But everything changed during a podcast interview in 2022 . As a guest on the show recounted her battle with obsessivecompulsive disorder ( OCD ), everything Stephanie had been experiencing for over a decade clicked into place . Maybe she couldn ’ t bootstrap her way out of this . Maybe she did need help .
So , Stephanie dropped her pride and embraced professional advice . The thought of being on a daily medication for her brain had always unnerved her , but she took the Zoloft plunge when her doctor suggested it . As time went on , her mind slowly quieted . Her thoughts became clear , rational , and calm for the first time in years . When her friends and family noticed the shift in her , she wondered why it had taken her so long to take care of her mental health . Those years of panic and illogical thinking could have been avoided . But the negative churchy opinions she ’ d heard about medication and therapy had been ingrained in her mind .
Why Counseling Isn ’ t a Last Resort
Once upon a time , therapy was a dirty word . You heard it spoken only in hushed tones , with a solemn head shake . But we have entered a new phase , one where therapy is what all the cool kids are doing — or at least most of them . But once again , it ’ s different for church leaders . In some churches , therapy still has a negative stigma . You can ’ t have a relationship with God and go to therapy or take medication for anxiety or depression . That would knock the pedestal of perfection over and set it entirely ablaze . This is why it took so long for Stephanie to step foot in a mental health facility , and also why Jessica believed the stigma for years .
When Jessica counseled married couples , she noticed that most people seeking counsel were at their breaking point . They were usually on the verge of divorce ( or a murderous end worthy of its slot on Lifetime TV ). These were some dire straits , people . Jessica thought this was normal for couples seeking counseling : they had to be a hot mess to qualify for therapy sessions , naturally . But what if counseling isn ’ t meant to be the last-effort problem fixer ? What if it ’ s the path to avoid murdery messes entirely ?
In her early thirties , Jessica had to discard everything she thought she knew about people who went to therapy or counseling . They weren ’ t the exception or the oddballs who couldn ’ t get their lives together . They were and are you and us . Therapy is for healthy people , not just those riding the struggle bus .
Leaders process about a million and one emotions , our own and everyone else ’ s . As much as we want to pretend that the stories , traumatic experiences , and losses we walk
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