Charlottesville Christian Counseling Coalition

Find counseling that makes room for your faith.

Christian counseling can mean different things to different people. This website is a resource for people looking for counseling services that align with their Christian faith. Finding a trusted counselor who will honor your beliefs and bring them into the therapeutic process can be challenging. The Charlottesville Christian Counseling Coalition is a group of vetted and trusted counselors who will integrate one’s Christian faith, for those who desire to have their faith be a part of their counseling experience.

Read the guide See the counselors

What is Christian counseling?

Answers to common questions for anyone looking for counseling that takes their Christian faith seriously, whether for yourself, someone you love, or people you care for in ministry.

How do faith and biblical principles integrate with therapy?

It depends on the counselor and on what you want. In counseling that integrates faith, a trained clinician uses established therapy methods while also drawing on a Christian understanding of people: that we are made in God’s image, affected by sin and suffering, and able to grow and change by God’s grace.

In practice, that can include:

  • Exploring how your beliefs about God, yourself and others shape what you’re going through.
  • Bringing in Scripture, prayer or other spiritual practices when you want them.
  • Using therapy approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), in ways that fit with biblical truth.
  • Setting goals for spiritual growth alongside emotional and relational health.

How much faith is part of your sessions should be your choice. A good Christian counselor will ask what you want rather than assume. Christians also differ on how faith and psychology fit together; the next question explains the main approaches.

What are the different approaches to Christian counseling?

Christians agree that faith belongs in the care of people. They disagree about how much psychology has to offer and how it fits with Scripture. Eric L. Johnson's Psychology & Christianity: Five Views sets out the five main positions, each argued by one of its leading voices. The summaries below are our own short versions, meant to help you recognize each approach when you meet it, and to ask a counselor good questions about how they work.

The views are often read as a range from left to right, though each one is more nuanced than a single line can show.

  1. 1

    Levels of explanation

    Argued by David G. Myers

    The idea. Psychology and theology describe the same person at different levels, the way biology and chemistry describe the same body. Each field answers its own questions with its own methods, and well-tested research findings can be trusted on their own terms.

    In the counseling room. A counselor in this view is likely to share that they are a Christian. In sessions, your faith is respected but not used as part of treatment. Instead, these counselors mainly rely on psychological theories and research-supported methods to treat their clients.

  2. 2

    Integration

    Argued by Stanton L. Jones

    The idea. All truth is God's truth. Scripture has the final word, but psychology's findings and methods are welcomed, weighed against a Christian view of people, and then brought together with theology into one understanding.

    In the counseling room. A trained clinician using established methods for problems like anxiety, depression, trauma or marriage conflict, with prayer, Scripture and spiritual questions brought in as the client wishes.

  3. 3

    Christian psychology

    Argued by Robert C. Roberts and P. J. Watson

    The idea. Psychology is understood through the lens of Scripture, so psychological modalities and interventions are understood through the Christian faith.

    In the counseling room. These counselors use psychological models, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), through a biblical understanding.

  4. 4

    Transformational psychology

    Argued by John H. Coe and Todd W. Hall

    The idea. Doing psychology well depends on the spiritual formation of the person doing it. Psychology is meant to describe people and also to help them change, and the counselor's own growth in the Spirit is central to that work.

    In the counseling room. Close attention to the counseling relationship, the counselor's spiritual maturity, and the client's growth in love toward God and others.

  5. 5

    Biblical counseling

    Argued by David Powlison

    The idea. Scripture gives a sufficient account of people and their problems. Secular psychology's theories are treated as rival explanations to be examined critically, though its observations can still be useful.

    In the counseling room. Often offered through churches by pastors or trained lay counselors, focused on Scripture, the motives of the heart and the gospel. It is usually distinct from state-licensed therapy.

Source: Eric L. Johnson, ed., Psychology & Christianity: Five Views, rev. ed. (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009). View names and contributors follow the book; the plain-language summaries are C4’s and simplify each author’s full argument.

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What is the difference between Christian counseling and “biblical counseling”?

Christian counseling is a broad term for counseling that brings the Christian faith into the work. It is often offered by state-licensed mental health professionals who combine clinical training with their faith, using established therapy methods alongside Scripture, prayer and a Christian view of people.

Biblical counseling usually refers to a specific approach that treats Scripture as sufficient for understanding and helping people, and is cautious about the theories of secular psychology. It is often offered through churches by pastors or trained lay counselors, and it is usually not state-licensed therapy, though some biblical counselors are also licensed.

If you are dealing with a mental health concern such as depression, anxiety or trauma, it is worth asking any counselor about their training and whether they are licensed to treat it.

Read about biblical counseling among the five approaches

How do I find a good Christian counselor or therapist near me?

This can be very difficult. Finding a Christian-based counselor usually means either knowing people who can help point you to one, or calling different counselors yourself and asking them questions about how they work.

C4 exists to make that search easier. If you live in or near Charlottesville, Virginia, the counselors listed below have been vetted and are trusted by local ministry leaders, so you can start with people who already bring Christian faith and clinical care together. Wherever you are, the questions in the next section can help you find a good fit.

See the counselors

What questions can I ask counselors when I call them?

Some of these may feel personal to ask, but a good Christian counselor will be glad to answer them.

Training and credentials

  • Are you state-licensed?
  • What are your degrees and credentials?

Their faith

  • How does your faith affect your view and practice of counseling?
  • Do you attend church? If so, where, and how long have you been a member?

Faith in your sessions

  • What does it look like to integrate faith into your work with clients?
  • Can you give me some examples?
  • Do you bring Christian truth into your counseling practice? How?
  • What role does Scripture play?
  • Do you pray with those you counsel?
  • I’m looking for a counselor who takes [the approach you prefer, such as integration or biblical counseling] approach. How does that shape the way you work with clients?

How do I know if I can trust a counselor’s beliefs to align with my own?

It’s fair to ask, and a good counselor will welcome the question. A few ways to get a sense of it:

  • Ask directly. Ask about their faith, whether they belong to a church, and what they believe about the things that matter most to you.
  • Look at what they’ve written. Many counselors describe their faith and approach on their website, and some share a statement of faith.
  • Ask people you trust. A pastor or ministry leader who knows the counselor can tell you how they work. The counselors on this site are vetted and trusted by local ministry leaders.
  • Pay attention in the first few sessions. Notice whether they respect your beliefs and let you set how much faith is part of the work.

If it doesn’t feel like the right fit, it’s okay to say so and look for someone else.

Counselors in Charlottesville

These counselors have worked with numerous local ministry leaders and pastors in Charlottesville and the surrounding area. These practices are known to faithfully integrate the Christian faith for those who want their faith to be incorporated in their care. Follow a link to ask about availability, fees and fit.

How these counselors are vetted

Each of these counselors has been vetted as follows:

  • Each has a master’s degree in counseling.
  • Each is licensed in Virginia or practicing under the supervision of a licensed counselor.
  • Each engages in regular spiritual disciplines, such as being a member of a local church, regularly gathering with other Christian believers for fellowship, and devoting time to prayer and Bible reading.
  • Each integrates their faith into their practice for those who wish to have their faith be a part of their counseling experience.

How this list works

Vetted and vouched for

Every counselor here has been vetted and is someone local ministry leaders and pastors are willing to put their name behind.

Faith and training together

Each counselor works from a Christian faith and brings professional training to the work, so care for the soul and care for the mind aren't pulled apart.

You reach out directly

C4 is a referral list, not a booking service. Each practice is independent and handles its own scheduling, fees and insurance.

For churches and ministries

This site is meant to be passed along. Share the guide with your staff, elders or care team, add the link to your church's care resources, or send it to someone asking where to find a counselor. The one-page handout is made for a resource table, a welcome desk or a pastor's office.