Faith-Based Growth: The Role of Christian Counseling in Atlanta

By Liz Fava, LPC, CPCS | Fava Counseling Associates, Atlanta, GA | Georgia Licensed Professional Counselor

Key Takeaways

• Christian counseling is licensed, clinical therapy — not pastoral care or life coaching — delivered by credentialed mental health professionals.
• It integrates evidence-based methods (CBT, Gottman Method, EFT, Brainspotting) with a client’s Christian faith and values.
• You do not have to be Christian to work with a Christian counselor. All backgrounds are welcome.
• At Fava Counseling Associates, LPC Liz Fava offers faith-informed individual and couples therapy in Atlanta, GA.
• Sessions available in-person and online throughout Georgia.

What Is Christian Counseling? 

Christian counseling is a form of professional therapy that integrates clinically sound, evidence-based practices with a client’s Christian faith and biblical values.

It’s not a sermon. It’s not a Bible study. It’s real, licensed therapy — the kind that addresses anxiety, relationship challenges, trauma, grief, and more — offered by trained mental health professionals who also understand the role that faith plays in a person’s life and healing.

I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Christian. In over a decade of clinical work with individuals and couples in Atlanta, I’ve found that for many people, leaving their faith out of the therapy room doesn’t make the work deeper — it makes it incomplete.

Faith isn’t just one piece of my clients’ lives — for many, it’s the lens through which they understand everything. Christian counseling simply makes space for that.

What Christian counseling does is hold two things in tension at once: clinical excellence and spiritual sensitivity. You get the tools — the techniques, the research-backed frameworks, the practical strategies — while also being able to bring your whole self into the room, including your faith.

How Is Christian Counseling Different from Secular Therapy? 

The primary difference is integration: Christian counseling weaves a client’s spiritual beliefs and biblical worldview into the therapeutic process, rather than treating faith as separate from — or irrelevant to — mental health.

In secular therapy, a clinician might focus exclusively on psychological models — cognitive patterns, attachment styles, behavioral strategies. All of that is valuable, and I use it too.

But in Christian counseling, we also ask: What does your faith say about this? What does your relationship with God look like right now? How might your spiritual life be a resource — or even a source of struggle — in this situation?

Here’s how the two approaches tend to differ in practice:

Both approaches can be deeply effective. But research shows that clients whose faith is central to their lives often benefit most when that faith is woven into the therapeutic process — because nothing important is left at the door.

Who Can Benefit from Christian Counseling in Atlanta? 

Christian counseling is a good fit for anyone whose faith is an important part of their life and who wants that faith acknowledged and integrated into their therapeutic work.

You don’t have to be in crisis to benefit. You don’t have to have everything figured out theologically, either. The clients I work with who are drawn to Christian counseling often share one thing: they want a therapist who gets it — who understands that their faith is a real and meaningful part of their story.

Christian counseling in Atlanta may be especially helpful if you:

• Are navigating anxiety, depression, or burnout and want to explore the spiritual dimensions of those struggles
• Are in a relationship or marriage and want your shared faith to be part of how you work through challenges together
• Are engaged or preparing for marriage and want counseling that honors your Christian values
• Are processing grief, loss, or major life transitions and asking hard questions about faith and suffering
• Are dealing with trauma and want healing that addresses your whole self — body, mind, and spirit
• Are a young adult or professional wrestling with identity, purpose, or calling
• Are looking for a therapist who won’t treat your faith as a complication

Atlanta is a city with deep spiritual roots — and that reflects a broader national reality. According to Pew Research’s 2023–24 Religious Landscape Study, 62% of U.S. adults identify as Christian, and the South remains one of the most religiously engaged regions in the country.

Many people here are actively involved in their churches, small groups, and ministries — and yet they’ve sometimes felt like the counseling world wasn’t designed with them in mind. That disconnect is real: surveys consistently show that 70–80% of people use religious or spiritual beliefs to cope with daily stress and difficulty, yet mental health care has historically been slow to make space for that dimension. Christian counseling changes that.

What Does Christian Counseling Actually Look Like in a Session? 

A Christian counseling session at Fava Counseling Associates looks and feels like professional therapy — structured, skill-building, and evidence-based — with the added dimension that your faith is welcomed, not set aside.

Every client is different, but after years of doing this work, here’s how a typical course of faith-based therapy tends to unfold at my practice:

1. A genuine conversation about your goals. In our first session, we’ll talk about what’s bringing you in and what you’re hoping to walk away with. We’ll also talk about your faith — how central it is to your life, what you’d like it to look like in our sessions, and any spiritual concerns that feel relevant. If you’re new to therapy altogether, our guide on what to expect when starting therapy is a helpful read before your first appointment.
2. Clinical tools that actually work. I draw from evidence-based approaches like the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Brainspotting, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — all clinically validated, evidence-based modalities, and all within a framework that honors your beliefs.
3. Faith integration at your comfort level. Some clients want Scripture or spiritual reflection woven throughout our sessions. Others prefer that faith inform the therapeutic lens without being explicitly named in every conversation. I follow your lead — there’s no single “Christian counseling script.”
4. Honest, direct feedback. I believe therapy works best when your counselor is warm and direct. I’ll support you fully, and I’ll also challenge you when a thought pattern or belief is getting in the way of the growth you’re after. Grace and truth, together.
5. A holistic view of your wellbeing. I look at all of it — your mind, your body, your relationships, and your spirit — because none of these exist in isolation.

Sessions are typically 50 minutes and can be conducted in person at our Atlanta office or via online counseling across Georgia. Reach out to schedule a free consultation if you’d like to talk through whether this approach is a good fit for you.

Christian Counseling for Couples in Atlanta 

For Christian couples, faith-based counseling creates a structured, honest space to work through conflict, rebuild intimacy, and strengthen your marriage on a foundation that reflects your shared values.

Whether you’re engaged, newlyweds, or decades into your marriage, bringing your faith into the counseling room changes what’s possible in the work you do together.

Many couples I work with have found that reconnecting with their shared spiritual foundation helps them navigate conflict with more grace, more humility, and more willingness to grow.

For engaged couples, I offer premarital counseling through the Prepare/Enrich program — one of the most respected, research-backed premarital assessments in the country. As a Certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator, I customize the process for couples who want their faith at the center of their preparation for marriage.

We cover communication, conflict, finances, intimacy, roles, and values — all within a framework that honors your commitment to each other and to God.

For married couples, marriage counseling from a Christian perspective helps you explore the deeper dynamics in your relationship — patterns of disconnection, recurring conflicts, wounds from the past — while drawing on the resources your faith provides. I’m trained in both the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy, and I bring both to bear when working with couples.

Areas where Christian couples counseling can help:

• Communication breakdown and chronic conflict
• Emotional or physical distance and disconnection
• Differences in faith practice or spiritual maturity
• Betrayal or broken trust and the work of repair
• Grief, loss, or major transitions affecting the marriage
• Preparing for or adjusting to parenthood
• Strengthening a marriage that’s good but could be great

Not sure if couples counseling is the right next step? Our article on top signs your relationship needs a couples counselor can help you figure that out. Ready to move forward? Explore our couples counseling services or contact us directly to get started.

Christian Counseling for Individuals: Anxiety, Grief, Trauma & More

Individual Christian counseling addresses the full range of mental health challenges — anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, identity, and more — through clinically proven methods delivered within a faith-informed framework.

The most common thing I hear from new clients who specifically seek out a Christian counselor? “I’ve been struggling for a while, but I wasn’t sure I could find a therapist who would take my faith seriously.” After years of working with individuals in Atlanta, I can tell you: that concern is completely understandable — and completely fixable. Here’s where faith-based individual therapy makes the most difference:

Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy — and for Christians, it often carries an extra layer of guilt or confusion (“Shouldn’t I just have more faith?”). Anxiety therapy from a Christian perspective helps you build real coping tools while also making space for the spiritual questions anxiety can raise.

Trauma

Trauma reshapes how we see ourselves, others, and the world — including our relationship with God. Trauma therapy using approaches like Brainspotting can help you process painful experiences in your body and mind, while making room to grieve, to question, and to find healing in your faith.

Grief and Loss

Grief is one of the most spiritually disorienting experiences my clients bring to therapy. Losing someone you love, experiencing a miscarriage, facing a sudden life change — these shake your faith as much as they shake your world.

What I’ve found, session after session, is that people don’t need platitudes. They need permission to be honest — about their pain, their doubt, and what they’re asking God in the dark. That’s exactly what this space is for.

Life Transitions and Identity

Career changes, relocations, the end of a relationship, questions about calling and purpose — these aren’t small things. Individual therapy helps you move through uncertainty with clarity and grounded confidence. New to the process? Our Individual Therapy in Atlanta: Your First-Session Guide walks you through what to expect.

Depression

Depression can feel like a spiritual crisis as much as an emotional one — and in my experience, for people of faith, it often is both at once. It drains motivation, distorts thinking, and makes it hard to connect with God or anyone else.

Our depression therapy treats this as the whole-person experience it is. For many people, consistent therapeutic work makes a real difference — and your faith, rather than being at odds with that process, can be part of what sustains it. If you’re in a severe depressive episode or experiencing thoughts of self-harm, please know that higher levels of care are available and we can help connect you with the right resources.

If any of these resonate, reach out for a free consultation — I’d love to talk through whether individual Christian counseling is the right fit for what you’re carrying.

Do You Have to Be Christian to See a Christian Counselor?

No — you do not have to be Christian to work with a Christian counselor. This is one of the questions I get most often, and I want to answer it plainly.

As someone who has spent years working with clients from many different cultural, religious, and non-religious backgrounds — and who has traveled extensively and genuinely treasures that diversity — I am not in the business of converting anyone.

My faith informs how I show up as a therapist: with hope, with humility, and with a belief that every person has inherent worth and the capacity to heal. That’s true whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer, someone who’s walking away from religion, or someone who has never set foot in a house of worship.

If you come to me with a different faith tradition than my own, we’ll work within your framework, not mine. If you’re not religious at all but simply want a therapist who takes the whole person seriously, that works too.

What matters most is that you feel safe, respected, and genuinely understood — and that we’re working toward goals that align with your own values, whatever those may be.

It’s also worth knowing that the mental health field itself increasingly recognizes this. A 2023 survey of nearly 900 mental health professionals — spanning psychology, social work, counseling, and psychiatry — found that nearly 9 in 10 agreed that clinicians should receive training in how to integrate spiritual and religious dimensions into their care. Good therapy makes room for all of who you are.

How to Find a Christian Therapist in Atlanta 

When looking for a Christian therapist in Atlanta, you’ll want to look for a licensed mental health professional who specifically offers faith-based or Christian-integrated counseling — not just someone who attends church.

Use this checklist when you’re evaluating therapists:

• Verify licensure through Georgia’s official licensing board. Look for an LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor), LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist), LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), or PhD-level psychologist. Credentials matter — a faith perspective should accompany clinical training, not replace it.
• Ask about their approach. A good Christian therapist should be able to clearly explain how they integrate faith into their clinical work and follow your lead on how much spiritual content you want in sessions.
• Look for relevant specializations. If you’re seeking help for anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, or premarital counseling specifically, find a therapist trained in evidence-based approaches for those areas.
• Schedule a consultation. Most therapists, including myself, offer a free phone consultation. Use it. The therapeutic relationship is one of the most important factors in whether therapy works — you should feel comfortable with your therapist before committing. Our guide on 9 questions to ask before your first therapy appointment is a great place to start.
• Consider practical logistics. Location (our office is at 4840 Roswell Rd., Suite C202 in Atlanta, near Buckhead and Sandy Springs), availability, fees, and whether they offer online sessions (we do) are all worth factoring in.

At Fava Counseling Associates, every therapist on our team brings both clinical training and genuine investment in the whole person. Meet our team to find the right fit — or call our intake coordinator and we’ll help match you directly. That’s a free call, no pressure, and it’s exactly what it’s there for.

Ready to Start? Work With a Christian Counselor in Atlanta 

I started Fava Counseling Associates because I believe therapy should be able to hold all of who you are — your history, your relationships, your struggles, and yes, your faith. Whether something broke recently or you’ve been carrying this for years, you don’t have to keep doing it alone.

Your relationships can get better. Healing from anxiety, trauma, grief, and depression is absolutely within reach. And your faith, far from being a complication in that process, is often the steadiest resource you have to work with.

If you’re ready to find a therapist who can hold all of who you are, we’d love to be that practice for you.

Schedule a free phone consultation — or call or text us directly at (404) 257-6474. No pressure, no commitment. Just a conversation.

We serve clients throughout the Atlanta metro area — including Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Chastain Park, and surrounding communities — and offer online counseling throughout Georgia.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is Christian counseling? Christian counseling is professional, licensed therapy that integrates clinical mental health techniques with a client’s Christian faith. It’s grounded in evidence-based practices — like CBT, Gottman Method, or trauma-focused approaches — while also making space for Scripture, and spiritual reflection when the client desires it.

Is Christian counseling only for people with serious mental health issues? Not at all. Many people seek Christian counseling for relationship support, personal growth, major life transitions, or simply to have a space to process life with someone who takes their faith seriously. You don’t have to be in crisis to benefit from therapy.

How is Christian counseling different from talking to a pastor? Pastors are valuable spiritual leaders, but they are typically not licensed mental health professionals. Christian counselors hold clinical licenses, are trained in evidence-based therapeutic techniques, are bound by professional ethical codes, and provide structured mental health treatment — while also integrating faith. The two can complement each other well.

Can Christian counseling help with anxiety and depression? Yes. Christian counseling uses clinically proven approaches for anxiety and depression — including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Brainspotting, and mindfulness-based techniques, all recognized by the National Institute of Mental Health — alongside a faith-informed perspective that addresses the spiritual dimensions of these struggles.

Do you offer Christian couples counseling in Atlanta? Yes. At Fava Counseling Associates, we offer Christian-informed couples counseling, marriage counseling, and premarital counseling. Our therapists are trained in the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and the Prepare/Enrich program — all of which can be delivered within a faith-based framework.

Can I do Christian counseling online in Georgia? Yes. We offer secure online counseling to clients throughout Georgia. Online sessions are a convenient option for busy schedules or for those outside the immediate Atlanta area. Research supports teletherapy as effective for a wide range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, and relationship issues — though your therapist can help determine whether in-person sessions are a better fit for your specific situation.

Liz Fava, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Professional Counseling Supervisor (CPCS) based in Atlanta, GA. She has over a decade of clinical experience working with individuals and couples, with specialized training in the Gottman Method (Levels 1–3), Emotionally Focused Therapy, Brainspotting, and the Prepare/Enrich premarital program. Liz is a Christian counselor who works with clients of all faith backgrounds — because good therapy has room for all of who you are.

A note on safety and scope of care

The content on this page is for informational purposes and does not constitute a diagnosis, treatment plan, or substitute for professional mental health care. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or go to your nearest emergency room.

All sessions at Fava Counseling Associates are conducted under Georgia’s confidentiality laws and applicable HIPAA regulations. Your privacy is protected. Limited exceptions apply as required by law (e.g., imminent risk of harm).

Christian counseling as practiced at this office integrates clinical therapy with faith-based perspectives. It is not pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, or a replacement for medical or psychiatric care. If you require psychiatric medication management or a higher level of clinical care, we will help connect you with appropriate providers.