The second post in this current series about faith and mental health is a topic that has been on my heart for a while: Do we need both prayer and therapy? It’s a question that many people struggle with when they have mental health difficulties. Do we rely on prayer to heal us or is it okay to seek professional help? Can the two of them work together in unison?

This is a question that others I know have asked many times – and, so have I. If you truly trust God, why would you need therapy? Or, shouldn’t prayer be enough to heal you? If you’ve ever had a moment where you’ve felt conflicted about seeking therapy or counselling, you’re not alone. There’s often a sense of guilt or confusion about whether seeking professional help means you lack faith or that God’s healing power isn’t enough.

First, let me say this: prayer is powerful. It’s a beautiful way to connect with God, to process our emotions, and to ask for healing. But prayer, while vital in our spiritual lives, doesn’t necessarily replace the need for therapy. And that’s okay. It’s okay to seek professional help while also trusting in God. It’s not either/or – it’s both/and.

Think about it this way: we wouldn’t hesitate to go to a doctor for a physical illness, right? If we broke a bone, we wouldn’t just pray and hope it heals on its own – we’d seek out the help of a medical professional. So, why should mental health be any different? Mental health issues are not a lack of faith or something to be ashamed of. Just as our bodies can experience sickness, our minds can experience pain, too. And it’s okay to seek help for that.

Let’s pause for a moment and reflect on what the Bible says about caring for ourselves.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were brought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.”

This verse reminds us that we are entrusted with our whole selves – body, mind, and spirit – and it’s our responsibility to care for all aspects of ourselves. This includes our mental health. God doesn’t want us to neglect our minds or our emotional well-being.

So, what does it look like to blend prayer and therapy? Well, I think it starts with recognising that both are part of a holistic approach to healing. Prayer is a way we invite God into our struggles. It’s a place to find comfort, seek guidance, and receive peace. Therapy, on the other hand, is a way we partner with God by taking proactive steps to care for our mental health. It’s a place where we can gain tools and coping strategies, heal from past wounds, and understand ourselves better.

I’ve personally found that therapy and prayer work together – they don’t replace each other. For me, therapy has been a space where I can process difficult emotions and experiences in a structured, safe environment. And then, prayer has been the place where I find peace, where I process my feelings with God, and where I ask for strength to keep going.

A few years ago, I found a lovely private counsellor. I was struggling a lot with Anorexia at the time, and she specialised in eating disorders. From our first appointment, I knew that she was the right therapist for me. She was approachable, friendly and understanding and I felt like I could open up to her straight away. However, I knew that I couldn’t afford to see her for more than 15-20 sessions. So, I prayed. I prayed that God would provide, that it would work out and that I’d be in a financial position to see her for longer than 20 weeks. And the day after my second appointment, I got a letter saying that I had been awarded PIP (a benefit that can help toward the additional costs of living with a disability). This has now meant that I have been able to continue seeing my therapist for the last 4 years – therapy and prayer can work in conjunction with one another, and this is a prime example of that for me!

And here’s the thing: seeking therapy doesn’t mean you’re abandoning God. In fact, I believe that God uses therapy to help heal us in ways that prayer alone may not. God gave us the gift of wisdom and knowledge through professionals who are trained to help us navigate through mental health challenges. Just like God uses doctors, nurses, and medical professionals for our physical health, he can also use therapists, counsellors, and mental health professionals for our emotional and mental health.

I’ve also heard people say, “Well, if I go to therapy, I’m not trusting God enough.” But here’s what I think” trusting God IS part of seeking help. Trusting that God can work through therapy, that He can bring healing and transformation through the work of professionals, and trusting that He’s with us in the process of healing – whatever that might look like.

I also want to acknowledge that therapy can feel intimidating at first. It can be hard to know where to start, or what it will look like. But I want to encourage you to take the first step – whether it’s finding a counsellor or therapist, calling a helpline, or just talking to someone you trust about your struggles. You don’t have to walk through this alone.

Before I wrap this post up (it’s turned into much more of an essay than I thought it would – sorry!) let’s take a moment to reflect on another powerful verse that speaks to this topic. Philippians 4:6-7 says:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Does this verse tell us to just pray and ignore our struggles? No. It says that we can pray and, in the process of prayer, God will give us peace – a peace that guards our hearts and minds. It’s not an instant fix, but it’s a process of bringing our anxieties before God and trusting that He will give us the peace we need in our hearts and minds.

So, the takeaway from this post is this: If you are struggling with your mental health, seeing therapy is not a sign of weak faith. It’s a way of honouring the body, mind, and spirit that God has entrusted to you. Prayer and therapy can go hand in hand. God’s healing power isn’t limited to one method, and He can use both prayer and therapy to bring you peace, healing, and wholeness.

All my love,

Anna x