives us the provision of counselors to help us. Even the Bible talks about it in Proverbs 11:14, “where there is no guidance, the people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” It is wise to seek help. It is using wisdom, not weakness, when you seek help.
When to Seek Counseling
Now, here are some examples of when you should choose to seek counseling.
- When anxiety interferes with your daily life, your work, your relationships, or your sleep.
- When anxiety attacks are frequent or overwhelming.
- When you’ve tried self-help tools, but you still feel stuck.
- When you’re carrying constant guilt, fear, or hopelessness.
Remember, you don’t have to do this alone. Take some practical first steps. Pray for guidance in choosing a counselor and ask for referrals. You can even look at directories such as Psychology Today that Deanna mentioned last week. I want to encourage you to take that first step that is brave and that is faith-filled.
Let Us Pray
I pray that this encouraged your heart and reminded you that you don’t have to face anxiety alone. God is with you, and peace is possible through Him.
If today’s episode blessed you, would you do me a quick favor? Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a new episode and share it with a friend who might need some encouragement, too. And don’t forget, you can grab your free resource, 5 Days of Peace, a scripture and prayer guide for anxiety.
It’s a simple way to invite God’s peace into your everyday life. Until next time, remember this: you are not alone, you are deeply loved, and you can find peace one step at a time through faith.