As 2025 came to a close and before we jump too far into 2026, we’re taking a moment to reflect with gratitude on the conversations God stirred through this space over the past year. The articles highlighted below represent the most visited posts of 2025 on our site, topics that resonated deeply with pastors, Christian counselors, and church leaders navigating the complex intersection of faith, mental health, and ministry. From caring well for hurting congregants to tending to our own souls as helpers, these posts reveal a shared longing for wisdom, wholeness, and Christ-centered care in a demanding season of ministry.
#1. Is Self-Harm A Sin? A Christian Counselor’s Perspective for Pastors and Church Leaders
In recent years, many pastors and Christian leaders have encountered heartbreaking conversations with congregants, youth and adults alike, who are struggling with self-harm. Behind the worship songs, Sunday smiles, and faithful service, some are silently suffering, using self-harm as what they feel is the only viable coping mechanism in the moment for their deep emotional pain. The question often arises in these sacred pastoral moments: Is self-harm a sin?
#2. Trauma Healing Institute Free Church Resources
In today’s world, trauma affects countless individuals, families, and communities. From personal crises to widespread disasters, the need for compassionate and effective trauma care has never been greater. Christian counselors, pastors, and church leaders are uniquely positioned to be agents of God’s healing in these moments. One invaluable partner in this mission is the Trauma Healing Institute, a Christian non-profit dedicated to equipping churches and ministries with biblical resources for trauma healing.
#3. 7 Ways Churches Can Create Safe Spaces for Mental Health Conversations
In today’s world, mental health struggles are no longer hidden in the shadows—they’re part of daily life for many in our congregations. Yet, in too many churches, the stigma remains. People suffer in silence, unsure whether their church is a safe place to be honest about their mental health challenges. As pastors and church leaders, we are called to be shepherds—not only of people’s spiritual well-being but their whole person, including their emotional and mental health. Creating safe spaces within the church for these conversations isn’t just compassionate—it’s Christlike.
#4. The Gift of Being Yourself [Book Review]
As a pastor, you constantly pour into others—offering guidance, shepherding souls, and serving your congregation with compassion. But in ministry, have you taken time to truly know yourself as God knows you? What does it mean to truly be a child of God and what God has made you to be? Dr. David G. Benner’s The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discovery is a profound and deeply biblical invitation to explore the intersection of self-awareness and spiritual formation.
#5. When Prayer Feels Impossible: Faith in the Midst of Depression
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18
As a Christian counselor, I have sat across from many believers who carry an unbearable weight of sadness, anxiety, and numbness. They often come with a common confession whispered in shame: “I can’t pray.”
#6. How Religious Practices Improve Mental Health
In today’s world, where stress, anxiety, and depression are prevalent, many seek effective ways to support their mental well-being. For pastors and Christian counselors, understanding the relationship between faith and mental health is essential in guiding congregants toward healing and wholeness. Research has increasingly demonstrated that religious practices have profound mental health benefits, affirming what Scripture has long taught. (It should also be noted we have talked about this topic a couple of other times, so this is not the only research that should be cited.)
#7. How Churches Can Prevent (and Respond) To Abuse
The church is called to be a place of refuge, healing, and truth. Unfortunately, abuse—whether physical, emotional, spiritual, or sexual—can occur within faith communities. As pastors and church leaders, we have a biblical and ethical responsibility to protect the vulnerable, prevent harm, and respond appropriately when abuse is disclosed.
#8. Spiritual Warfare or Mental Health Issue? How to Discern the Difference
As a Christian counselor who has walked alongside pastors and ministry leaders within the Church as well as Christians in the counseling room, one of the more common and challenging questions I hear is: “Is this person struggling with spiritual warfare, or is this a mental health issue?”
#9. Why Faith Doesn’t Eliminate Therapy—and Why That’s Okay
For many Christians, faith is the cornerstone of life—our anchor in the storm, our source of peace, and our hope for healing. So when emotional struggles arise, some may wonder: “Shouldn’t my faith be enough?” It’s a well-meaning question, but one that can unintentionally add guilt and confusion to an already difficult experience.
#10. Scripture-Based Grounding Techniques for Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma
In times of anxiety, depression, or trauma, many Christians find themselves struggling to connect what they know about God with what they feel in their bodies and minds. Scripture tells us that we are not alone, that God is with us, and that peace is possible, but those truths can feel distant when our nervous system is overwhelmed or our emotions are spiraling. This is where grounding techniques come in.
