Let's Normalize Counseling

This morning I came across a Blog Post that started with: "Dear Church, we need to talk about Mental Health.. and the eye catching quote on the picture was: "It is ok to have Jesus and a therapist too." The words below were my ramblings that I thought no one would actually read, but amazingly it got a big response and I believe it is because people crave vulnerability, openness and authenticity. I get afraid to be vulnerable like the next person and wonder when and what is right to share, but I really felt prompted to say what I said below. Here is my story (in part, trust me this is just the tip of my iceberg!), coming from an aspiring Mental Health Therapist that is a Christian:

My parents took me to a Counselor as a teenager for the first time when we couldn’t get along about my curfew, not a “huge” issue, but it was my world at the time and hard for my dad to let me out past ten when my friends were out much longer. They got Logan and I the present of a certain amount of pre-marital, marital, and post partum Counseling sessions. (best gift to give a couple!!!) Logan and I get couple check ups, like dentist or doctor’s appointments, because it’s a normal part of our relationship rhythm. People talk about my large extended family and how close, “strong” and loving we are- we openly get help, it was and is a normal part of life. I believe this is a large reason people can say that about us. My paternal grandmother was a doctorate level therapist! We are Christians that go to Counseling and encourage others to do the same.

I have heard the joke “do you ever stop smiling?” And the answer is a resounding “YES!” Faith, optimism and strong support are in the fabric of who I am, and yet I’ve still struggled with mental health periodically and I am thankful so I can understand. I had post partum Psychosis on a smaller scale level, NOT the same as post partum depression and it’s very scary, overwhelming and real. I got it after a traumatic pregnancy with intense illness that ended in a traumatic birth. I have had thyroid disease that affects my mental health as one of the symptoms when my numbers are off. I know to go in to get my thyroid meds adjusted due to my mental state, now I can spot it from a mile away and go in that day. I feel like I’m on top of a building looking over the side with a jolt of fear in my chest doing normal activities. As soon as I get leveled thyroid hormone, it’s gone. I’ve struggled through PTSD as well and gone desperately to try to be able to sleep again, stop emotion based itching, reoccurring shingles and normalize my heart rate. I felt at peace with God, in right relationship, and even happy, but my body system was struggling to catch up. I believe in healing, I pursue Christ daily, and going to Counseling is a part of how God has worked miracles in my life. I am a walking testimony of healing, that’s why I CAN smile so much!

What’s my “issue” now that has me in Counseling? My professor said to become the best Counselor you can be, go yourself! My school even subsidizes it partially, because of their Christian conviction of the benefit. And let me tell you, the issue of being human around a lot of other humans is enough to have a need to go. I have a ministry background and felt called to become a Counselor, so though I have a LOT to learn, the more I learn, the more I realize the need. I remember hearing a story in undergrad of the large percentage of pastors that had committed an inappropriate type of communication or act with a student or member within the first FIVE years. We hear stories of people that were looked up to in ministry and how they fell so far, but what if they had help when the first thought occurred and never got to the action? But, needing help is shamed, YET the outcomes keep happening.

I think that in the future therapists will be a vital part of people’s health team, because of the Scientific proof of how trauma and emotions directly correlate with illness. Not only that, they also affect people’s actions and relationships. Also, I think of how physical symptoms can create emotional symptoms. My lowest emotional point of my life was during Hyperemesis graviderum first twenty weeks of pregnancy. I went to some dark places during that time, and I am the queen of sunshine! Insurance is doing a better job helping to make therapy more affordable. If you get discouraged and don’t like your therapist, try another. If it feels wrong, maybe it is wrong, there will be someone who is right! The more we normalize it, the more available it will become...I could go on...and I think I probably WILL go on in a bigger way thanks to all of you! 
My grandmother reminded me of the verse: “in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14