Psychotherapy: Christian therapists and their approach to depression

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe Christian therapists and their approach to the treatment of depression. Christian therapists were defined as mental health professionals possessing credentials to conduct counseling and/or psychotherapy through a counseling agency or private practice, who commit to, and/or utilize, Christian principles in conjunction with contemporary psychological methods and interventions in practice.;Survey questionnaires were completed by 12 Christian therapists. Descriptive statistics and a content analysis were done for the acquired data.;Results revealed there exists a great diversity of perceptions about and approaches to Christian therapeutic treatment. Cognitive behavioral interventions are incorporated in therapy within an eclectic psychological treatment approach. Christian spiritual principles are applied as they seem to be needed and as they seem to be applicable to each client's case. No specific Christian adaptation to treatment of depression was found to exist among these Christian therapists.