What Is EMDR Christian Counseling and How Does It Work?
Life can feel like a delicate balancing act. You're trying to manage a demanding career, raise a family, and excel in every area, all at the same time. When past hurts or overwhelming stress are added to the mix, it can feel like you’re carrying a weight that no one else can see. If you’re seeking a path to healing that honors your faith, you might be curious about EMDR Christian counseling in Columbus, OH. This unique approach combines a powerful, evidence-based therapy with the comfort and strength of your spiritual beliefs.
It creates a safe space for deep and lasting restoration. You are not alone in this feeling. Many high-achieving women and overwhelmed moms feel the pressure to keep everything together, even when they are struggling internally. It’s completely normal to seek support. Integrating your faith into your healing journey can make the process feel more whole and aligned with who you are.
What Is EMDR Christian Counseling?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach. It is designed to help people heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences. When something traumatic happens, the memory can get "stuck" in your brain and body. This may cause you to relive the event through intrusive thoughts, nightmares, or intense emotional reactions. EMDR helps your brain properly process these memories, so they no longer hold the same power over you.
Offering EMDR from a Christian counseling perspective means that your faith is not just an afterthought; it is a central part of your healing. It’s about meeting you exactly where you are on your spiritual journey. Every person’s relationship with God is unique. My role is to create a safe, understanding space where you can explore and heal by incorporating your faith in a way that feels right for you. It’s a gentle, client-led process where your beliefs are respected and woven into the therapeutic work.
How Is It Different from Regular EMDR?
While the core principles of EMDR remain the same, Christian counseling integrates your faith directly into the sessions. This is a collaborative process, and it always depends on what you need and want. I will always ask how you wish for your faith to be incorporated into treatment. For example, a standard part of EMDR therapy involves guided meditation to a "calm place." Some clients may prefer to bring God into their calm place, imagining His presence and comfort. When we begin to reprocess difficult memories, you might find it helpful to invite God into those moments as a source of support and strength. This can transform a painful memory by introducing a new, powerful element of divine love and protection.
It’s important to clarify that this is not pastoral counseling. While I can offer prayer if you request it, I do not provide scripture or theological guidance. Instead, you are more than welcome to bring scripture that gives you comfort to meditate on during treatment. We make space to reflect on spirituality, allowing you to connect your healing with your relationship with God. Many clients find that as they process trauma, they also experience profound spiritual insights and a renewed sense of closeness with God.
Addressing Common Fears and Hesitations
If you are a person of faith, the idea of seeking therapy can sometimes bring up complicated feelings. Do you ever worry that needing help means you are "weak in faith"? Or that relying on a therapist means you aren't depending on God "enough"? These are common and valid concerns. I want to encourage you to see how much strength it takes to seek counseling. It is an act of immense courage, not weakness. God created community and professionals to provide help and guidance toward healing. We were not made to be isolated and alone; all humans need help and support at times.
Think of it this way: if you had a physical illness, you would likely see a doctor and use medicine to get better. You wouldn't see it as a lack of faith, but as using the resources God has provided. Counseling is no different. It is a tool created to help people, an added layer of support that works alongside your faith, not in place of it. Your relationship with God and your therapeutic journey can coexist and even enrich one another.
How EMDR Christian Counseling Promotes Healing
When trauma and chronic stress are left unresolved, your nervous system can get stuck in a state of high alert. You might know this as the fight, flight, or freeze response. Living in this constant state of alert can leave you feeling anxious, irritable, and disconnected from the world around you. EMDR, when paired with faith-based counseling, offers a path to both emotional regulation and spiritual restoration. Through the process, clients often experience a sense of peace and calm that they may not have felt in a very long time.
As your nervous system learns to relax, you can begin to feel more present and engaged in your life. Spiritually, clients often find that they are able to grow more in their faith. This journey can help you process the pain that may have created a barrier between you and God. By healing this pain, you can experience a more personal and intimate relationship with Him. You may feel a more calming presence during prayer or a deeper connection during spiritual reflection. Healing the emotional wounds allows your spirit to be more open and receptive to God's love and peace.
Practical Tips You Can Try Today
While therapy is a powerful tool, there are small steps you can take right now to begin exploring this connection between your emotional and spiritual well-being.
Try Meditative Spiritual Practices: Every person connects with God differently. Take a few minutes to sit in quiet reflection. You might try meditating on a piece of scripture that brings you comfort or listening to worship music. You could also simply focus on your breath while inviting God’s presence into the moment. Notice what it feels like in your body to connect with your faith in this calm, intentional way.
Journal Your Faith Journey: Writing can be a powerful way to process your thoughts and emotions. Use a journal to write down your prayers, your fears, your hopes, and any reflections you have. It can be a private conversation between you and God, helping you untangle your feelings and deepen your spiritual connection.
Seek Community Support: You were never meant to carry your burdens alone. Reach out to a trusted friend, a small group at your church, or a Christian counselor. Sharing your struggles with someone who can offer encouragement and prayer can be an incredible source of strength. It’s a reminder that you are not alone.
Finding the Right Therapist for You
For overwhelmed moms and high-achieving women, the pressure to be perfect can be immense. You juggle so many responsibilities, and it’s easy for your own well-being to fall to the bottom of the list. EMDR Christian counseling provides a dedicated space for you to address past hurts, manage stress, and process perfectionism, all while drawing strength from your faith. If you’re looking for a women's EMDR therapist in Columbus, it’s important to find someone who has the right clinical skills. You also need a women's EMDR therapist who creates a safe, non-judgmental environment where your faith is honored. Healing is a journey, and faith can be a powerful anchor along the way. You don’t have to choose between your mental health and your spiritual beliefs. With EMDR Christian counseling, you can embrace both, allowing for a holistic healing experience that nurtures your mind, body, and spirit. Taking that first step is an act of hope and courage, and you are worthy of that investment in yourself.
What Could Deep Healing Feel Like With EMDR Christian Counseling in Columbus, OH?
Have you found yourself longing for a space where both your emotional well-being and your faith are gently supported? It’s okay if you’ve carried these questions in your heart—many women do. You are worthy of care that respects your story, your spirituality, and the challenges you’re facing. At Merrianna Holdeman Counseling, my work with EMDR Christian counseling in Columbus, OH, is grounded in compassionate understanding of your unique journey. Whether you’re navigating the pressures of motherhood, professional demands, or lingering pain from the past, you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Together, we can create a place of safety where your faith becomes an active part of your healing, helping you find relief from anxiety, trauma, or overwhelm. If you’re ready to explore the next step:
Discover my approach to EMDR Christian Counseling and how I can help you rebuild peace, find connection, and trust yourself again.
You are not alone. Your healing matters, and your story is welcome here.
Other Therapy Services at Merrianna Holdeman Counseling
As you move forward in your faith and healing journey, you may notice how deeply interconnected your experiences are—how trauma, stress, and even faith struggles can impact many parts of your life. Because of this, I offer a range of therapy services to meet you where you are: ADHD Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Anxiety Therapy, and Trauma Therapy. Each service is designed with your unique needs and spiritual path in mind.
You might find that the constant hum of anxiety makes it hard to rest in God’s peace. Focus can also feel impossible under the weight of daily demands. Motherhood, career pressures, and past trauma can all combine, leaving you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. It can even make you feel disconnected from those around you and from yourself. At Merrianna Holdeman Counseling, you’re supported as you work toward a sense of wholeness and clarity through personalized therapy—all delivered in-person for women who are ready to find true healing and renewed connection in every area of life.
About the Author
Merrianna Holdeman, LPCC, is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Ohio who is passionate about the powerful intersection of faith and mental health. She specializes in guiding overwhelmed moms and high-achieving women through deep healing using EMDR Christian counseling. Merrianna offers a gentle, non-judgmental space where clients feel safe to integrate their spiritual beliefs into their recovery from trauma and stress. By combining evidence-based therapy with the comfort of faith, she helps women release heavy burdens and find a renewed sense of peace and purpose.
