A Surprising Turn: Mental Health with Spiritual Health
by Tizita Seifu MA, LPCS, LPC
Hi I am Tizita, a Board licensed Therapist in private practice providing adult and child therapy specializing in mental wellness, anxiety, depression, career and workplace, Christian faith and spiritual health, culture, and parent-child relationships.
COUNSELING BLESSING
My journey to becoming a professional counselor took a surprising turn and I am so thankful it did.
When I started my training to become a Therapist, I began in a graduate counseling program that included studies in clinical counseling, Bible and theology. I had no intention to finish my graduate studies in that program or that school but it was the fastest way to get started.
My intention was to begin my studies as quickly as possible, because I was eager to get going once I realized my next step was to become a Therapist. I quickly began with one graduate counseling program so I could make the most of the time, while researching which counseling program I would transfer to and complete my counseling degree.
As I continued to research where I would transfer to and complete a degree in counseling, I continued my studies but resented the fact that this counseling degree would take twice as long; the added length of time for Bible and theology classes seemed very unnecessary at the time, and gave me all the motivation to make the first counseling program only a starting place and only a temporary option.
CLINICAL COUNSELING AND BIBLE
As I narrowed down my search for alternate counseling programs, I also gained much greater exposure to the topics of professional counseling, Bible and theology, as I continued in the initial counseling program; this education and my exposure to integrating clinical counseling, Bible, and theology changed my mind and my heart. This experience shifted my understanding. It shifted my perspective. It expanded and deepened my hopes for the future.
While I was overwhelmed with the idea of my counseling training taking twice as long with the Bible and theology courses that were required in addition to the clinical counseling courses, it became clear that this education was what I needed for my personal growth, professional development, and to be prepared for my purpose.
While I continued to be overwhelmed at times because of the intensity and demands of the studies, I eventually not only realized that I needed to stay, I then chose to stay, and eventually I found I wanted to stay and develop my capacity to become a Therapist able to more holistically care for one’s mental health.
CLINICAL COUNSELING AND GOD
I grew to have a much deeper understanding, regard and respect for the tools of mental healthcare and the wisdom and resources of God. I grew to see how mental health affects spiritual health and how God and healthy spirituality can uniquely support and empower mental health.
As a Therapist trained in clinical counseling, Bible and theology, I now clearly see the added mental health benefits of professional counseling, healthy spirituality and healthy spiritual practices.
common benefits of mental health for spiritual health:
• Increased trust in God’s faithfulness vs being motivated by pressure that compels you to overextend yourself
• Increased rest in the confidence of who you are vs feeling compelled to prove yourself
• Increased freedom to believe God’s Word vs persisting in doubt about what God has revealed
