I’ve been on both sides of the therapist’s couch. While in my twenties, I experienced serious mental illness for a decade. When I lost my brother, I turned to God and the church to try to make sense of my life and my brother’s death. My experiences within the church environment as a mentally ill young woman eventually caused me to become a psychotherapist myself. The church both helped me and almost killed me. I wanted to be there for those who came after me, both those who already followed Jesus and those who didn’t. After all, I thought, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). I earned my degrees and eventually built a private practice where everyone was welcome. But before I was able to do that, I had to increase my own mental health. I believe this took much longer than it needed to, due to the way the church I attended thought of mental illness.
In many ways, the first church I attended as a new Christian was a perfect fit for me. I needed to see healthy families modeled in ways I could imitate. I needed the unconditional love I received from the members of that small congregation. Learning about Jesus and His love changed my life forever. But when I needed help for my increasingly worsening mental health issues, I got pushback.
At that time, in the mid-1970s, the belief in that particular charismatic denomination was that mental illness was a spiritual problem that could be resolved through prayer, the laying on of hands, or even the casting out of demons. I was warned against seeking help from professionals or taking medication. These would have been considered sins or a lack of faith. I was encouraged to give my “testimony” of God’s healing as often as possible, even though I was not getting better, and, in many ways, continued to deteriorate. “Name it, claim it” was the trend in charismatic churches, and one verse in the book of Proverbs, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue,” was taught to mean that we are to say what we want to be true as a way to make it happen in our lives.
Everything was new to me, and if anyone needed certainty about life, faith, and God, I did, so even though I wondered why none of this magically healed me of mental illness, I blamed myself as I suffered. It was my lack of faith, or my inability to please God, or past sin in my family line that caused my pain. For many years, this is what I believed, and I continued to suffer from my anxiety and major depression.
A decade later, in 1985, I attended a church in another city of the same denomination. This church had two counselors on staff. There was an underlying implication that these two counselors heard from God about their “clients,” and that we needed to listen to what they told us about ourselves and hold them up as authority figures. By this time, I was significantly better, although I still dealt with some of the symptoms.
One day, sitting across from both of them in the office, I was given a diagnosis by these two untrained counselors who were earning five dollars an hour for their counseling services.
“You have multiple personality disorder, Linda,” they said. “We will be praying for you.”
As I left the office and walked back to my car, I thought, If I actually believed them and thought I had multiple personality disorder,1 I would probably drive myself crazy trying to figure out which personality was acting out on any given day. I knew that what they had told me was not only untrue, it was also dangerous. They had the authority of the church behind what they were telling people. I never went back to seek their counsel.
It is now 2026. Has the church improved its knowledge regarding mental health? Has it become a place of healing as the need for services has increased over time? Or are the stigma and unhelpful belief systems still causing more harm than good?
I have personally seen improvements. As a licensed therapist, I’ve been the recipient of referrals from local churches in my town. In the spiritual spaces I’ve been a part of, I’ve seen increased openness, curiosity, and a desire to help. But I’ve also read the research and know that attitudes within the church towards mental illness are mixed.
There is definitely a move forward, as many churches have begun to acknowledge that people suffering from mental illness need a specialized type of care. Churches have moved toward helping members of their congregations find professional help outside of the church once they understand the need for services they aren’t trained to offer.
On the other hand, stigma does persist, and in churches where any illness, mental or physical, is spiritualized as sin or some type of failure, people may suffer further emotional harm.
Attending church may provide positive benefits beyond incorporating a counseling ministry. Studies show that church attendance can reduce depressive symptoms, and support from church friends may act as a buffer against some of the symptoms of mental illness.
There are several things a church can do to increase its benefit to those suffering from mental illness. They can stop overspiritualizing mental illness by calling it sin, a lack of faith, or demonic activity and educate their congregations so that those suffering are less likely to be stigmatized.
They can refer members to professional licensed therapists who understand when medication is warranted. They can train staff to recognize signs and symptoms so they may know when pastoral counseling is not enough.
If you are struggling with mental health issues, first, know that God cares about you and wants you well. Secondly, it is vitally important that you are supported by those who understand your personal needs for professional help, as well as medication management if needed. Not all churches understand these issues. Being on both sides of the couch has helped me to see that the subject of faith and mental health isn’t a one-size-fits-all proposition. Some denominations have progressed, and some have not. We will need to be our own advocates and get any help we may need, whether inside the church walls or without.
Linda Hoenigsberg is a writer who focuses her Substack, Another Think Coming, on matters of Christianity and deconstruction while retaining faith in Jesus. She also writes about mental health and recovery. She spent half of her life in Los Angeles and has now spent most of the other half in rural Montana.
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The New Evangelicals is a digital-first 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to creating a better path forward at the intersection of faith, politics, and culture. Through educational resources and inclusive community spaces, we empower people to reject Christian Nationalism and boldly advocate for their neighbors while holding onto a faith rooted in the way of Jesus: with love, justice, and compassion for all.
Now known as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).
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