Christian counseling and spirituality counseling are both talk therapy that makes room for faith. Christian counseling brings Christian beliefs, scripture, and prayer into sessions when you want them. Spirituality counseling is non denominational and follows your lead, whatever you believe or doubt. Choose by the framework you want your counselor to work within.
Key takeaways
| Christian counseling | Spirituality counseling | Pastor or faith leader | Spiritual director | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Talk therapy with Christian faith included as you choose | Non denominational talk therapy that follows your beliefs, or lack of them | Spiritual care and guidance within your tradition | Spiritual companionship, not therapy |
| Faith in sessions | Prayer and scripture only if you want them | Your counselor does not bring in beliefs of their own | Teaching from within the tradition | Deep listening; directors "do not proselytize" (Spiritual Directors International) |
| Often chosen for | Anxiety, grief, shame, marriage strain, with faith as a resource | Doubt, faith transitions, religious hurt, a search for meaning | Questions of doctrine, sacraments, congregational care | Prayer life and spiritual practice |
| Treats mental health concerns? | Yes | Yes | Not as a mental health provider | No |
| At Foundations? | Yes | Yes | No; your church or faith community | No; a spiritual director |
Christian counseling at Foundations is clinical talk therapy for people who want their Christian faith included, as much or as little as they choose. Early on, your counselor asks how you want faith in the room. Some want prayer or scripture reflection; others simply want a counselor who respects their beliefs.
Counselors on the Christian Counseling page draw on approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and, for couples, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). For a place to start at home, read Does Prayer Help Anxiety?
Spirituality counseling at Foundations is talk therapy for people of any faith, or none, who want room to explore belief, doubt, meaning, or religious hurt alongside anxiety, grief, or life changes. It is non denominational; your counselor follows your lead about how much spirituality belongs in sessions and does not bring in beliefs of their own.
You never have to adopt a belief, practice, or vocabulary to belong.
Not necessarily, and the difference helps explain the two services. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) describes religion as "an organized, community-based system of beliefs," while spirituality "resides within the individual and what they personally believe." NAMI adds that "Spirituality is a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves."
Many people hold both, and some are not sure yet. NAMI notes that "If presented in a supportive way, religion and spirituality can help people improve their mental health." That phrase, "in a supportive way," is the heart of choosing well.
In Christian counseling, grace, forgiveness, scripture, and prayer are available as resources when you want them. In spirituality counseling, no single tradition is assumed; your counselor works with whatever is true for you, including no belief at all.
If you want to lean on your faith while you heal, Christian counseling is built for that. If you are questioning your faith or unsure what you believe, spirituality counseling lets you explore without anyone steering you. Christian counseling also welcomes doubt, so a struggling Christian can choose either.
Both are confidential talk therapy aimed at goals you choose. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes psychotherapy as treatments "that aim to help a person identify and change troubling emotions, thoughts, and behaviors," and says, "Rapport and trust are essential." That trust matters even more when the subject is as personal as faith.
In both, you decide how much faith comes into each session. As NAMI's chief executive, Daniel H. Gillison, wrote in The Intersection of Faith and Mental Health, "Faith and mental health are not antithetical to each other; in fact, they are complementary."
Christian counseling may fit if:
Spirituality counseling may fit if:
This is where we may point you elsewhere. Foundations counselors are not clergy. They do not offer religious instruction, spiritual direction, or rulings on doctrine, and they will not tell you what to believe.
If you are thinking about suicide or feel unsafe, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
For medication questions, talk with your physician; Foundations offers talk therapy. These lists are a reason to ask, not a diagnosis.
Foundations offers couples counseling where each partner is heard and the counselor does not take a side on who is right. Couples counseling is not the right place to start if there is abuse, intimidation, or fear in the relationship; the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 1.800.799.7233.
NIMH suggests a preliminary conversation with a possible therapist. Questions worth asking, adapted from NIMH:
Credentials matter too. Mayo Clinic notes that "Licensing requirements vary by state," so ask what credential a counselor holds and check it. Our guide on how to find the best counselor for you goes further.
Counselors who offer each service are listed on our Christian Counseling and Spirituality Counseling pages, and each counselor's bio lists their credentials and training.
You do not have to choose on your own. Tell us what matters to you, including your faith or your questions about it, and we will match you with a counselor who fits. Your first meeting with that counselor is a free consultation, a good time to talk through which approach feels right. Sessions are in person in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Windsor, or online in Colorado. If your first counselor is not the right fit, including how they handle faith, our Counselor Match Guarantee means we will find another counselor who is.
Christian counseling is talk therapy that includes your Christian faith as much or as little as you choose, including prayer and scripture if you want them. Spirituality counseling is non denominational talk therapy for people of any faith, or none, and your counselor follows your lead without bringing in beliefs of their own.
No. People of other faiths or none can benefit, especially if they are open to exploring how spiritual beliefs can support their counseling. If you would rather not work within a Christian framework, spirituality counseling is non denominational and does not assume any one tradition. Tell us what you want when you reach out.
Yes. Doubt and faith changes are common reasons people seek counseling. In spirituality counseling, your counselor will not steer you toward staying or leaving. Christian counseling also makes room for questions about faith. Either way, the focus is on what you are experiencing and what you want next.
No. A counselor provides talk therapy for concerns like anxiety, grief, and relationship strain. A pastor offers spiritual care and guidance within a tradition, and a spiritual director offers companionship in prayer and spiritual practice. Many people draw on more than one, and with your written consent a counselor can coordinate with your pastor.
Only if you want that. In Christian counseling, you decide how much faith is part of each session, and you can change your mind at any time. In spirituality counseling, your counselor follows your lead and can make room for practices that matter to you, such as prayer, meditation, or quiet reflection.
Counseling can still help. The counselor works with the relationship, not one partner's beliefs, so each of you is heard and respected. Some couples choose spirituality counseling because it feels neutral to both partners. If there is abuse, intimidation, or fear in the relationship, call 1.800.799.7233 instead.
Written by Chris Berger, M.A., LPC, NCC, founder of Foundations Counseling. Descriptions of each Foundations service come from our live service pages, and outside claims come from NAMI, NIMH, Mayo Clinic, and Spiritual Directors International, each checked against the live source in October 2026.
Clinically reviewed by Chris Berger, M.A., LPC, NCC. Updated October 2026.
More on how counseling works: browse our Therapy Approaches guides.
We will match you with a counselor who fits, and your first meeting is a free consultation. Schedule your free consultation or call 970.227.2770.
If you are thinking about suicide or feel unsafe, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.