This week, Jake and Bob conclude their series on integrating faith with psychology. They welcome Beth Stoll, a therapist from St. Louis, to talk about how an encounter with God’s love at a Healing the Whole Person retreat transformed her practice. She not only shares how suffering creates a greater capacity for empathy but also why therapists who have experienced deep suffering themselves are able to more deeply connect with clients. They also discuss why one must first live a life of faith before integrating faith in their practice, define the difference between praying with and praying for someone, and reflect on the challenges of trusting God rather than our own abilities.

Key Points:

• Personal suffering can deepen a therapist's ability to empathize and connect with clients
• One must live a life of faith in their personal life before one can integrate it into their practice
• As a therapist, it is important to remember Jesus is the one who ultimately heals
• Learning to receive and allowing God to work in and through us can be difficult for both therapists and clients
• Integration is about encounter with the Lord through the therapist or Him directly

Resources:

• Beth’s Website

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

02:18 Beth’s Journey Through Sorrow

05:58 The Impact of Suffering

11:42 How Prayer Shifted Beth’s Practice

16:24 Jesus as the Primary Therapist

22:40 The Dynamics of Trust in Therapy

28:12 Praying for vs. Praying with Someone

34:57 Learning to Receive

40:42 Being the Presence of Christ

47:02 The Secret of Encounter and Integration

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